Remember Jules?

Jules Bergman was the other "Cronkite" He covered many areas of science and technology for ABC News. He was there for the first flights of Mercury, and reported for 5 hours straight after the 1986 Challenger disaster.

In the days of just 3 news networks, I would sit right in front of the tv (still have my eyesight) and twist the channel knob between 11, 13, 11, 13, 11, 13. Over and over and over.

Cronkite was more personal, know to even "wipe a tear" once and a while. Bergman was a little more serious. In fact. in order to more fully understand the astronauts and their missions, Bergman often took part in the same training and simulations that the astronauts did. (He had some awsome models of the spacecraft sitting on the desk in front of him.)

He also covered the interplanetary missions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's unmanned space probes, notably the landing of the Viking landers on Mars and deep-space Voyager programs.

I remember watching him during ABC's coverage of the 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, and watched him cover live Evel Knievel's 1974 attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon for Wide World of Sports. (afterall, he was a rocket expert - Evil was not)

Bergman died from a brain tumor on February 11, 1987. His passing was reported not just by ABC News, but also on the CBS and NBC nightly newscasts. A memorial service was held four days later in New York City, at which Bergman was eulogized by the NASA astronaut Joseph P. Allen.

As you post, twit, fb, or blog - remember the lengths these early journalists went to keep spaceflight in the public eye. Without them, we would not be able to take part in our journey next month.

The first launch - April 1981

The first launch.

It was April 12, 1981. I was in middle school, and I was a total space geek. I had followed the space program faithfully for years between Apollo and Shuttle. (I even kept track of the end of Skylab and made a poster that I hung in my window when Skylab came back to Earth. "Skylab land here." I had practiced drawing space shuttles on paper, had the blueprints, models, and even a signed picture from someone at Nasa.


I remember this first launch being a big deal. In the days of just 4 television stations, all were covering the event live. (Even PBS) Coverage started at least 12 hours in advance and ran 12 hours past launch. I begged, and my mom let me stay home from school to watch the launch of the first space shuttle. She said it would be a "once in a lifetime" event. (This is also the same woman who sat me down in front on the tv for EVERY Apollo launch, even though I was too young to remember it)


I remember the commentators talking about the risks and dangers. First time shuttle was lifting off, first time SRB's would be used, first time computers would be used. Very exciting.


I also remember it being very patriotic at the time. The country was rallying around a wounded President, who had been shot a few weeks before. The cold war was turning in America's favor, and EVERYBODY still loved those USA Hockey players. Positive times.


The clock counted down, the mains and SRB's lit up, and Walter Cronkite commented on the new future for America in space. For a young teenage boy in Colorado. It was a future still being lived out.

And it begins.....

Waiting in my email inbox today:

Dear Todd Seip,

Congratulations, you have been selected to attend the NASA Tweetup on July 7-8 for space shuttle Atlantis' targeted launch at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida! The event will provide you the opportunity to speak with shuttle technicians, engineers, astronauts, and managers, and to experience the launch of space shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station.

More to come.