Hans and Shar spent a couple of days in San Antonio to see The Alamo and the Riverwalk. With their two dogs in tow, they walked all over the downtown area taking in all the sights and learning about its rich history. It was not only a welcome break from the routine, but San Antonio was a nice break from Houston. Next their journey took them to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The dogs had to remain in the RV with the air conditioning on since they weren’t allowed in the caves. But it was worth it for Hans and Shar because they were both wowed by the beauty of the underground rock formations and were glad they made the stop on their way to the Grand Canyon.
Neither Hans nor Shar had ever seen the Grand Canyon; it was more magnificent than they could have imagined. The years it must have taken for the Colorado River to make the Grand Canyon grand! Even the dogs were in awe, standing behind the guardrails and quietly watching the scene before them. The family spent several days there, sometimes walking and sometimes driving the RV, to see the Grand Canyon from different vista points and angles. The idyllic vacation was coming to an end, though, and it was time to return home.
Chapter 6 – Man on the Moon
It was a good thing Hans got the much-needed vacation break. He had to pull out all the stops when he got back to work, focusing the team’s sights on their next mission: making the USA the first nation to land a man on the moon. As with all space flights, there was much preparation needed for Apollo 11 to be ready for launching. A couple of years had passed since the accident of Apollo 1, and within that time the following Apollo flights had gone into space and circled the moon. NASA felt that now was the time to make a landing. Hans could not tell Shar everything that was going on with Mission Control as a great deal of the information was classified. However, excitement filled his veins as he told her when Apollo 11 was ready to launch to the moon.
Stringent safety standards had been put into place after the Apollo I disaster. Once the astronauts, the launching pad and Apollo 11 were launch-ready with every safety precaution taken to assure success, they were finally prepared for the blastoff on July 16, 1969. With the Commander, Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin, safely secured and ready to go, Mission Command gave the green light for Apollo 11. Hans had worked so hard and waited so long for this day. Although his work was far from over yet with monitoring the launch, the moon landing and the return of Apollo 11 and its crew back to earth, he would have been hard pressed to describe the exhilaration he felt for being involved in this monumental event.
The anticipation of the moon landing had all who watched sitting anxiously on the edge of their seats. On July 20th Buzz executed his job as Lunar Module Pilot perfectly. The excitement of the three men at this moment in time was equally matched with the relief that they had arrived safely. They were making history! Neil double-checked his spacesuit before descending from the module. As he took the last step down to the moon’s surface, he clearly spoke into his mike for all to hear, “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Approximately 530 million people all over the world were joyously watching the events of the Apollo 11 moon landing unfold on television. All who watched and listened were in awe of what had transpired. Neil Armstrong was on the moon! The USA had accomplished their goal of being the first nation to get a man on the moon.
About 20 minutes after Neil had stepped to the moon’s surface, Buzz joined him. The camera was put on a tripod to capture as many images as it could for this space adventure of the two men. In addition to the USA flag, commemorative medals bearing the names of the three Apollo 1 astronauts who lost their lives when their cabin caught fire, as well as two cosmonauts who had also died in accidents, were left on the moon’s surface. They also left a silicon disk that contained micro-messages from wellwishers in 73 different countries, as well as the names of congressional and NASA leaders. Hans watched it all in amazement and a large degree of pride on his part in all of this. “Not too shabby for a Norwegian immigrant,” he thought.
Shar, Jett and Jasmine had watched the events on television, too. Well, at least Shar did; the dogs mostly slept. She was just as proud of her husband as she could be. How thrilling it was for her to watch him have such a vital part in the Space Program, Mission Control and the USA being the first country to land a man on the moon! She began formulating a plan for a big celebration when the Apollo 11 crew returned to earth and Hans could have a little break from the work routine and spend some much-needed time with family.
Hans and Shar seldom got together with either his parents or with his sister Olga because of his work schedule. Shar suggested to Hans that they include his family in their celebration. He agreed with her and trusted her to arrange a barbeque with his parents and Olga. He wanted a good old-fashioned Texas barbeque to celebrate what a momentous occasion this was, and to recognize the sacrifices it took to get here….sometimes even at the cost of precious lives. Hans couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate this day than to be with the folks he loved most.
Chapter 7 – The Public Relations Man
NASA wasted no time in implementing their Apollo 12 plan; they made it their priority to get another manned flight to the moon by November, 1969. The space flights continued to be positive so Apollo 13 preparations were set in place for a launch in April, 1970. With all the successes under their belt, NASA had all but forgotten the Apollo 1 tragedy. Thankfully new safety standards were in place because, unbeknownst to them all, they were going to need them. Apollo 13 developed some major issues, making their planned lunar landing impossible.
Hans was at his post when a muddled message came across the radio. He asked the crew to repeat. James Lovell’s voice spoke through more clearly this time saying, “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” Once those now famous words were spoken, Hans and the other Mission Control team members moved quickly, and then spent a grueling three days to safely overcome the effects of an onboard explosion. Although the Apollo Crew never did make it to the moon they did return safely back home, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970, with the whole world watching and praying.
