First Flight Lunar Module

05/27/2026

On May 27, 1947, Neil Armstrong graduated from Blume High School in Wapakoneta, Ohio, at the age of 16.

Armstrong was active in extracurricular activities at Blume. He participated in band, student council, glee club, and in the class play.

05/27/2026

NASA - THE SPACE SHUTTLE was world's first reusable spacecraft. It launched like a rocket, maneuvered in Earth orbit like a spacecraft and landed like an airplane. It was comprised of the orbiter, the main engines, the external tank, and the solid rocket boosters.

The space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continued to set high marks of achievement and endurance through 30 years of missions. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station. The final space shuttle mission, STS-135, ended July 21, 2011 when Atlantis rolled to a stop at its home port, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

WARREN NATIVE RON PARISE’S SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE:

STS-35/Astro-1 COLUMBIA
(December 2-10, 1990)
This was the first flight of the Astro observatory, a unique complement of three telescopes designed to simultaneously record spectral data, polarimetric data and imagery of faint astronomical objects in the far ultraviolet. Mission duration was 215 hours and 5 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

STS-67/Astro-2 ENDEAVOUR
(March 2-18, 1995)
This was the second flight of the Astro observatory. During this record setting 16-day mission, the crew conducted observations around the clock to study the far ultraviolet spectra of faint astronomical objects and the polarization of ultraviolet light coming from hot stars and distant galaxies. Mission duration was 399 hours and 9 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

05/26/2026

Check out the story about yesterday’s event on page A4 of today’s Tribune Chronicle! Thank you, Bob Coupland.

05/25/2026

Thank you to all who attended the sign dedication for Astronaut Ronald A. Parise, PhD. We were thrilled that Ron's sister, Rita Parise, was able to attend (on Ron’s birthday, no less!). How many of us can boast that our brother flew on two NASA Space Shuttle missions?

It was also meaningful to have Linda Perich Carpenter of the Perich family (founders of First Flight), several children, Mayor Franklin, Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert, and Warren City Council members Ron White and Helen Rucker in attendance. Thank you for all of the support.

We also appreciate the support and encouragement we have received from the public, the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, our neighbor Rural King, and Bob Coupland, Tribune reporter.

05/25/2026

Yesterday, we dedicated a new biographical sign honoring Astronaut Ronald A. Parise, PhD. Thank you to the Warren Heritage Center for providing the new sign. Remarks were made by Jim Valesky of the Warren Heritage Center. At left is Ed Novak, one of the volunteer caretakers of First Flight (along with Jim Shillingburg).

Thank you to all in attendance!

Be sure to stop by First Flight – open dawn to dusk every day. Free admission.

05/25/2026

A friendly couple from Pennsylvania enjoyed their visit to First Flight yesterday prior to our event honoring Ron Parise.

05/24/2026

PHOTO:
Patch design from the Astro-2 Mission.

Warren, Ohio native RON PARISE flew as a payload specialist on both Astro-1 Columbia and Astro-2 Endeavour Ultraviolet Astronomy Missions.

JOIN US TODAY at 3 p.m.
for the OFFICIAL DEDICATION OF THE NEW RON PARISE BIOGRAPHICAL SIGN at the First Flight Lunar Module site in conjunction with the Warren Heritage Center. All are welcome.

Ron Parise was born on May 24, 1951 in Warren, Ohio. He died on May 9, 2008.

05/23/2026

JOIN US SUNDAY, MAY 24 at 3 p.m.
for the OFFICIAL DEDICATION OF THE NEW RON PARISE BIOGRAPHICAL SIGN at the First Flight Lunar Module site in conjunction with the Warren Heritage Center.

FIRST FLIGHT LUNAR MODULE
2553 Parkman Road NW, Warren, Ohio

ALL ARE WELCOME!

ABOUT RON PARISE – A veteran of two space shuttle flights, Dr. Parise logged more than 614 hours and 10.6 million miles in space. He served as a payload specialist aboard STS-35 in 1990
and STS-67 in 1995. He was a Warren native and 1969 graduate of Warren Western Reserve High School and 1973 graduate of Youngstown State University.

ABOUT THE PHOTO – Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-35) lifts off from LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, 06:49:00 UTC – December 2, 1990. (NASA)

RON PARISE’S SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE:

STS-35/Astro-1 COLUMBIA (December 2-10, 1990)
The Astro observatory is a unique complement of three telescopes designed to simultaneously record spectral data, polarimetric data and imagery of faint astronomical objects in the far ultraviolet. Mission duration was 215 hours and 5 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

STS-67/Astro-2 ENDEAVOUR (March 2-18, 1995)
This was the second flight of the Astro observatory. During this recordsetting 16-day mission, the crew conducted observations around the clock to study the far ultraviolet spectra of faint astronomical objects and the polarization of ultraviolet light coming from hot stars and distant galaxies. Mission duration was 399 hours and 9 minutes. Landing was at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

05/20/2026

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. At First Flight in Warren, Ohio, you can see a 1/16 scale model of the Saturn V rocket!

On this day in 1969, the Saturn V rocket rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center.

The Apollo 11 crew was there for the historic rollout and posed for photos with their 363-foot-tall ride to the Moon.

05/19/2026

In 2023, after revitalization projects were completed, Warren 7th Ward Councilman Ron White (pictured at First Flight), sponsored a Warren City Council Resolution honoring and recognizing the Neil Armstrong First Flight as the site where Neil Armstrong took his first flight.