Astronaut Training at Morehead Planetarium
Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Astronaut Training. Morehead Planetarium trained NASA astronauts in celestial navigation for Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab missions, 1960-75. Dome 450 ft. S.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
During the height of the Space Race, the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill served a surprising national mission: from 1960 to 1975 it trained NASA astronauts in celestial navigation. Under its dome, the crews of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab learned to find their way by the stars in case their instruments failed. The planetarium became an unlikely classroom for the journey to the Moon.
Why it matters
Morehead's role reminds us that reaching space depended on the oldest of skills, star navigation, and that a North Carolina planetarium quietly helped make the Apollo landings possible.
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Related events
- · Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab astronaut training, 1960–1975
Themes & tags
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