San Diego Air & Space Museum hosts astronauts and flight controllers from legacy space programs during “To the Moon and Back: An Evening with America’s Space Heroes” celebration

A star-studded group of astronauts and ground personnel from NASA’s legendary space programs -- Mercury, Gemini and Apollo -- shared in-depth personal experiences with guests during a rare special event.

More than 430 guests treated to a special evening with America's space heroes at the San Diego Air & Space Museum

From Left to Right: Al Worden, Glynn Lunney, Walt Cunningham, Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke, Gerry Griffin, Bob Cuervo, Milt Windler.

A star-studded group of astronauts and ground personnel shared in-depth personal experiences from NASA’s legendary Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs with more than 430 guests during a rare special event, “To the Moon and Back: An Evening with America’s Space Heroes,” at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park on Thursday, June 23.

“This was an incredible opportunity to meet and see American heroes who literally made history,” said Jim Kidrick, President & CEO of the San Diego Air & Space Museum. “A gathering of so many of the remaining members of NASA’s legacy space programs – Mercury, Gemini and Apollo – is a rare and important event in today’s world.”

Buzz Aldrin and San Diego Air & Space Museum President & CEO Jim Kidrick.

The attendees included:

Buzz Aldrin– Apollo 11, Buzz and Neil Armstrong were the first to walk on the moon, July 1969.

Walt Cunningham– Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo flight, following the disastrous fire killing three American heroes…perhaps the most momentous flight ever to ensure America’s space supremacy.

Charlie Duke– Apollo 16, the youngest astronaut to walk on the moon and CAPCOM for Apollo 11 – the historic first moon landing.

Al Worden –As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 15, the first extended scientific exploration of our moon, Al Worden spent six days orbiting our neighbor in space, including three days completely alone, the most isolated human in existence.

Gerry Griffin – Lead Flight Director for three moon landings – Apollo 12, 15 and 17 – and a key figure in resolving the Apollo 13 crisis.

Glynn Lunney – Chief of Flight Directors. During Apollo 13 crisis, Lunney and his team faced the challenge of having to power up the lunar module, while transferring guidance and navigation data to it from the dying command module. Employee of NASA from its creation in 1958, and a key figure from the Mercury missions through to the Space Shuttle era, including overseeing the first international space mission.

Milt Windler– Lead Flight Director during the Apollo program. Joined space program in 1959 working on America’s first human space missions. Promoted to Flight Director for Apollo missions, working on most of those pioneering flights as well as all three Skylab space station missions.

Bob Cuervo– Inspector and quality engineer. He began working on Apollo 1 and worked all the way through Apollo 17. Specifically, he worked in what was known as the “Tepee Village” where wooden mockups of the spacecraft resembled tepees. He was then transferred to Downey, California to work on the unmanned spacecraft and eventually also worked up to manned spacecraft.

From Left to Right: Moderator Mark Larson, Walter Cunningham, Glynn Lunney, Buzz Aldrin, Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Gerry Griffin and Milt Windler.

"To the Moon and Back" was moderated by Mark Larson of AM1170 The Answer and KUSI TV.

More about each attendee:

Buzz Aldrin

As Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 11, the first lunar landing, Buzz Aldrin is (along with Neil Armstrong) the first person to ever land on the moon. Watched by millions around the world on live television, the duo spent over two hours working on the lunar surface. Aldrin’s first space flight, on Gemini 12, was an opportunity to perform a spacewalk that solved many of the issues that had plagued previous missions, allowing NASA to move into the Apollo era with confidence. Aldrin continues to advocate for space exploration as a strong supporter of manned missions to Mars. For more information, visit http://buzzaldrin.com/ or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin.

Walt Cunningham

Selected by NASA in 1963, Walt Cunningham flew on 1968’s Apollo 7 mission. It was the first manned Apollo flight, following the loss of the Apollo 1 crew during their training. Cunningham’s mission restored confidence in the Apollo spacecraft, allowing for the first landing on the moon less than a year later. Cunningham then performed preliminary design work on the Skylab space station, before leaving NASA in 1971. He is the author of one of the most highly-regarded astronaut memoirs, “The All-American Boys.” For more information, visit http://waltercunningham.com/ or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cunningham.

Charlie Duke

Charlie Duke is the youngest person to have walked on the moon. The Apollo 16 mission was America’s fifth manned lunar landing, and the first to land in the desolate lunar highlands. Using a lunar rover, Duke spent almost three days exploring the region, making geological discoveries that completely revised scientific thinking about the highlands. Three years earlier, Duke was the astronaut in mission control as Neil Armstrong piloted his Apollo 11 lunar module to the first lunar landing. His voice assisted Armstrong during that history-making touchdown. For more information, visit http://www.charlieduke.net/ or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Duke.

