New Space Exhibit
“The
space era has become of age and we must accept the challenge to exploit
space to the fullest extent, producing economic consumer
benefits for all mankind,” stated Kenneth S. Kleinknecht, 33°,
in December of 1976. At the time, Kleinknecht was the assistant manager
of NASA’s Orbiter project which was only one of his many roles
in the United States space program with NASA and later at Martin
Marietta.
 |
Artifacts are placed in
the base of the display. |
Kleinknecht and his family recently donated memorabilia related to
his career to the Supreme Council Library and Museum. These have
been arranged in a museum display at the Supreme Council which highlights
his involvement in the growth of the space program. Featured artifacts
include portions of heat shields from Apollo 11 and Apollo
8, a piece
of the Apollo 11 Mylar Command Module thermal coating, a piece of
tile from the first space shuttle Columbia, and models of the Mercury-Redstone rocket, the Gemini-Titan
II and the Mercury-Atlas rocket.
 |
The
layout of the collection is determined before the backdrop
is hung. |
The display contains a large backdrop taken from an original Norman
Rockwell painting which depicted the Apollo 11 mission participants,
where Kleinknecht is prominently pictured. The most unique artifact
in the display is the NASA distinguished service medal which was
awarded by President John F. Kennedy to Kleinknecht on May 21, 1963.
He received this medal for his work in developing the spacecraft
for the extended project Mercury mission.
Kenneth Samuel Kleinknecht was born in Washington, D.C., on
July 27, 1919. He spent his childhood in Washington and attended
Purdue
University where he earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
in 1942. He is a member of Fairview Lodge No. 699 F. & A.M.
in Cleveland, Ohio. He was instrumental in bringing members
of the
space program
into Freemasonry and the exhibit highlights some of these individuals,
their accomplishments in the space program, and their Masonic
affiliations.
 |
Don
Llewellyn of Exhibits Unlimited constructed the carpentry
and shows off the finished product. |
The artifacts are now on display to view at the House of the
Temple and add a unique perspective to the involvement of our
Brethren
in national affairs, as influential and important as the space
program.
Kleinknecht was described by Dr. Christopher Kraft, director
of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas as “…one
of those unique individuals who liked that kind of challenge
and is
a hard
nosed guy who had the combination of talent to put everything
together.”
