Redstone Federal Credit Union

Astronaut Neil Armstrong made that statement as he stepped onto the moon's surface, the first person ever to do so. Yet that path, which led to a historic step, started some 239,000 miles away on Earth, in Huntsville, Alabama, home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). You could even say Huntsville and its people literally powered that mission and the entire Apollo program. