Below are two samples. Looking for more? Head over to my new Flickr account. Enjoy!

Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan on the moon. (NASA)

What was it like to be in a room full of moonwalkers? Find out in my interview July 21 with CBC Ottawa Morning‘s Amanda Pfeffer.

The full interview is here (RealPlayer format). I will post an MP3 to my website when it is available.

Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell. (J. Howell)

WASHINGTON — Even as the only generation of moonwalkers debated how we should bring our space program into the future in a press conference July 20, they agreed on one thing: today’s space program is too little risk, too little return.

Six Apollo astronauts gathered at NASA headquarters here in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, which carried two people to the moon for the first time in 1969.

Quoting from a message from then-Australian prime minister Jack Goldman recorded on a microfilm carried on Apollo 11 — one of 72 such messages — retired astronaut Walt Cunningham said today’s program has lost “the chance of dangerous adventure.”

“You know, the reason we had such a huge debate about the (last) servicing mission to Hubble is they couldn’t get from the Hubble’s orbit to the International Space Station to save their lives if there was some kind of a problem,” said Mr. Cunningham, who flew on Apollo 7 in 1968.

“Now, prior to that time, we had put 88 missions in about the same or similar orbits to the Hubble Space Telescope. And we never once gave a thought to the fact that we had to have some safe haven for them to go to for 30 days so they could send somebody back.

“We need to get to the point,” he continued, “where we are no longer a risk-adverse society and we recognize there are some things in life worth taking a chance for.”

Apollo 10 and Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon in 1972, noted the trajectory of the space program up to the moon landing days had been one of calculated risk, which in the end paid off with a moon landing on the “end of decade” deadline that then-U.S. president John F. Kennedy set in 1961.

“We had to accept challenges. We had to be bold. We had to take risks,” Mr. Cernan said.

The 40th anniversary of the first moon landing has shone the spotlight strongly on these Apollo astronauts for the first time in years. In addition to the press conference held on the morning of July 20, NASA hosted a gala at the National Air and Space Museum that evening that featured a speech from Neil Armstrong, the first man to touch the moon.

Numerous media outlets worldwide have chipped in their remembrances of the event, often citing their own coverage in 1969. For example, the New York Times’ John Noble Wilford painted a visual picture of the crowds and heat he encountered 40 years ago when, as a much younger reporter, he was on hand for the launch of the mighty Saturn V rocket that began Neil Armstrong’s, Buzz Aldrin’s and Michael Collins’ flight to the moon.

Meanwhile, the museum has been the venue of more than a dozen book signings from former astronauts and space historians, including one held yesterday that featured Mr. Collins, Mr. Aldrin and painter/astronaut Alan Bean. The four-hour long book signing attracted so many people that the museum had to cut off the line, leaving some people empty-handed.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, in attendence at the press conference, said he feared there is so much nostalgia attached to the moon landings that other, more worthy targets will be ignored in future space exploration efforts.

As he did the previous night during his speech at the annual National Air and Space Museum’s Glenn Lecture, he advocated an approach to Mars that would include short stays on asteroids, including the one in orbit around Mars itself — Phobos.

With the help of commercial transport services, he said, this goal is well within reach.

“We’ve got a pathway that doesn’t require us to expand our resources, which are precious right now,” he said. “We put $100 million into the space station, and that’s enormous in comparison to what the other nations do. Do we want to put $200 billion into permanance on the moon. or six months on the moon? Why?”

But according to lunar scientists, countered Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, “we barely did anything with the moon.”

“We just stepped on the moon and we spent, at most, three days there,” he said, gesturing towards Eugene Cernan and Charlie Duke, who both did long-duration stays on their missions.

“So if you talk to the scientific community, there’s a lot still to be done on the moon, which is just 240,000 miles away. Now, if you want to look at a national project, one that brings prestige and something to be proud of, and really (for) a consortium of countries, then we want to go to Mars.”

Near the end of the press conference, Mr. Cunningham joked with reporters, “Have you detected the fact that we don’t have a consensus on just about anything?”

As laughter echoed throughout the theatre, Apollo 15 astronaut Dave Scott shot back: “We’ve been that way since the very beginning.”

Today’s edition of the Knight Science Journalism Tracker does an excellent job of rounding up the various articles and special sections about Apollo 11 that have run these past few days. In addition, the tracker asks: with all the coverage happening during this anniversary, how can we top it for the 50th anniversary? Is it smart to go this far out this time?

