Sport Rocketry

is article written by Duane Lanterman (Kansas Organization for Space Model- ling (KOSMO)) and Dave Kovar (St. Louis Rocketry Association (SLRA)) documents the incredible highlights of what was tru- ly a once in a lifetime experience being a part of the Cosmosphere's Apollo 17 50th anniversary "First and Last Steps" Gala event in Hutchinson, Kansas. Honored at- tendees included: Apollo astronauts Harri- son "Jack" Schmitt, Fred Haise, and Char- lie Duke; Apollo Flight Directors Milton Windler and Gerry Griffin; Apollo Flight Dynamics Officer Jerry Bostick; and Space Shuttle astronauts Jeff Ashby and Steve Hawley. Memories and friendships forged a result of being a part of this event will likely last a lifetime. December 2 Facebook Post from NAR Vice President Steve Kristal: I am in Hutchinson Kansas today at the Kan- sas Cosmosphere for a very special event, the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17 and the Cosmosphere. ere is a huge gala tonight featuring a number of Apollo and Shuttle astronauts and mission control personnel. So imagine my surprise when I went to the museum this morning and found two NAR members setting up a beautiful Saturn five display. Apparently they heard about the event, contacted the Cosmosphere, and of- fered to bring a display and to do a launch tomorrow evening, which was accepted. I am really proud to be a member of this or- ganization. e day was November 17, the final KOSMO scheduled sport launch for 2022, the much anticipated annual night launch. With the final rocket lighting the sky over the Kansas State Fairground parking lot, it was time to pack away the launch equip- ment for the year and begin preparation for anksgiving feasting. at's what we thought anyway. A few days later we re- ceived a KOSMO group-email from SLRA member Dave Kovar asking if we would be interested in combining our efforts to put on a sport rocketry event in conjunction with the Cosmosphere's Apollo 17 50th Anniversary "First and Last Steps" Gala event scheduled for December 2 and 3. e majority of KOSMO members affirmative- ly responded and pieces started falling into place. e next step was for Dave to make con- tact with Cosmosphere Public Relations Director Maria Kelson and pitch a propos- al for KOSMO/SLRA to put-on an Apollo 17 50th Anniversary night launch event that would include a pre-sunset historic NASA scale model-themed launch, a twi- light Saturn/Skylab launch reenactment, a night launch event, and the grand finale, an Apollo 17 night launch reenactment. Several email and text exchanges later the night launch event was enthusiastically ap- proved by Cosmosphere senior leaders for Saturday evening, December 3, from 4:30– 6:30 pm. KOSMO/SLRA would have full responsibility organizing and conducting the event. Additionally, Cosmosphere gave approv- 6 MAY/JUNE 2024 SPORT ROCKETRY by Duane Lanterman and Dave Kovar March 2009: First FLARE STEM event at New Mexico State University (NMSU) commemorating the Apollo 9 40th Anniversary. Photo Courtesy of Los Cruces Sun News. Celebrating Apollo from First to Last Steps

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