HR0540 LRB096 13373 KXB 28091 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate John Cornelius
4 Houbolt on the opening of the Apollo/Houbolt Exhibit at the
5 Joliet Area Historical Museum on July 17, 2009; and
 
6     WHEREAS, John Cornelius Houbolt was born on April 10, 1919
7 and spent a part of his childhood in Joliet; as a youngster he
8 was intrigued by the mysteries of flight and took to a hayloft
9 to experiment; he used an umbrella, and later built a glider
10 with makeshift wings attached to a baby buggy to further his
11 research; and
 
12     WHEREAS, After taking classes in mathematics and science at
13 Joliet Township High School and Joliet Junior College, he
14 received a local scholarship and went on to the University of
15 Illinois, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master
16 of Science degree in Civil Engineering; and
 
17     WHEREAS, He fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot and
18 later earned his Ph.D. in Technical Sciences at ETH in Zurich,
19 Switzerland; on May 15, 2005 he received an honorary doctorate
20 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and
 
21     WHEREAS, While working as an engineer at Langley Research

 

 

HR0540 - 2 - LRB096 13373 KXB 28091 r

1 Center in Hampton, Virginia, Mr. Houbolt came with an
2 alternative for NASA officials to contemplate as they
3 considered flight plans to put a man on the moon; NASA argued
4 for Earth Orbit Rendevous versus Direct Ascent; Houbolt's
5 decision came to be known as Lunar Orbit Rendevous; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Lunar Orbit Rendevous required two spacecraft to
7 link up a quarter-million miles from Earth; though many people
8 thought this idea was too complex and too bizarre, he continued
9 to argue for it and won over those who had previously been
10 against the idea; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Thanks to his work and dedication to the ideals of
12 John Houbolt, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked
13 on the moon on July 20, 1969; the Joliet Area Historical Museum
14 is unveiling the new exhibit with two-story exhibits, diagrams
15 and maps, audiovisual displays, and much more to tell the story
16 of John Houbolt and his vision; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
19 congratulate John Cornelius Houbolt on this wonderful
20 occasion; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to John Cornelius Houbolt as a symbol of our respect.