This is my nominee for engineering marvel of my lifetime, the Saturn 5 rocket. I took this photograph Monday while passing the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  People can argue about the cost-effectiveness of it all, but I believe the Apollo moon missions will be to our civilization what the Great Pyramids were to ancient Egyptian civilization. Sending men to the moon and back set our nation apart from all others in the eyes of the world, and this baby made it possible. At 363 feet tall, it was the largest rocket ever built. OK, so maybe it's a "guy" thing. Imagine sitting on top of it! I'm proud to say my first heroes were astronauts. Well, my second heroes, actually--my first heroes were ridiculous Hollywood versions of cowboys.

And don't say those technical types don't have a sense of humor.

 

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