MSOA Update 2-27-19
1. I would like to clarify the membership in the MSOA based on email questions I am getting especially for newly added folks. A little history first. The old Apollo Flight Operations Association (AFOA) no longer exists. In the fall of 2017, a group of us rebuilt the organization but for legal reasons we had to change the name and we agreed on the Manned Spaceflight Operations Association (MSOA) and decided to tie it to the historic MCC when trying to establish the scope of the organization. We used as the basis to establish the membership the old AFOA list and the official manning lists and anyone’s name that appears anywhere on those lists in any capacity was included. We cover all flights supported out of the historic MCC so it covers Gemini 2 through STS 76. The Master Database that is on our website www.mannedspaceops.org was built from the manning memos/lists showing what each person did as they appeared on the lists. We then built this master distribution list from the names on that data base for the people we have been able to get email addresses for. So, if you are getting this email, you are a member of the MSOA by virtue of the fact you were on the old AFOA list or the manning memos/lists. No further action is required on your part. There are no registration forms required and we currently have no dues. Maybe sometime in the future when we sponsor activities such as scholorships, etc we may revisit the dues question. I have also been informed by our resident attorney that legally you are not “Members” but rather “Associates”. Unofficially we sometimes refer to you as members but you are really associates. Don’t ASK. If I mistakenly refer to you as members I just screwed up. I hope this helps an even though I grew up in Arkansas and went to OU I think I understand it.
2. Another thing I want to flag is that as you know this summer is a really big deal celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most historic events in human history. A lot of you folks made that happen and the interest from the media and others is ramping up rapidly. NASA PAO has contacted me and the requests for interviews with Apollo era people are pouring in. I have a meeting next week with PAO to work this but I think where we are headed is that if any of you are interested in being interviewed you should contact NASA JSC PAO. But not yet. Let me have the meeting and I will follow up with details next week. I will NOT pass out your contact information without your explicit permission.
That’s it for now.
MSOA Update 2-5-19
1. I have added a few names to our distribution list so if you are seeing one of these emails for the first time, welcome to the MSOA. I encourage you to visit our website at www.mannedspaceops.org to find out more about us. We have moved the Masterdatabase and No Contact list under the Missions Tab. Click on Missions Tab, then Manninglists and you will see an introduction and a blue button for the Masterdatabase and another for the No contact list. The Master Database shows what everyone did in support of flights from the Historic Mission Control. I am still missing some manning lists for some disciplines for early Shuttle STS 1 thru 76. If anyone has some manning lists, send them to me at alphaflt23@gmail.com or if you see anything that is wrong with what is there let me know and I will correct it. If you click on the No Contact button you will see a list of names of people we do not have email addresses for. If you see someone on that list, contact them and get them in touch with me at the aforementioned email address.
2. The 50 th Anniversary of Apollo 11 is scheduled for this July and we are still having trouble getting JSC to commit to scheduled events. We have our, MSOA semi formal dinner and social scheduled for July 21 5:30 to 1000 at Space Center Houston (SCH). There will be dedicated Tram tours for our guests through out that day to go to the restored MCC. We have arranged discount rates at a few hotels in the area per the following and the date spreads vary because we do not know what events are scheduled and if anyone wants to alter the date range that is between you and the hotel:
A. Marriott Courtyard across from SCH, 7/18-7/22, Call 281-333-0220 and mention MSOA when making reservations, Cutoff date is July 5, Sgl King-$99.00, Two Queen- $109.00
B. Hilton on Clear Lake, 7/19-7/22. Call 281-333-9300, Use Code MSO and the Group name is MSOA Apollo Mission 50th Anniversary. Cutoff date is 6/4 Room rate is $129.00
C. Homewood Suites on Bay Area Blvd near Hway 3. 7/18-7/25, Phone 281-486-7677, or email https://group.homewood-suites.com/MSOAApollo50th Use the Group name MSOA Apollo 50th. There is also a Group Code MSO SMERF. Cutoff Date is 6/20. One King $134.00 or One suite with two double $149.00
D. Candlewood Suites near Tommy’s Patio Cafe off Bay Area BLVD. 7/19-7/24, Phone 1-877-666-3243, Group Name MSOA Event. Cutoff 7/2. Studio for $114.00. Can also go to https://www.ihg.com/candlewood/hotels/us/en/find-hotel/ro
If you have any problem with these, let me know at alphaflt23@gmail.com
3. You can go to the Calendar on our website to see the known scheduled events.
4. The MCC restoration project is proceeding on schedule unaffected by the government shutdown because it is privately funded. If anyone knows or can remember what was showing on the TVs in the viewing room during the Apollo 11 Landing and any audio that was playing there like TV feed, MOCR loops, PAO, etc please contact Sandra Tetley at sandra.j.tetley@nasa.gov or call her at 281-636-6875.
5. Thanks to the people who have responded to me about serving on Panels at SCH. They also want to set up some luncheons with the public and are looking for Apollo Flight Controllers to share their time with the public. Anyone in the local area interested let me know and I will put you on the list.
More to follow as we know it.
