Orlando FL Fifty years ago next week, a Saturn V rocket launched the Apollo 11 and the world was never the same. To mark the momentous occasion that led to man's first steps on the moon, the Apollo 50th Gala will take place on July 16 at the iconic Apollo/Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Most of us remember the names of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but it took a huge team of 400,000 to make Apollo 11 a success. A special panel presentation will take place during the gala to bring more of the team back together to reconnect, reminisce and reflect on the teamwork that got man on the Moon. Cisco Systems, Inc. will use its Cisco Webex technology to maximize the breadth and depth of the panel.
And thanks to Webex, you, too, can watch the reunion live. Go to cisco.com starting at 8:45 pm eastern time July 16. You can also watch it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube at that time.
Webex will connect the following astronauts, mission control personnel, satellite trackers and recovery specialists:
Apollo astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center.
More than 500 guests will attend the gala celebration. The following Apollo legends are currently slated to appear at the gala and will be connected to Australia and the USS Hornet via Cisco Webex:
Mike Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut. His second spaceflight was as the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11. While he stayed in orbit around the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left in the Apollo Lunar Module to make the first crewed landing on its surface.
Charles Duke, Apollo 16 astronaut. As Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 16 in 1972, he became the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon. Duke has logged 4,147 hours flying time, which includes 3,632 hours in jet aircraft and 265 hours in space, plus 20 hours and 15 minutes of extravehicular activity. He is currently chairman of the board of directors of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut. Schweickart was the Lunar Module Pilot on the 1969 Apollo 9 mission, the first manned flight test of the lunar module, on which he performed the first in-space test of the portable life support system used by the Apollo astronauts who walked on the Moon.
Gerry Griffin, Apollo flight director. Griffin was a Flight Director in Mission Control and served in this capacity for all Apollo manned missions. He was Lead Flight Director for three lunar landing missions: Apollo's 12, 15 and 17. During the flight of Apollo 13, Griffin was scheduled to lead the lunar landing team in Mission Control. When the landing was canceled after the oxygen tank explosion, he led one of the teams of flight controllers who were responsible for the safe return of the astronauts.
Satellite Trackers in Canberra Australia.
To ensure NASA could still communicate with the Apollo crew as the Earth rotated, it needed three radio telescopes in different parts of the world. One of these was in Australia, and the team there is most famous for being the ones who received and relayed to the world the first historic TV images of astronaut Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969. The team of trackers there went to great lengths to get that signal battling extremely challenging local storms to save the day.
The following members of the 1969 Australian crew are slated to appear at the gala via Webex:
John Saxon. John supported all the Apollo missions at the main Operations Console and had the unique experience of talking to astronauts John Young and Charles Duke on the lunar surface during Apollo 16.
Mike Dinn. As deputy director, Dinn was actively involved in Apollo missions 7 through 14.
Hamish Lindsay. Author of Tracking Apollo to the Moon, Lindsay specialized in timing, voice communications and ranging during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions.
Recovery specialists aboard the USS Hornet in San Francisco Bay.
The USS Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 astronauts from the Pacific Ocean after their splashdown on July 24, 1969.
The following members of the USS Hornet recovery crew are slated to appear at the gala via Webex:
John McLachlan, Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) swimmer. McLachlan participated as a swim team member in the splashdown recoveries of the Apollo 8 and Apollo 11 missions. For the Apollo 11 recovery, McLachlan's helicopter and UDT team was the first unit on the scene of the bobbing spacecraft, which was in a stable-2 position (upside down). His team closely monitored the righting situation to ensure everything went well and was prepared to jump into the water if problems arose. His team then provided lifeguard duties as back up to the eventual astronaut recovery team.
Larry Silva, USS Hornet Sailor. During the Apollo 11 recovery Silva was selected for special duty with the ABC news camera crew on the flight deck. He was able to watch the arrival and departure of President Nixon's helicopter, as well as the astronaut and spacecraft recovery procedures from that vantage point.
Sergeant Joe Holt, USS Hornet Marine. Sergeant Holt provided security for President Richard Nixon while he was onboard for the splashdown event. This included securing the flight deck for the helicopter arrival and departure of the President and his entourage. Holt was later part of the detail that provided security for the Apollo 11 spacecraft and astronauts during the voyage to Pearl Harbor.
Fifty years ago, this massive team collaborated against enormous odds to realize one of the greatest achievements in human history. There was no internet. No mobile devices. No personal computers, said Aruna Ravichandran, Cisco's vice president of marketing for collaboration. With the incredible tools we have available today including Webex the sky is truly the limit.
The Apollo 50th Gala will be hosted on the date that Apollo 11 launch
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Orlando FL Fifty years ago next week, a Saturn V rocket launched the Apollo 11 and the world was never the same. To mark the momentous occasion that led to man's first steps on the moon, the Apollo 50th Gala will take place on July 16 at the iconic Apollo/Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
