Space exploration began during the Cold War period with rivalry programs between the United States and the Soviet Union. Meet famous South Carolinians where apart of the beginning and evolution of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) program.

 

Charles Bolden | S.C. Hall of Fame

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One of three astronauts inducted into the South Carolina Hall Of Fame, Charles Bolden, Jr. flew on four space shuttle missions while an astronaut, and in 2009 was appointed by President Obama to be...
Charles Duke | S.C. Hall of Fame

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Inducted into the South Carolina Hall Of Fame, Charles Duke, Jr. is one of only twelve people to ever walk on the Moon as part of the historic Apollo 16 mission in 1972. Charles Moss "Charlie" Duke...
Charles Townes | S.C. Hall of Fame

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Charles H. Townes was born in Greenville, South Carolina, July 28, 1915, and grew up on a farm. Townes studied at Furman and Duke Universities, then headed west to Cal Tech. After getting his Ph.D...
Ronald Erwin McNair | S.C. Hall of Fame

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One of three astronauts inducted into the South Carolina Hall Of Fame, Ronald McNair was one of the shuttle astronauts killed in the Challenger explosion on January 28, 1986. Born and raised in Lake...
Rudy Mancke | S.C. Hall of Fame

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Rudy Mancke (1941-2023) grew up in Spartanburg and for many years hosted SCETV’s nationally renowned series NatureScene, touring fifty states and ten countries to examine and share their natural...
S.C. Astronauts | S.C. Hall of Fame

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S.C. Astronauts is a mini-documentary about South Carolina's three astronauts: Charles Duke, Jr. of Apollo 16; Ronald McNair of the Space Shuttle Challenger; and Shuttle Astronaut and current NASA...