Twitter posts under the #apolloat40 hashtag (mine are in bold):

Stephan waits outside the Air and Space Museum on July 19. (Elizabeth Howell)

WASHINGTON – Hunched over in the humidity, in the shadow of the National Air and Space Museum, a man who identified himself only as Stephan patiently waited for a lucky break.

Last month, he put his name in for a museum lottery to see the Apollo 11 astronauts speak about their experiences at the annual John H. Glenn lecture. His ballot wasn’t picked.

Yet the self-described lifelong space fan — born one day before Neil Armstrong stepped off the lunar lander for the first time — decided to fly from France and wait on the steps of the museum.

“Yes, I tried to get in, but I had no chance,” he said. “But I tried to come anyway in case somebody had a ticket.”

Stephan was still waiting as hundreds of people filed into the museum 45 minutes later.

The lecture attracted 7,000 people, but only 500 members of the public were randomly picked for a perch to see Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

Filling the front six rows of the theatre were a who’s who of space history, fresh off a party from earlier that evening: Rusty Schweickart, who did the first spacewalk outside of the lunar lander during a test flight. Jim Lovell, captain of the ill-fated Apollo 13. John Glenn, who flew three times around the world in 1962 and then took a shuttle seat at the age of 77.

Former senator Mr. Glenn was the first astronaut to take the stage in tribute of the Apollo 11 crew.

“It was a magic time for all mankind. It was a step that hadn’t been done before,” he said. Gesturing to the audience — many sporting NASA logos on their shirts or hats — he added, “perhaps there is a response of interest now as there was in the time of Apollo 11.”

Preparing for the moon landings sent NASA “back to reading Jules Verne”, asserted former flight director Chris Kraft in his remarks to the audience. How to get there had never been charted before, and what was more, every mistake was analyzed by a critical and influential audience.

“It was a competition with the Russians. The press drove that competition. Many times, we were not happy with that,” he said.

Mr. Aldrin’s latest book, Magnificent Desolation, charted the effect the press coverage had on his life after completing the first lunar landing. Several marriages broke down under the strain, and he battled depression and alcoholism for years until receiving medical treatment.

His speech left aside his personal battle and instead focused on the hundreds of thousands of workers — suit stitchers, flight planners and others — who supported the three men on their voyage to the moon.

“The best way to honour us is to follow in our footsteps,” the West Point graduate said, urging the audience to focus on the frontier of Mars rather than repeat the feat the Apollo astronauts achieved.

“Do you still dream great dreams? Do you still believe in yourself?” he asked.

Mr. Collins recalled his days as the head of the Air and Space Museum, particularly in the rocky times when he was trying to get funding for the facility when it was under construction.

He had set a date of July 4, 1976 — the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The museum opened right on time.

“I used to go around Washington screaming, ‘Bicentennial, bicentennial!” when a snag in the design or funding popped up in the building. And it happened a lot,” he recalled, eliciting a laugh from the crowd.

The firm deadline set by then-president John F. Kennedy to reach the moon by 1969 spurred the nation into action in much the same way, Mr. Collins added.

“Mr. President, you would have been pleased with Apollo 11. Everything worked so well. So surprisingly well.”

Mr. Armstrong’s appearance drew a standing ovation from the crowd. He bowed several times, and then spread his hands in a gesture asking everyone to sit down.

The former university professor’s gold astronaut pin gleamed in the spotlight as his talk — which he called “Goddard, governance and geophysics” — brought the audience through the history of Apollo right from the time the first liquid-fuel propelled rocket was created in 1915.

“History is a sequence of random events and unpredictable choices, which is why the future is so difficult to forsee,” Mr. Armstrong said.

There was no sign of Stephan as audience members slowly filed out on to Independence Avenue when the lecture was finished.

Just down the National Mall, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” played on a large screen facing the capitol building.

Inside the museum, some astronaut seekers continued to hang around the doors, hoping for an astronaut close encounter of their own.