It was a time of great celebration and great relief for Mission Control. But there was no time to sit back and enjoy the accolades. Hans and his team were faced with making some modifications to the design of Apollo 13 to assure future missions did not have the same kinds of problems. The hard work had just begun.
Hans had long ago learned that his parents and sister, Olga, were beyond proud of his position at NASA. His dad knew they had absolutely done the right thing to leave Norway and immigrate to America, for education and opportunity. When Shar entered his life she added even more support and patience for his crazy work schedule and responsibilities. He wished he could share with them more of the details that came with this kind of work, but it was classified information and he committed himself to the policy of secrecy. In some ways he was almost glad. When he could finally make his way home after such stressful days, he really didn’t want to talk much. He just wanted to hold Shar and love on his dogs a bit.
This was one of those times. He couldn’t wait to get home, put his arms around Shar and tell her how much he needed and appreciated her. He’d been guilty of taking them all for granted and now was the time to set aside all thoughts of NASA and do some deep level communicating with the one he loved most, with the dogs close by.
When Hans returned to work on Monday, it was to a very concerned boss. Apparently NASA was all over the news and media, and the negative publicity was making his boss quite upset. Hans could only give a mental shrug, what did his boss expect? NASA blew it and it was time now to do “damage control.” Hans stepped up to the plate and set up a press conference to discuss the details. What he said in a nutshell was, “NASA blew it, we averted a disaster, we saved lives, we fixed the problems, and now space travel is going to be safer and better going forward.”
When Hans walked through the door of his home that night, Shar was just turning off the evening news. A
s she turned to him, Hans could see her wiping away tears from her eyes. Before he could say anything she ran to him and gave him a big hug. “I am so very proud of you, Hans,” she said. Shar believed in her husband, she knew that NASA was so lucky to have him and enjoy his many talents. One day she hoped they would appreciate Hans as much as she did. She suspected they would.
Chapter 8 – Early Anniversary
Jett and Jasmine did not mind the least about all of the work talk. All they knew was Dad was home! After Hans and Shar ate dinner, the two of them took the dogs out for a walk. As they were walking, Shar got to thinking about the dogs’ ages; Jasmine was six years old and Jett was five years old. Where in the world had the years gone? At the same time, she felt blessed to have them. They added dimension and companionship to her life that would not have been there if it weren’t for them. The pups’ presence helped with the loneliness of having her husband gone so much.
The next day was Saturday and Shar woke up at her normal time. She let Hans sleep in, though; he needed the rest after his stressful week at work. As usual, she put the dogs out, and then went to make coffee. She decided breakfast could wait until Hans got up. That way she only had to cook once and they could eat together.
While Shar was sipping her coffee, Jett started barking. He seldom barked and there was urgency in his voice, setting off her Mama radar. When she went out to see what was the matter, she saw a mound of dirt where Jasmine had gone into a digging frenzy. Perhaps she was trying to get a squirrel. Whatever it was, Jasmine had disappeared through the hole she dug under the fence. Jett was barking like crazy next to the hole. Shar panicked thinking Jasmine had gotten out; she was afraid Jasmine would get hit by a car. But as Shar started to pull the dirt back, she saw all of the loose dirt had caved in around Jasmine, trapping her. Now the panic intensified as she thought she would never be able to get Jasmine out in time. With adrenalin surging, Shar started digging in the mound that had formed itself around Jasmine. She managed to get the dog out, and then brushed herself off and Jasmine, too. Her heart was racing; that had been much too close of a call.
When Hans woke up Shar told him about the near miss with Jasmine. Hans shared her concern and suggested that she find a contractor on Monday who could come to fix the fence so there could be no more digging underneath. He knew she would take his suggestions to heart to prevent future episodes. Shar thanked him and set to fixing their breakfast. When breakfast was over, Hans told her that he needed to go to the store, but would not be gone long.
After Shar’s scare with Jasmine, she decided dinner was going to be a Steak Strip Stir-fry that couldn’t be beat. Cooking was therapy for her. The dogs were both patiently waiting for scraps. She laughed because she bought the leanest boneless steak she could find and there would not be any scraps tonight. She gave each of the dogs a piece of cheese instead.
When Hans got home he surprised Shar with a bouquet of beautiful flowers, and a big kiss. It was difficult hiding her surprise from her spouse as she went to the kitchen to find a vase. When Hans followed her, Shar turned around and asked him what the special occasion was. He grinned and responded, “just because,” and then he reminded her that their anniversary was just around the corner. She was not only happy with the flowers, but especially happy that Hans had remembered their anniversary, in spite of his busyness. Her heart swelled with love and appreciation for him and his thoughtful gift.
Hans felt very much like his two dogs, he was drooling and impatiently waiting for dinner. For more than an hour he had been watching her meticulously make steak strips, cut vegetables, cook rice, throw the stir-fry together and check it for the right amount of seasoning. She got the finishing touches on and told him dinner was finally ready. In addition to the stir-fry and the rice, Shar had made an orange Jello salad with mandarin oranges, and some chocolate chip cookies. Now it was his turn to ask what the special occasion was. It was her turn to reply, “just because;” they both laughed.
