The New Mexico Museum of Space History is pleased to announce that it was recently awarded a “One Small Step” grant from the SPACE 3.0 Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The grant, which was applied for by Museum Curator Sue Taylor, will allow the museum’s curatorial department to digitize more than a dozen space related 16mm films from the 1960s that reside in the museum’s collection. The films to be digitized include several associated with the Gemini and Apollo programs. “After more than 30+ years in the space industry, I've noticed that small sums can make a real difference. SPACE 3.0 has launched the “One Small Step” grant program to identify projects that can fill in the gaps to space history preservation. Ideas such as digitizing historical documents, collecting an oral history, or expanding the resources found in our archive,” said Scott Sacknoff, the foundation’s chair. “Digitizing and color correcting these films from the golden age of human spaceflight will not only help preserve them, but will also make them available to researchers and the public.”
“This proposal from the New Mexico Museum of Space History is an example of what we’ve been seeking—making the history of spaceflight more accessible and preserving materials for future generations,” Sacknoff said. Upon completion of this project, the videos will be available through both organizations. Established in 2019, SPACE 3.0 is a 501(c)(3) charitable institution that is building an endowment in order to fund projects related to the preservation of space history and empowering entrepreneurs and visionaries. Its “One Small Step” grants provide $250-$1,000 for worthy activities that help the Foundation target its mission and goals.
“We are delighted to have been the first museum chosen for this grant and to finally be able to bring these old films into the digital world so that everyone can have the opportunity to learn from and enjoy them,” said Museum Curator Sue Taylor. The project is expected to begin in the next few months and should be finished by spring 2022.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589 or visit the website at www.nmspacemuseum.org. Like us at: www.facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/