Lucky Legumes- Katie Peck

Right off the bat I was so confused when I walked into the Center of the Universe and I kept seeing jars of peanuts. Never in my lifetime did I think I would ever write a sentence that sounds so strange as that. But really I was expecting to see such a casual food in a place that is so critical and high tech as the mission control room at JPL. I even asked the man, I forget his name sorry, who was giving us the tour what it was all about. Due to being so pressed for time he just said it was a long story and just kept going on his what seemed millionth time giving the tour. So I did a little reasearch and found that this crazy story about superstitions and the power of the peanuts at JPL.

So back during the space race back in the 1960s. JPL had failed seven robotic attempts at going to the moon and were getting close to some major personnel and program  changes from the big head honchos of NASA. So during what could have been the last attempt to get to space by the group of engineers and scientist the current flight director David Oh passed around a jar of peanuts. His thought process behind it was to have his crew playing with and eating the peanuts instead of them thinking about the mission and the possibility of them losing their jobs. The mission ended up being a great success with Ranger 7 landing on the moon and took photographs of the lunar surface.  So still to this during any pivotal moment during a mission there is always a jar of shelled roasted  peanuts labeled "dare mighty things," being passed around the room.  As for the quote on the jar the engineers went through several ideas before the all agreed on the iteration together. The peanuts aren’t the only lucky charms engineers also have  worry beads, sideburns, "playoff beards," and other traditions.

I think this is an interesting aspect of NASA that I would have thought was a joke if I hadn't seen these lucky legumes in person. But it makes sense now stepping back. I think we all have our rituals artists and scientists. That paint brush that just always make the best finishing touches to a painting, lucky socks or underwear. A lot of people share these strange superstitions that affect us on the same level of getting to that discovery or fulfillment of our final product.