Thank you all!
For the most recent posts, scroll down.
My July fund-raising campaign to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary since I began Behind the Black is now over. I want to thank all those who so generously donated or subscribed, especially those who have become regular supporters. I can’t do this without your help. I also find it increasingly hard to express how much your support means to me. God bless you all!
The donations during this year’s campaign were sadly less than previous years, but for this I blame myself. I am tired of begging for money, and so I put up the campaign announcement at the start of the month but had no desire to update it weekly to encourage more donations, as I have done in past years. This lack of begging likely contributed to the drop in donations.
No matter. I am here, and here I intend to stay. If you like what I do and have not yet donated or subscribed, the instructions for doing so can be found elsewhere on this page.
This post will remain at the top of the page for the next few days so that everyone who donated can see my thanks!
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Way back when, in the beginning of the space program, my father did research work with the original Mercury 7 astronauts, at Johnsville Navy Air station, located outside of Philadelphia. He also did work with them in New Groton Conn.
This period of time was very exciting for me, and I got to meed the astronauts, and often went to Johnville NAS with hi.
I have tried to locate any information on what was going on there, or even if any research did go on there.
Can you direct me to any sources about that period of time, and that location?
Thank you!
George Dietz: See this web article:
Godspeed, John Glenn
Describes the centrifuge used at Johnsville to train the astronauts to deal with high g’s during launch.
There’s more on the web. See also this article: Spinning Out Heroes: The Johnsville Centrifuge
Had to send a check.
It’s 2025. I can’t believe you STILL don’t accept gold-pressed latinum.
F: And I thank you deeply for your donation, especially because this July’s fund-raising campaign has been lower than the last few.
Bob,
Good content and commentary are worth paying for!
” this July’s fund-raising campaign has been lower than the last few”
Come on you cheapskates. Pony up before Robert has to sell his servers to buy cat food.
James Street: And thank you too for your large and continuing support. I have no words.
Salesmanship begins when the customer says “no”.
James Street: It was your “cheapskates” comment that goaded me to finally send a check! Its an easy thing to put off, & I just sat down and did it. Done & done! Thanks for all of your hard work, Robert, both reporting & writing. Let‘s hope the “thrust tail-off” will make up for a low output from the main engine! (did you use a solid-fuel strap on?)
David M. Cook: And thank you for your donation. It is greatly appreciated.
What do you think motivated Robert Zimmerman to ease up on promoting the July fundraising campaign, and how do you feel about his more restrained approach compared to previous years?
I will stick my nose in here.
Not allowing advertising on a web site in the interests of autonomy, Objectivity and not wanting to create the appearance of conflict of interest has its place for sure. That is a noble path.
BUT, I do not think it is unreasonable to allow carefully curated, vetted, chosen and approved of companies not exactly associated with the aerospace / space industry to advertise on BTB.
Camping, rock climbing, outdoor clothing, shoes, flask lights, vacuum cleaners etc, etc. any product unassociated with the subjects at hand could be welcome participants in supporting the BTB efforts without creating an appearance or manifest a conflict of interest.
I do not exactly see the harm.
And I know this goes against the Zman’s philosophy of operation, and I respect that choice.
For someone who embraces capitalism why not embrace capitalism?
Is there such a thing as carefully and thoughtfully curated neutral capitalism possible without creating even the appearance of conflict of interest?
Just my two cents.