The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

The team that fashioned Apollo 11 (Interview)

Oct 8, 2020

Discover the untold story behind the Apollo 11 spacesuits and the extraordinary team of seamstresses and engineers who made them a reality. Delve into the personal experiences of women in a male-dominated field, blending craftsmanship with groundbreaking science. Hear tales of teamwork and innovation that pushed the boundaries of what was possible for space exploration. From overcoming gender bias to the emotional weight of witnessing the moon landing, this dialogue highlights the unsung contributions that shaped one of humanity's greatest achievements.

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ANECDOTE

Joanne's Moon Dream

Joanne Thompson dreamt of walking on the moon, questioning where to place her feet.
Ironically, she helped make moon travel possible by sewing Apollo 11 spacesuits.

INSIGHT

High Stakes Sewing

The Apollo spacesuit team tackled life-or-death stakes, a novel challenge for the seamstresses.
This occurred during a time when women's voices were often marginalized.

ANECDOTE

Unexpected Opportunity

Joanne Thompson's babysitter invited her to ILC's hiring event for spacesuit seamstresses.
Unaware of the project, Joanne took the test, passed, and left her dress factory job.

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We’re helping Atlassian to promote Season 2 of Teamistry. If this is the first time you’re hearing about this podcast, Teamistry is an original podcast from Atlassian that tells the stories of teams who work together in new and unexpected ways, to achieve remarkable things. Today, we’re sharing a full-length episode from Season 1 which tells the story of the team that fashioned the Apollo 11 spacesuits.

When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon for the first time, we don’t actually see his face. We see his moonsuit. That moonsuit — in effect — is Neil Armstrong; an inseparable part of this historic moment. While the spacesuit kept him alive to tell that story in his own words, what went unnoticed is the extraordinary team that stitched it together.

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Featuring:

Gabriela Cowperthwaite – X
Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

Teamistry is the chemistry of unsung teams that achieve the impossible Season two begins September 21st. New episodes every other Monday. Teamistry is hosted by award-winning documentary and feature film director Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

Search for Teamistry anywhere you listen to podcasts or click here to subscribe and listen.

In the final episode of Season 1 of Teamistry, host Gabriela Cowperthwaite shines a light on the team of seamstresses and engineers whose meticulous craftwork, creativity, and dedication helped us realize the dream of putting a man on the moon. In this episode, Joanne Thompson and Jean Wilson — two of last surviving seamstresses who worked on the Apollo 11 moonsuits — talk about the intricate seams, needlework, and personal sacrifices that went into outfitting Neil Armstrong. We hear from Homer Reihm, one of the engineers who worked with the seamstresses, and Bill Ayrey, former historian at ILC Dover and Nicholas de Monchaux, author of ‘Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo’, who take us through the pivotal moments of this monumental task. Also, Janet Ferl, the current design engineering manager at ILC Dover, tells us how the legacy of dedication and teamwork on the Apollo 11 moonsuit continues to inspire the company today.

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