Family lore has it that Clayton Anderson first began to yearn for space when his mom made him a tin foil astronaut costume to wear in the Ashland 'Stir-Up' parade. Anderson himself recalls another incident: Christmas Eve, 1968. His parents woke him and his siblings at midnight to witness a dramatic historical event: Apollo 8's trip around the backside of the moon. 'This was the moment my life's dream truly began to take shape and I set my heart on becoming an astronaut,' writes Anderson in an online journal he kept during his training and mission.
Series Description
'Homemade Astronaut: The Clay Anderson Story,' is an intimate and personal look at Anderson's journey from dreamy-eyed child to driven college student to determined NASA astronaut. During the hour-long NET Television production, Anderson talks about his youthful dreams and his Ashland (Neb.) and Hastings College teachers who inspired and encouraged him to pursue his passions.