WEST WINDSOR – How a local facility helped make the Apollo moon landing possible – ultimately helped end the Cold War – will be the topic of a lecture at Mercer County Community College (MCCC), with an expert in aeronautics and engineering offering his historical perspective.

“To the Moon and Back: How a Local Facility Paved the Way and Helped Win the Cold War” will be the subject of a lecture by Mark Calhoun, vice president of the Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum in Bucks County, Penn., at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in the Communications Building, Room 108. His talk is part of the college’s Distinguished Lecture Series at the West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road, and is free and open to the public.

Calhoun will present an historical overview of the Johnsville Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Penn., from its start as the Brewster Aircraft factory through its evolution as the premier research and development location for Navy aircraft systems. The facility is best known for Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronaut centrifuge training, and is where scientists and engineers developed technology still in use today. The research conducted there helped the United States win the Cold War, and aided in landing a man on the moon.

Calhoun earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State, and served for 11 years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, reaching the rank of major. He is a private pilot and worked on the 1980s television show “Tour of Duty,” providing special effects. With a passion for aeronautical science, Calhoun became an advisor for an elementary school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) club, helping to inspire students to pursue technical careers.

For more information on MCCC’s Distinguished Lecture Series, call (609) 570-3324 or visit www.mccc.edu/events.

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