Retired NASA engineer volunteers at age 95
Otha 'Skeet' Vaughan, Jr. has been a NASA Emeritus Docent at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center for 10 years. The NASA Emeritus Docent program brings the expertise of NASA scientists and engineers to the guest experience.
How a Huntsville man's childhood love for animals turned into a passionate mission in adulthood
'Skeet' is one of dozens of these volunteers who share their personal experiences and answer the frequent questions visitors ask.
Pat Ammons, Senior Director of Public and Media Relations, says these docents truly bring the history and the technology to life. She also says 'Skeet' is a testament to living life well. And, what a life it's been so far!
Nowadays you can find Skeet wearing one of the white lab coats with a NASA 'meatball' on the back near the excursion module exhibit armed with a baby food jar of 'moon dust.' However, his time with NASA goes way back to the beginning when in 1960 Huntsville became the Rocket City when Wernher von Braun led the newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center.
As a charter member of the von Braun rocket development team, 'Skeet' worked as an engineer and research scientist developing space vehicles, researching missile flight performance, and solving engineering problems.It was years and years of groundbreaking work that helped allow men for the first time to leave Earth and explore the moon. His talents have contributed to the Apollo Program, the Apollo Lunar Exploration Program (Lunar Rover), Skylab, and the Space Shuttle.
Skeet says it didn't feel like a job.
'I was having so much fun and I was meeting a lot of interesting people, too,' he said.
Learn more about 'Skeet' and his story by watching the video found in this article. If you want to learn even more about 'Skeet' and his journey to NASA, visit his website for even more incredible details!
We'd love for you to help us highlight other heroes around us!
Just let us know who the hero in your life is and what makes them heroic, and we'll consider them for our Hoover's Heroes segment. To nominate them, fill out the form here:
Submit a form.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
ITI receives appreciation from ISRO for its contribution to NISAR satellite launch
By Aman Shukla Published on August 18, 2025, 11:17 IST ITI Limited, India's first public sector undertaking established after independence and a premier telecom manufacturing company, has been lauded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its role in the successful launch of the NISAR satellite. The satellite was launched aboard GSLV-F16 on July 30, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission, a joint initiative between NASA and ISRO, marks the world's first major Earth-observing satellite collaboration between the two agencies. The advanced satellite, weighing 2,393 kg, was placed precisely into its intended orbit by GSLV-F16, a key achievement for India's space program. ITI Limited, Palakkad, played a crucial role in this milestone by fabricating 28 avionics packages and 18 HMSA (Head-end Mounted Safe Arm) packages, which were successfully integrated into the NISAR satellite. These systems were delivered in a time-bound manner while adhering to stringent Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) quality standards. ISRO has acknowledged ITI's consistent support in avionics realization for such high-profile missions. The NISAR satellite carries dual-band radar, making it one of the most advanced Earth-observation satellites ever developed. With an estimated mission cost of USD 1.5 billion, it is set to be the most expensive Earth-imaging satellite in the world. NISAR's primary objective is to monitor subtle changes in the Earth's surface, offering high-resolution data critical for understanding ecosystems, climate change, agricultural trends, natural disasters, and more. This successful collaboration between NASA and ISRO not only strengthens India's position in global space research but also highlights the importance of domestic industry partners like ITI Limited in realizing cutting-edge space technology. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on August 17, 2025
The moon is slowly disappearing from view, and that's because of where we are in the lunar cycle. What's the lunar cycle, you ask? The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. So let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 17. What is today's moon phase? As of Sunday, Aug. 17, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and it is 35% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation. We're on day 24 of the lunar cycle, so that means for the next few days it'll be less and less visible, until there's nothing to see at all. But for now, there's still plenty to spot on the moon's surface. With just your naked eye, catch a glimpse of the Aristarchus Plateau and the Copernicus Crater. With binoculars, see even more, including the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater. Telescopes truly come into their own for moon gazing, and tonight with one, you'll see the Reiner Gamma and the Schiller Crater, too. When is the next full moon? The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9. What are moon phases? According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon's orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle: New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye). Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere). First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon. Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet. Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible. Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit. Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again. Solve the daily Crossword
Digital Trends
4 hours ago
- Digital Trends
How to watch SpaceX launch the mighty Starship on its 10th flight
SpaceX is close to launching its enormous Starship rocket for the 10th time. The spaceflight company recently announced that it's targeting Sunday, August 24, for the highly anticipated launch. Recommended Videos Comprising the upper stage Starship spacecraft and first-stage Super Heavy booster, the rocket will launch from SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas. Once fully operational, NASA and SpaceX hope to use the 121-meter-tall Starship rocket for crew and cargo missions to the moon and possibly even Mars. First up, NASA wants to use a modified version of the spacecraft to return humans to the lunar surface in the Artemis III mission, which is currently set for 2027. But with testing of the Starship ongoing, that date may slip. SpaceX has designed the Starship to be a fully reusable rocket, allowing it to use both the booster and spacecraft for multiple missions, thereby saving massively on mission costs. How to watch SpaceX is targeting 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) on Sunday, August 24, for the 10th Starship launch from the company's Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas. Technical issues or adverse weather conditions could prompt SpaceX to launch later, so be sure to check back here — or SpaceX's X account — for the latest information. The launch will be livestreamed by SpaceX on its X account. What to expect Whether you're there in person or watching online, you'll witness the world's most powerful rocket climbing skyward, generating around 17 million pounds of thrust as the huge rocket leaves the launchpad. SpaceX will livestream the launch and early part of the flight, with cameras attached to both the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft tracking the mission's progress. Unlike some earlier Starship flights, the Super Heavy will not be returning to the launch tower after liftoff. Instead, cameras will capture footage of both parts of the vehicle coming down in their respective splashdown sites. One more thing … SpaceX chief Elon Musk has promised to give an update on the company's plans for the Starship shortly before the 10th flight takes place. The event will likely involve Musk speaking from a stage at Starbase. We'll update here when SpaceX confirms a start time for the event.
