Ed Buckbee’s legacy ‘will resonate for generations’

“We have all sorts of camps … why don’t we have a science camp?”

And with those words more than 45 years ago, and the blessing of Dr. Wernher von Braun, Ed Buckbee put the wheels in motion for Space Camp.

Buckbee, the founding executive director of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and creator of Space Camp, died over the weekend at age 89.

In his passing, Buckbee leaves a legacy that has seen 1 million Space Camp alumni, including several astronauts, among whom is five-time graduate Christina Koch, who just became the first woman to orbit the moon.

“We are saddened by the passing of Ed Buckbee,” the Space & Rocket Center said in a statement. “In his 23-year tenure at the Rocket Center, he accomplished many things but perhaps none greater than opening Space Camp in 1982.

“The future engineers, scientists, and astronauts Space Camp inspires are his enduring legacy. Auspiciously, today Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch, a five-time Space Camp alumna, becomes the first woman to orbit the Moon.”

A memorial will be held at the Space & Rocket Center on April 25.

After a career in the Army as a public affairs officer at Redstone Arsenal, Buckbee began his NASA public affairs career in 1959 when the Mercury astronauts were selected. He attended the launches of Alan Shepard and John Glenn and when the Apollo astronauts headed to the moon.

In 1970, he was selected by von Braun to be the first director of the Alabama Space & Rocket Center. Buckbee was the visionary who assembled and managed the world’s largest space and rocket exhibition – which became the U.S. Space & Rocket Center – and was founder of the U.S. Space Camp and Aviation Challenge programs.

“Ed Buckbee was instrumental in amplifying Huntsville’s identity as the Rocket City,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “He took the reins of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center at a pivotal time, understanding and championing the significant role our city played in manned spaceflight. His passion for sharing Huntsville’s story inspired generations of explorers, engineers and dreamers. 

“We are grateful for his legacy, and our thoughts are with his family and all who admired his lifelong dedication to space exploration.”

Heading the Space & Rocket Center became the foundation of his legacy, and one he would hold until his retirement in 1994. Through the museum, he helped educate youngsters and even influence careers while leaving a lasting impression.

Marianne Higgins, who worked in public relations at the Space & Rocket Center for Buckbee, recalls first meeting him … as a young tourist.

“My family moved to Huntsville in 1969. A year later, my parents took us kids to what was then called the Alabama Space & Rocket Center,” she said. “I first met Mr. Buckbee at age 9 when he showed us how to use a phone exhibit where both caller and recipient could see each other on screens. I was hooked! I never forgot the impression he made on me and appreciated the opportunity to later work for him in the Public Relations Department.  

“It was the most fun and challenging experience of my career because of the wonderful culture he had created. I will miss him.”

Space Camp evolved from a 1982 weeklong space training experience for kids. The program became his most lasting contribution, continuing well beyond his retirement, giving generations of students a hands-on introduction to science, engineering, and spaceflight. 

Buckbee’s leadership also created a national interest in Space Camp and the Space & Rocket Center through appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman” and “The Today Show” as well as providing a setting for movies such as “Space Camp” and “Beyond the Stars.”

   

“Although Ed Buckbee had been in ill health for several months, his professional impact will resonate for generations,” said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell, who was the first director of marketing at the Space and Rocket Center and recruited the first 100,000 students to Space Camp. “As long as bright students visit the space museum on school field trips or come to Huntsville to attend Space Camp, his impact will resonate. The fact that a former camper was in orbit on a major space mission the day he died speaks volumes. 

“He took Dr. von Braun’s vision and translated it to kid size, then remade it for adults with a dream of space travel. Our nation and the world will benefit for years to come. Godspeed, Ed Buckbee.”