Meet the author of 'Neil Armstrong, A Life of Flight'

Neil Armstrong, the first human to step foot on the moon, was passionate about flight, family and friends. But the most famous astronaut in history kept his life private after his walk on the moon.

Now, details about Armstrong's life and career are revealed in the book "Neil Armstrong, A Life of Flight," by Jay Barbree, a New York Times bestselling author who covered every U.S. manned space mission at Kennedy Space Center for NBC News.

Barbree won a television Emmy for his coverage of the first moon walk, and he was the lead writer of the 2011 New York Times bestseller "Moon Shot."

Based on 50 years of conversations and interviews with his friend, Armstrong, Barbree covers combat missions in the Korean War, X-15 rocket plane flights, struggles of the Gemini 8 mission and Armstrong's historic trip to the Sea of Tranquility.

Meet and talk with Barbree, who will sign copies of his latest work, "Neil Armstong, A Life of Flight," from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2014, at the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, 308 Pine St.

Copies of the book will be available for sale.

For more information, call 321-264-0434 or email info@spacewalkoffame.com.

Japanese students explore space history at museum

Japan Florida Group Inc. tour guide and translator Kimihiko Goto points out displays from the Apollo program at U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, Florida, to high school students from Takasaki, Japan, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014.

A museum filled with artifacts from a space race that put man on the moon helped feed the imaginations of the next generation of engineers and scientists this week. 

Eight high school students from Takasaki, Japan, on a 10-day trip to the United States spent an afternoon at the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, Florida, examining relics of past space programs.

"It makes them dream and gives them something to focus on," said Minori Kojima, president of Japan Florida Group Inc.

The museum founded and operated by the people who worked in the space programs is a favorite stop for Kojima.

She said it's important that students see the items on display and hear the stories about the early days of space exploration from the people who made it happen. 

"Not many people know about this place," Kojima said. "But when they get here, it's a 'wow' experience."           

Crowds flocked to Space View Park

Hundreds gathered before sunrise Thursday at Space View Park in Titusville, Florida, for the scheduled launch of Orion from Kennedy Space Center.

However, high winds and a valve problem forced delays and then a scrub, with the next possible attempt to launch on Friday.

People from Australia, England, Canada and throughout the United States shared stories and made new friends as they waited through several delays.

Some used the time explore Space View Park, which is home to huge monuments to the Gemini, Mercury, Apollo and Shuttle space programs and the people who helped build the U.S. space program.

The park was developed through a partnership between the city and U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation.

The next launch attempt is tentatively set to liftoff at 7:05 a.m. Friday, when a 2-hour, 39-minute launch window opens.

After the launch, make plans to tour the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum at 308 Pine St. on U.S. 1, which is only a few blocks from Space View Park in Downtown Titusville.

In the museum, you can see launch consoles and gear from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs as well as other spaceflight memorabilia. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Witness Orion launch from Space View Park

For decades, crowds gathered along the Indian River in Titusville, Florida, to witness historic launches of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle missions.



On Thursday, Dec. 4, thousands will return to the Space Coast to watch the next milestone in space exploration as NASA's Orion flight test carries an uncrewed capsule about 3,600 miles above Earth.

You can get a great view of the launch for free at Space View Park in Downtown Titusville, which is only about an hour's drive from Orlando and the theme parks.

Throughout the park are huge monuments to the programs and people responsible for building the U.S. space program. There are also mission plaques and bronze hand prints of six of the original seven astronauts.

The project was the result of a partnership between the city and U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation, which will be on hand Thursday with Orion t-shirts and coins to mark the event.

The 2-hour, 39-minute launch window for liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy opens at 7:05 a.m.

After the launch, you can tour the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum at 308 Pine St. on U.S. 1, which only a few blocks away from Space View Park in Downtown Titusville.

The museum, where visitors can see launch consoles and gear from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs as well as other spaceflight memorabilia, will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day of the launch.