Description

Learn about the work and life of NASA photographer Bill Taub.

Transcript

Learn About the NASA Photographer Bill Taub From the very beginning of the space program, NASA has been recording much of its progress through the lens of photographer Bill Taub. Taub was able to capture the essence of the space program in his work. From the time NASA began in 1958 to the last Apollo flight in 1975, he photographed every significant aeronautics and space event. Bill likes to joke that he was a photographer for NASA even before the agency was formed. In the 1940’s and 50’s he worked as a wind tunnel photographer with the national advisory committee for aeronautics in ACE in Langley Virginia. After that Bill worked alone setting up his bulky 8/10 camera in the cavernous tunnels, this pioneering work that the public see aeronautical research as never before, according to Bill, his first shots were just basic wind tunnel photographs but he always tried to think of ways to make them more artistic. In 1958 the NACA became NASA and was built to sent to Washington DC as the agency as the agencies senior photographer. He was assigned to the original seven astronauts covering all aspects of their lives, not just as their work. Bill captured the tension of the training exercises, the camaraderie, and the spirit of each occasion. He was also the only photographer allowed free access to close door meetings, training runs and missions. John Glenn made history the day he entered his Mercury capsule, Bill had to provide coverage that would satisfy photo editors all over the world, and he did. During his career he received many awards, among them photograph of the year for coverage of Gordon Coopers flight in 1963. In 1969, the world watched as astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins carried out Americas first mission to the moon. They became instant celebrities, after they returned; they visited 24 countries and 27 cities in 45 days. For Bill, covering this world tour was a special highlight. Bill grew up in an era where travel by rail was everything and landing on the moon was only a wild dream. While he’s not tinkering with his train collection, Bill enjoys leafing through some very special books, each page a memory, a glimpse of history in NASA’s photo album which he helped to create.