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A moon rock given as an award to legendary newsman and UT alum Walter Cronkite is on display at UT's Texas Memorial Museum. The specimen may only weigh 1.2 grams, but it carries with it "a moment in time that changed the world," said Susan Romberg, museum curator.
Cronkite was an integral part of the popular memory of the Apollo space expeditions of the 1960s and early 1970s. He broadcast around the clock during the moon landing of the Apollo 11 in 1969 and extensively covered subsequent space missions. Romberg said she recalled the absolute excitement conveyed by Cronkite and the social impact of the Apollo 11 landing.
"We were a country in the midst of social upheaval, and this momentarily brought people together," Romberg said. "This is a positive part of our history ... part of the 'can-do' attitude of the time," she said.
In February, Cronkite was honored by NASA with the Ambassador of Exploration Award for his coverage of the space program. He joins lunar pioneers Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and John Young as recipients of the award. He is the only honoree who is not an astronaut or formally affiliated with NASA.
The rock is part of some 842 pounds of samples brought back from six expeditions between 1969 and 1972 - the first pieces of the moon to be touched by human hands. The Cronkite rock is from the initial landing in 1969, which marked the completion of President John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge for NASA to reach the moon by 1970.
The rock is encased in clear lucite that is lit from the bottom and makes for an eye-catching display. Romberg said she feels the temporary acquisition of this specimen is great for educational purposes.
"This is a pop culture thing, and we hope to use pop culture to teach kids about science," she said.
Negotiations are underway to have the rock be put on permanent loan from UT's Center for American History, which received the rock shortly after it was awarded to Cronkite. The center also houses an archive of Cronkite's papers.
Despite the lack of school visits over the summer, Romberg still expects to have a good audience for this treasure. She anticipates a good number of visitors for Father's Day, as the thrill of austral science and legacy of Cronkite offer something for both parents and children, she said.
The exhibition is scheduled to run until Aug. 31. The Texas Memorial Museum is located on UT campus, and entry is free to the public. For more information visit www.utexas.edu/tmm.
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