After dinner Hans asked Shar to put the dogs outside because he wanted to take her somewhere. She was pleasantly surprised when they pulled up in front of her favorite furniture gallery. He took her hand and said “Honey, you can buy any furniture and accessories you want to refurbish the entire house. This is my anniversary gift to you.” She had tears in her eyes as they went hand-in-hand together into the store.
As Hans and Shar went through the store she carefully selected furniture, lamps, rugs, wall hangings and other items for each room; Hans was noticing she was keeping his tastes and interests in mind. With each item selected, Shar was envisioning what they would look like in their home. There was no doubt she would have a ball putting it all together and with her interior decorating skills, it would look exquisite. Just think – new furniture!
All of the new furnishings were delivered two days later. The dogs barked at the intrusion to their space, but stopped as they became intrigued and enthralled by everything being brought into the house. The deliverymen helped put all of the big furniture in place and accessory pieces in a spare bedroom at her request. When the delivery drivers were gone, she put each accessory in its proper place with the dogs on her heels. She did not need their approval, of course, but it was just too cute when they sniffed about each room and wagged their tails. The house did indeed have a lovely, new and fresh look about it. Shar could not wait for Hans to get home and see what she had done. Her husband was gone much of the time, yes, but he was an excellent provider. They would both enjoy the new furnishings for years to come.
Chapter 9 – Deserved Promotion
The timing for Hans’ furniture gift could not have been better for NASA was winding down the Apollo Program to implement the Shuttle Program. It would take a few years and it would mean more overtime for Hans. He gave Shar carte blanche to buy whatever she wanted to complete the home interior. She would be spending a good deal of time planning, purchasing and decorating. The rooms never stayed the same as they were redecorated for the seasons and for holidays. But they looked nice – always.
Hans was promoted to the Chief Engineer position at Mission Control. He had been the team’s “go-to” guy for quite some time; it was a much-deserved promotion. His ideas were implemented more often than not during their planning stages. They all knew he would be there to oversee the shuttle specs, plans and construction. The Mission Control Team relied heavily on Hans and were all supportive of him being at the helm.
While Hans was directing the Mission Control Team in the shuttle planning his friend, Red, headed up the Astronaut Office and was busy screening applicants. Red kept Hans informed of their progress. While Hans didn’t have a say in the selection process, he did have certain criteria in mind as to who would be candidates for the new shuttle program and would make recommendations to Red accordingly.
Hans was constantly pressing NASA to give them every available resource while he and the team attempted to keep up with technological advances. It was up to Hans to keep the communication going between Mission Control, the Astronaut Office and NASA headquarters. They had to pool ideas from each team, plus take orders from headquarters. Two heads were better than one; many heads were better yet. There were many meetings and Hans had to be at almost all of them and it was getting old. However, there is something to be said about being involved in a project of such massive proportions. Along with the excitement that just naturally came with the project and Hans’ upbeat enthusiasm, the team members remained excited and positive and worked hard at something they felt to be extremely important in American space history.
Everyone, including Hans, was required to have special training from some of the manufacturers. For example, Hans did not know an “O” ring from a “T” joint when they started, but he had to know what an “O” ring was and what the manufacturer’s specs were to include them on the shuttle. As reusable space vehicles, the space shuttles needed careful planning and construction. There was not a whole lot of room for error. Hans listened intently throughout the training
and was determined to apply all he learned on a practical level as they moved into the final stages of preparation for the space station launch.
Thanks to NASA, Hans and his Mission Control Team and the Astronaut Office, the Space Transportation System (STS) was now ready for their first launch. NASA had put it all together with much money, sundry knowledge and even a little imagination; the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1) was cleared for its first launch.
Chapter 10 – Mission Success
Shar wanted to be at her husband’s side when the first shuttle launched, but she was not allowed in Mission Control; she had to settle for and be content with being with him in spirit. The year was 1981; the date was April 12th. Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1) was scheduled for her maiden voyage. What an exciting day! Jett was lying at Shar’s feet and Jasmine was lying on her lap as she watched the whole event take place. She could only imagine the excitement at Mission Control.
You could feel the edge of excitement that morning in Mission Control; you could also sense some anxiousness for the launch to be underway. All of the years of planning, training and development were behind them. Now the prayers were going forth for a safe launch, flight and return. Hans gave the clearance for Space Shuttle Columbia’s launch. With a loud cheer from Mission Control, astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen walked the shuttle ramp and were soon onboard. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 LIFT-OFF!
The launch was a success and so was the flight. John and Bob took the shuttle on a 37-orbit flight in a little over two days. The shuttle lost some heat tiles on takeoff, so there was some concern about re-entry as it would be made at 25 times the speed of sound. The Mission Control Team was intently watching their monitors for signs of trouble on the re-entry and listening for any signs of distress coming from the crew, but there were none. Hans and his team pulled it off.