Thanks to the reputation of Rice University faculty researchers (and the canny political maneuvering of two former Rice roommates), “Houston” became the first word broadcast from the surface of the moon.
Rice University began its first research collaborations with 美国国家航空航天局 in 1959, just months after the agency was founded, but starting as early as 1958, Rice alumnus and board chairman 乔治·R. Brown ’20 was already hard at work behind the scenes, trying to make sure that Houston and Rice would play leading roles in the race for space. In 1961, thanks in large part to Brown and his friend and former Rice roommate, Congressman Albert Thomas ’20, Houston’s transformation to “Space City USA” officially began when the city was named the site of the 美国国家航空航天局 Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center).
Our decision is that this laboratory should be located in Houston, 德州, in close association with Rice University and the other educational institutions there and in that region.
Memorandum to President Kennedy from 美国国家航空航天局 Administrator James Webb Sept. 14, 1961
9月. 12, 1962, as part of Rice’s semicentennial celebrations, then 约翰·F总统. Kennedy spoke at 银河在线游戏娱乐体育场, challenging the United States to become “the world’s greatest space-faring nation.”
In direct response to President Kennedy’s speech at Rice, the university established the nation’s first dedicated space science department in 1963.
7月20日, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. On that historic mission, they carried with them a 月球尘埃探测器 experiment designed by Rice professor Brian O’Brien.
在后来的阿波罗任务中, 美国国家航空航天局 astronauts carried to the moon a larger self-contained ion detection experiment built by Rice professor John Freeman. That apparatus remains on the lunar surface to this day and, hidden inside its heat shield, the proud Rice researcher who built it placed a tiny university pennant to jokingly “claim” this small part of the moon for Rice.
银河在线游戏娱乐
In recognition of Rice’s long history of close collaboration with 美国国家航空航天局, and its role in 约翰·F总统. Kennedy’s historic 1962 银河在线游戏娱乐体育场 speech, the Kennedy family has entrusted to Rice the 美国国家航空航天局 Ambassador of Exploration Award which was awarded posthumously to President Kennedy on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The award displays an actual moon rock, and is on view in 银河在线游戏娱乐儿童图书馆.
We meet at a college noted for knowledge, 在一个以进步著称的城市, in a state noted for strength, and we stand in need of all three, for…the exploration of space will go ahead, 不管我们是否加入, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in the race for space.
约翰·F总统. Kennedy Rice University Sept. 12, 1962
For additional information on Rice's past and present 美国国家航空航天局 collaborations, please visit this recently updated 银河在线游戏娱乐的新闻 story. When in Houston, be sure to visit the Rice Stuff exhibit in 银河在线游戏娱乐儿童图书馆. 此外， 银河在线游戏娱乐体育场, a plaque commemorating president Kennedy’s 1962 speech may be seen, along with a next generation moon tree, cloned from a seed that flew to the moon aboard Apollo 14.