Al Worden

As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 15, the first extended scientific exploration of our moon, Al Worden spent six days orbiting our neighbor in space, including three days completely alone, the most isolated human in existence. During the return to earth he also conducted the first spacewalk in deep space, becoming the first human to see both the entire earth and moon simply by turning his head. The Apollo 15 flight capped an already-impressive career as an astronaut, including important work on the pioneering Apollo 9 and Apollo 12 missions, as well as the perilous flight of Apollo 13. His memoir, “Falling To Earth,” became a national bestseller. For more information, visit http://www.alworden.com/ or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Worden.

Moderator Mark Larson visits with astronauts Walter Cunningham, Buzz Aldrin, Al Worden and Charlie Duke.

Gerry Griffin

Gerry Griffin served as Lead Flight Director for three lunar landing missions: Apollo 12, 15 and 17. As a Flight Director for Apollo 13 he made vital contributions to the survival of the Apollo crew. Joining NASA in 1960, he worked as a Flight Controller during NASA’s pre-Apollo era. Griffin went on to the prestigious position of directing NASA’s space center in Houston. He also worked as a technical advisor on the “Apollo 13” movie. For more information, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_D._Griffin.

Glynn Lunney

Space missions are a careful balance of responsibilities between the astronauts in space, and those who assist them on the ground. Without both working together, America’s greatest space achievements would not have been possible. In moments such as the first moon landing and the Apollo 13 crisis, the people of Mission Control have proven over and over that they were ready for the unexpected challenges and real-time decisions. However good the technology, in the end the right person at the right moment, making the right decision, is crucial. Lunney was a vital part of most of these key moments. He was an employee of NASA from its creation in 1958, and a key figure from the Mercury missions through to the Space Shuttle era, including overseeing the first international space mission. Lunney served as Chief of Flight Directors for most of the Gemini and Apollo flights. During the Apollo 13 crisis, Lunney and his team faced the challenge of having to power up the lunar module, while transferring guidance and navigation data to it from the dying command module. His excellent memory and quick thinking were critical in the success of his team during those first, critical hours. For more information, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glynn_Lunney.

Milt Windler

Joining the space program in 1959 and working on America’s first human space missions as part of Project Mercury, Windler was promoted to Flight Director for the Apollo missions. He worked most of those pioneering flights, as well as all three Skylab space station missions, serving as a Flight Director on Apollo Missions 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. As the Lead Flight Director for the Apollo 13 mission, he was a group recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor given to a civilian by a President) for his contributions to bringing the crew back alive. For more information, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_13_Mission_Operations_Team.

Mark Larson with Glynn Lunney, Milt Windler and Gerry Griffin.

Bob Cuervo

Bob Cuervo is 77 years old and went to Saint Bonifacius Indian School in Banning, California near the Morongo Indian reservation. After high school he joined the Navy and served four years. After being discharged from the Navy he found an ad in the paper that North American aviation was hiring people. He was hired and started out as a stock room clerk. He started going to school and worked his way up to an inspector and then later quality engineer. He worked on the Minuteman missile before transferring to the space division, working on the Apollo program. Specifically, he worked in what was known as the “Tepee Village” where wooden mockups of the spacecraft resembled tepees. He was then transferred to Downey, California to work on the unmanned spacecraft and eventually also worked up to manned spacecraft. He began working on Apollo 1 and worked all the way through Apollo 17.

On May 25, 1961, United States President John F. Kennedy issued a national goal to the American people of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth within a decade.” President Kennedy’s challenge resulted in an international space race, spurring on previously unprecedented technological advances through the space programs.

In all, 12 Americans would walk on the moon. The first, Neil Armstrong, took “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 20, 1969. Moments later, Buzz Aldrin joined Armstrong on the lunar surface, successfully accomplishing President Kennedy’s goal of landing an astronaut on the moon by the end of the decade.

After Apollo 11, six more missions explored the moon, with Gene Cernan of Apollo 17 being the last person to leave footprints on the lunar surface in December, 1972. Cernan is now the subject of the award-winning documentary “The Last Man on the Moon.”

The astronauts’ accomplishments were made possible through the hard work of a team of hundreds of dedicated men and women who spent more than ten years focusing on successfully landing on the moon. “To the Moon and Back: An Evening with America’s Space Heroes” was a rare opportunity to meet not only the American heroes who walked on the moon, but also the remarkable people on the ground who helped them in making mankind’s most extraordinary dream a reality.

Proceeds from the evening benefit the Museum’s youth education programs.

To view photos from the event, visit www.gatesphotography.com.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is California’s official air and space museum and education center. The Museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and was the first aero-themed Museum to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Now showing: Da Vinci: The Ultimate Innovator, a special exhibition showcasing more than 90 robotics, machines and artworks from the greatest inventor of all time. The Museum is located at 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101. The Museum and gift store are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with admissions until 4:30 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.