MSOA Update 12-19-18
1. First, I want to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We have made great progress in getting the Manned Spaceflight Operations Association (MSOA) up and running and hope to make more progress this year. One of our main efforts in work is the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 in July. We will keep you updated as plans develop.
2. I have added quite a few names to our distribution list so this is the first message some of you have gotten. I invite you to go to our website at www.mannedspaceops.org to learn what we are all about. While there you will see a manning database we have constructed showing what each of you did in support of manned spaceflight using as our source the manning lists. We know there are errors as there were changes in manning made between when the manning lists came out and flight,. The only way this can get corrected is for you to notify me at alphaflt23@gmail.com and I will make those updates as I get them. You will also notice on the website there is a No Contact spreadsheet. This is a list of the names of people on the database that we have no contact info for. If you see your name on the list or someone you know, have them contact me at the aforementioned email address so we can get them on the distribution list.
3. Anyone getting this email at a .gov or company email address, please send me your personal email address. There are many reasons for this but mostly people change jobs, retire, etc and I need to get away from automatic replies from company addresses when you are out of the office.
4. You will also notice on our website there is a calendar we are trying to keep up to date with planned events as we learn of them.
5. One of the things I need is manning lists for the Shuttle flights on the data base. I have some pretty good lists for Systems Division, the DPS, and GNC folks. If anyone has any lists please send me a copy.
6. If anyone would like to help out on any of the committees we want to form such as the Social Committee, Historical Committee, and a Memorial Committee, please let me know. Linda Ham is chairman of our Social Committee and will be organizing the activities around events we want to celebrate. Frank Hughes is chairman of the Historical Committee and we want to capture as much history as we can. We want to create a Memorial Committee to address putting in place a permanent memorial to recognize you people who made manned spaceflight happen.
MSOA Update 11-19-18
From William Reeves, President of the MSOA
1. We are continueing to make progress on developing this distribution list and thanks to all those who have responded with email updates and leads to other folks on our No Contact list. I would like for those with .gov or company email addresses to send me at alphaflt23@gmail.com your personal email address to avoid conflicts with company and gov firewalls. If you would prefer, I will use your personal address.
2. For those newcomers to this list, I invite you to visit our website at www.mannedspaceops.org for an explanation of what we are about. While there, visit the No contact list under the About Us Tab to see the folks we are missing contact emails. If you know any of them have them contact me at the above email address so we can include them.
3. Also on the website there is a calendar tab that we are trying to keep updated with coming events especially next summer for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Our, MSOA, event is scheduled for July 21. We will have a semi formal dinner and social at Space Center Houston with dedicated tram tours during the day to the restored Apollo era MCC. So save the date. I am sure there will be plenty of other events in the area over a period of days. Details to follow as we get them.
4. Gene Kranz just gave an interesting talk at the Flight Jacket Event at the Smithsonian and it can be viewed at the following site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3hNTtXqwW0
MSOA Update 11-11-18
This is an update of the MSOA from William (Bill) Reeves, President of the MSOA. I will send these out periodically to let you know what is going on with the MSOA and to get help with the organization and activities of the organization.
1. First let me say Thank You on this Veteran’s Day to all the Vets that served our country.
2. Secondly I would like to thank the ones that showed up at Ellington this last Thursday for the arrival of the first two rows of restored consoles for the Apollo Era Control Center restoration project. I know everyone did not get the word of the event but we are still trying to get our contact and distribution lists up and running.
3. In regards to the distribution list, I sent our first message, a Welcome message, out a couple of weeks ago as a test of our new distribution list. I got about a 55% open report on the message and 41 bounce backs indicating problems with the email addresses we have. I have corrected as many as I could and this message will be another test of where we are.
4. For those new people on this distribution and all, I invite you to visit our website at www.mannedspaceops.org to find out all about us. And while there under the About Us Tab you will find a No Contact List. That is a list of all the people we have identified that supported manned spaceflights that were flown from the historic wing of the MCC that we do not have contact info for. If you see your name on that list or someone you know on that list that you can contact, contact or have them contact Bill Reeves at alphaflt23@gmail.com so we can update our contact and distribution list.
Welcome to the MSOA
Welcome to the Manned Spaceflight Operations Association (MSOA). You can visit our website at www.mannedspaceops.org for information about the organization. We have been working to build a mass distribution list of all of the members as identified by the staffing and support lists of all the spaceflights supported from the historic Mission Control wing at JSC. We have elected to go with Mail Chimp in order to send out these emails to the large distribution. This is the first email using this new capability and we will use this mechanism to stay in touch with you. You do not need to respond to this email acknowledging that you got it and please don’t as the list is at 890 and we will get flooded with emails. We are still trying to obtain contact information for people we have identified as members through the various manning lists and there is a spread sheet on the website called No Contact List under the About Us Tab that shows the approx. 4000 people we need contact info for. If you see your name on that list or someone you know, get in touch with Bill Reeves at alphaflt23@gmail.com and provide your or their contact info or get in touch with the people you know and have them contact him.
As I said, this is the first of many emails to follow and we look forward to building this organization together.