• howellspace: 1st day in DC: “Let us never forget their sacrifice” http://tr.im/sZyp and Daily Internet http://tr.im/sZyi #apolloat40
• howellspace: Tomorrow: the best question to Buzz Aldrin will be revealed. Stay tuned! #apolloat40
• howellspace: At least 150 people in line to get into Air and Space Museum, which opens in 15 minutes. Busy day ahead. #apolloat40
• kangkanglanlan: RT @howellspace: At least 150 people in line to get into Air and Space Museum, which opens in 15 minutes. Busy day ahead. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Lineup for Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Alan Bean book signings is stretching end to end of the museum. #apolloat40
• kangkanglanlan: RT @howellspace: Lineup for Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Alan Bean book signings is stretching end to end of the museum. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Long and loud cheer from crowd as the astronauts entered the building. Buzz Aldrin was surrounded by media cameras. #apolloat40
• howellspace: I shook Buzz Aldrin’s and Michael Collins’s hands 10 mins ago. I am still shaking with excitement. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Best Buzz Aldrin question: focus our efforts on return to moon or aim somewhere else? Congrats @davidhburton! #apolloat40
• TaviGreiner: RT @howellspace: I shook Buzz Aldrin’s and Michael Collins’s hands 10 mins ago. I am still shaking with excitement. #apolloat40
• howellspace: His answer was going to the moon is a waste of time bc we did it 40 years ago. Let’s go to the frontier: Mars #apolloat40
• aggieastronaut: @howellspace They’re pretty cool guys! #apolloat40
• howellspace: I asked Alan Bean (painter/astronaut) what is his fave kind of paintbrush. Answer: natural fibre. Sticks on canvas better. #apolloat40
• mactavish: @TaviGreiner I love how much respect folks have for astronauts – they’re not just “stars,” they’re brave explorers. #apolloat40
• davidhburton: @howellspace Awesome!! Can’t wait to hear the answer!! #apolloat40
• howellspace: Only got a partway into the Alan Bean art gallery when the museum closed 2nd floor for an event. Got some footage, at least. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Just spoke to a man from France who didn’t win a ticket for the Glenn Lecture. He flew here hoping someone would sell him one. #apolloat40
• CatherineQ: SO wish I was attending the Glenn Lecture!! #apolloat40
• howellspace: In the Glenn Lecture venue after 2 hour lineup. Fully one third of the theatre, the first six rows, are reserved for VIPs.
• howellspace: Won’t live tweet the lecture as I will be busy scribbling notes. Later tonight I will write a post on apolloat40.com. See you then! #apolloat40
• CatherineQ: Does anyone else think the Glenn lecture should be being broadcast by a network as well as NASA tv ?? #apolloat40 #nasa
• genejm29: It was indeed and was happy for the conversation:RT @CatherineQ: @Nancy_A @genejm29 @BekahLouTaylor Wasn’t that a great lecture? #apolloat40
• CatherineQ: Anyone at the #JohnGlennlecture – were there ANY high ranking government officials present?? Find it strange if there weren’t? #apolloat40
• howellspace: Welcome to my new followers and thanks, everyone, for following me today. The John Glenn lecture was amazing. Writing #apolloat40 post now.
• LunarMark: Cool! RT @howellspace: Later tonight I will write a post on apolloat40.com. See you then! #apolloat40
• CatherineQ: RT @howellspace Won’t live tweet the lecture as I will be busy scribbling notes. Later tonight I will write a post on apolloat40.com.
• CatherineQ: #JohnGlennLecture John Glenn lecture was fantastic. Wise words. Empassioned insights. Hope. And unassuming heroes. #apolloat40
• CatherineQ: @Nancy_A @genejm29 @BekahLouTaylor Wasn’t that a great lecture? #apolloat40
• ageekmom: RT @CatherineQ #JohnGlennLecture Lecture was fantastic. Wise words. Empassioned insights. Hope. And unassuming heroes. #apolloat40 {Amen}
• ageekmom: RT @CatherineQ #JohnGlennLecture Lecture was fantastic. Wise words. Empassioned insights. Hope. And unassuming heroes. #apolloat40 {Amen}

Tourists gather in their usual watering spots — the White House, the Washington Monument, the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial. Hot dog vendors and protesters, each bearing signs, line the streets.

Obama’s smiling face peers at me everywhere. On the steps of Lincoln’s statue, two black women wore twin T-shirts reading “The Dream is Achieved: 01/20/09″. A souvenir store had a poster-sized replication of his mug.

As the sun set and the streetlights came on among the trees beside the reflecting pool, I wandered down to the Vietnam War Memorial to run my fingers along the names and remember the war that was prominent in American minds during the Apollo program.

