I realize I have a duty as the OP, but I cannot Like the allusion to a real problem: people who believe it was a put-on. In 1972 I touched the Command Module from Apollo 8. It had these so-cool scorch marks wrapping around the shield end. Watching the space program on TV was a formative experience when I was a kid. Having a dad who knew and cared about space boosted the power of the experience.
I saw a shuttle launch around '92, when I was about 14. We were staying on the gulf side on Long Boat Key at a condo my grandparents had rented. Dad woke us all up around one in the morning to drive across Florida. None of it was planned. He heard about it the day before and decided to go last minute. Everyone except him slept on the ride there. He got to about as close as they allowed at the time and pulled off the side of the road and woke everyone up. Then we waited. Then the countdown. I remember the thunderous roar of the engines, feeling it rattle my chest and head and watching the windows in the car vibrating as it slowly rose. Staring skyward, mouth agape, in total awe, though I was kinda shocked at how slow it was... lol. Then we toured Cape Canaveral, I honestly don't remember much of that, I think due to the earlier sensory overload. We went and saw some jet cars at a dragstrip later that vacation and they were disappointing. It has been one of the most awesome experiences of my life.
I still think NASA is mostly a front for black ops and secret military projects. I take issue with them hiding technology, paid for by the public, that could, exponentially make life better for everyone. But that's our government
