Ohio lifts off

Editor's note: This story appeared in a June special section to commemorate local history for America 250. Ohio, known as "the heart of it all," is right at the heart of space travel. With numerous astronauts, museums and test facilities from the area, Ohio has a long history with our solar system. With the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta and NASA's Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, the Armstrong name is prominent in Northwest Ohio. Armstrong Air and Space Museum "The museum was founded to help preserve the legacy of Neil Armstrong and all other Ohio astronauts who dared to defy gravity," said Logan Rex, the curator and communications director at the museum. Located in Wapakoneta, Armstrong's birthplace, the museum is built on the history of Armstrong himself. "We're very unique in that we have the full career of Armstrong," Rex said. This includes the Gemini VIII spacecraft, his first space mission and two of his space suits, including from Apollo 11. The museum also has a moon rock that Armstrong brought back from his Apollo 11 mission. "There were a lot of items that either Armstrong or his family have donated or loaned over the years," Rex said. Not only does the museum highlight Armstrong's accomplishments, but it also highlights the accomplishments of all Ohio astronauts. "Ohio has had around 26 astronauts," Rex said. "Judith Resnik, who was on the Challenger, John Glenn, being America's first person to orbit Earth and Terence Hendricks from the Toledo area. We have at least all 26 on our Wall of Honor." While space is always something on the mind of Ohioans, its history is extra special this year as it's the 250th anniversary of the United States. "When looking at over the 250 years of American history, Ohio has really led the way, and when people think of American excellence, the moon landing was a pinnacle part of our history," Rex said. In honor of this anniversary, the museum is hosting special events this summer. "We're trying to do things for a variety of audiences. The Explorer series for younger audiences is on the first Saturday of each month and each one has a different STEM theme," Rex said. There are also two new tours you can take at the museum in honor of the 250th. NASA Neil Armstrong Test Facility Not only does Ohio maintain records of past space exploration, but it continues to be a center of innovation. "NASA explores the universe and inspires the world through discovery. It all starts at NASA's Glenn Research Center; the only NASA center in the Midwest," said Kristen Parker, director of communications at NASA Glenn Research Center. "NASA Glenn's Neil Armstrong Test Facility, formerly known as Plum Brook Station (from 1963 to 2021), is in Sandusky, Ohio, and covers more than 6,400 acres." As Parker said, the Neil Armstrong Test Facility is part of NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, both of which are named after Ohio astronauts. The facility can perform complex tests that make air and space travel possible. "It is home to several world-class test facilities with the capability to perform complex, innovative ground tests for government, academic and private industry customers to make space exploration and aviation possible," Parker said. Home to the In-Space Propulsion Facility (ISP), the facility can test launch vehicles under high-altitude conditions. "ISP is the world's only facility capable of testing full-scale, upper-stage launch vehicles and rocket engines under simulated high-altitude conditions. The SpaceX Crew Dragon was tested here in 2018 ahead of transporting astronauts to the International Space Station," Parker said. They also have the Space Environments Complex (SEC), which simulates a space environment. "The SEC is famous for more than just its cameo in the first Avengers movie," Parker said, referencing a sequence from the 2012 blockbuster film being shot there. "This facility houses the world's largest and most powerful space environment simulation facilities: the Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber, the Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility and the Mechanical Vibration Facility." Finally, they have the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT), which is used during the design and development stages. "NEAT is used to design, develop, assemble and test electric aircraft power systems, from small aircraft to airliners. The facility previously tested the world's first high-power, high-voltage hybrid electric system at simulated altitudes," Parker said. "These tests will help advance sustainable aircraft that will require electric propulsion systems to generate power comparable to today's commercial jets with fewer emissions." In recent years, the test facility helped make the Artemis I and II