I wasn’t the only one. In front of the one of the panels was a printed-out laminated sheet of paper. Several people stopped to read its contents, which were:

“40 years ago — as the first Americans landed on the Moon on 20-July 1969 — 16 American heroes died fighting for the freedom of others in Vietnam. Let us never forget their sacrifice. All of these men died on 20-July-1969 — and are forever together on Panel 20W.

• 25 year old Marine Private First Class Benjamin Brown Jr of Jacksonville, FL
• 46 year old Army Sergeant First Class James Couch of Butler, PA
• 21 year old Army Sergeant Dennis Eitel of Phillips, WI
• 22 year old Army Corporal Ronnie Green of Newland, NC
• 22 year old Army Private First Class Ronald Jett of Champlin, MN
• 20 year old Army Private Alex Martinex of Ranchos de Taos, NM
• 28 year old Navy CM2 Daniel E. McGrath of Parma, OH
• 20 year old Army Corporal Daniel W. McGrath of Levittown, NY
• 25 year old Army Corporal Johnny Parker of Bay Minette, AL
• 20 year old Army SP4 Larry Reatherford of Peoria, IL
• 23 year old Army Corporal David Russell of Jackson, MI
• 19 year old Army Private First Class Robert Sanford of Kent, WA
• 21 year old Army Corporal David Semerano of Niles, OH
• 30 year old Navy Lieutenant Stanley Smiley of Sidney, NE
• 20 year old Marine Private First Class Geoffrey Smith of Cedar Grove, NJ
• 21 year old Army Corporal Lee Tryon Jr. of San Diego, CA.”

Tonight I’m focusing on some of the events going on in and around D.C. during the next couple of days:

• The Glenn Lecture at the National Air and Space Museum, featuring Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
• Salute to Apollo: The Kennedy Legacy, a musical performance at the Kennedy Center.
• A NASA media briefing with astronauts Jim Lovell, Buzz Aldrin, Dave Scott, Charles Duke, Tom Stafford and Gene Cernan.

Twitter posts under the #apolloat40 hashtag (mine are in bold):

• howellspace: Walter Cronkite’s legacy (http://tr.im/sTH2) as well as a roundup of yesterday’s news (http://tr.im/sTHe) on #apolloat40.
• howellspace: Going offline for #apolloat40 travel — catch all of you when I’m in D.C. Updates at apolloat40.com (http://tr.im/sMMB).
• howellspace: Air Canada served “rocket chips” on the plane. Weird coincidence. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Anybody else at the Glenn Lecture tomorrow night? #apolloat40
• txflygirl: RT @howellspace: Air Canada served “rocket chips” on the plane. Weird coincidence. #apolloat40
• howellspace: Sign at Vietnam War memorial says 16 U.S. soldiers died on July 20, 1969, the same day men first touched the moon. #apolloat40
• absolutspacegrl RT @howellspace: Sign at Vietnam War memorial says 16 U.S. soldiers died on July 20, 1969, the same day men first touched moon. #apolloat40
• 1041StormGirlRT @absolutspacegrl RT @howellspace: Sign at Vietnam War Memorial: 16 US soldiers died 7/20/69, same day men first touched moon.

Walter Cronkite (courtesy of mychatham on Flickr)

As TV came of age in the 1960s, Walter Cronkite was the familiar face that many Americans (and some Canadians) turned on in their living rooms night after night. He died late yesterday at the age of 92, just three days before the Apollo 11 40th anniversary of the landing.

Even though journalists — and Cronkite was a star among them — take pride in objectivity, there were times when he stepped out of that role when he felt the story deserved it. He spoke out against the Vietnam War and fought back emotion during the first moon landing. During the 1980-81 Iran hostage crisis, he ended every newscast with a reminder of how many days the victims were being held captive.

Cronkite accepted a forced retirement before I was born, meaning the only time I got to see him at work was in retrospective documentaries. But it was hard to be a student of the space program and not know the weight of his presence on the air.

Just a year ago, I bought a copy of his biography and was inspired not only by his successes, but the entertaining account of his failures as a young journalist – such as the time he ran a photo of what he thought was the victim of a car crash. It turned out he’d taken the photo from the wrong address and it was the next-door neighbour.

It takes a lot of courage for anyone, even a man of Cronkite’s stature, to admit to the inadvertent whoppers that every journalist makes from time to time. I admired him for that, as well as the legacy of accuracy and integrity he left behind. He will be missed.