As NASA marks its 50th anniversary, one cannot help but note the fact that the agency’s crowning achievement – the Apollo Moon landings – took place over a three-year period that ended more than 35 years ago. Apollo was of course the toughest act to follow of them all, and NASA has done truly remarkable things since then, as Mike Griffin, the agency’s administrator, pointed out during a speech at a gala held Sept. 24 to mark the occasion.

This post is only available to members.