missions possible. "In 2019, the Orion spacecraft arrived in Ohio, where a team of engineers and technicians … put the vehicle through a series of tests in extreme simulated in-space conditions to ensure it was ready to fly for the Artemis I mission," Parker said. "In 2024, the spacecraft that traveled around the Moon and back during Artemis I returned to our facility. The vehicle, known as the Orion Environmental Test Article, underwent post-flight tests to prove the Orion Crew Module's systems can function after experiencing an emergency abort scenario," Parker said. "Information gathered from this testing helped to ensure the safety of future crews aboard Orion, most recently during the Artemis II launch." With the work of NASA and the Neil Armstrong Test Facility, the Artemis II mission took four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, to circle the moon. Astronauts call Ohio home With the state's history in space exploration, naturally, many of its explorers are from Ohio. "Ohio has been at the forefront of aerospace innovation for generations, from the Wright brothers' first flight to pioneering advancements in space exploration. The state has deep-rooted contributions to the aeronautics and space industries, people, institutions and businesses that have shaped and are continuing to shape the future of flight and exploration," Parker said. Here's an overview of the state's astronauts, with information coming from NASA and the Armstrong Museum: • John Glenn (Cambridge) was the first American to orbit Earth when he piloted "Friendship 7" around the globe three times in 1962. As part of the STS-95 mission, Glenn became the oldest person to orbit space at age 77. • Neil Armstrong (Wapakoneta) is best known as the commander of NASA's Apollo 11 mission to the moon, during which he became the first person to set foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969. He began his NASA career as a test pilot at NASA Glenn in Cleveland. Armstrong's favorite ice cream is the mint raspberry Graeter, and he received his pilot's license before his driver's license at age 16. • James Modarelli (Youngstown) graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art and began his career at NASA. He designed the iconic NASA logo, known officially as the insignia. NASA's round logo was nicknamed the "meatball" in 1975. It has launched on rockets, flown to the Moon and beyond and is making waves in pop culture as one of the most recognized symbols in the world. • Sunita "Suni" Williams (Euclid) was born in Ohio and recently retired after more than 25 years. She holds the record for most total spacewalking time by a woman. • James Lovell Jr. (Cleveland) is the only human to have travelled to the Moon twice and never land. • Charles Bassett II (Dayton) was a model plane aficionado and was part of a model plane club in high school. • Judith Resnik (Akron) was the second American woman to fly in space. • Ronald Sega (Cleveland) has logged over 4,000 hours of pilot experience and 420 hours in space. • Thomas Hennen (Groveport) was the first Warrant Officer to fly in space. • Gregory Johnson (Fairborn) has logged over 5,000 hours as a pilot in more than 50 different aircraft. • Mary Ellen Weber (Cleveland) has logged over 800 hours flying as a pilot and has logged 3,500 skydives since 1983. • Carl Walz (Cleveland) has logged 5,544 hours in space, which includes more than 18 hours of spacewalks. • Donald Thomas (Cleveland) has logged over 250 hours as a pilot and has also logged over 1,040 hours in space. • Nancy Currie (Troy) has logged over 4,000 flying hours and 454 hours in space. • Robert Springer (Ashland) has logged more than 4,500 hours as a pilot and 237 hours in space. • Kenneth Cameron (Cleveland) flew on three Space Shuttle missions, including two as commander. • Donn Eisele (Columbus) the Command Module Pilot on the 1968 Apollo 7 mission. • Michael Foreman (Columbus) logged more than 637 hours in space and completed five spacewalks to help build the International Space Station. • Michael Gernhardt (Mansfield) was one of two astronauts to perform a spacewalk to evaluate future Space Station tools and hardware. • Michael Good (Parma) flew two Space Shuttle missions aboard Atlantis. • Gregory Harbaugh (Cleveland) flew on four space shuttle missions as a mission specialist. • Karl Henize (Cincinnati) discovered over 2,000 stars, flying on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1985. • Terence Hendricks (Bryan) has 749 parachute jumps. • G. David Low (Cleveland) logged over 714 hours in space across three Space Shuttle missions. • Robert Overmyer (Lorain) piloted the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1982 and commanded the Challenger in 1985. • Ronald Parise (Warren) logged more than 614 hours and 10.6 million miles in space.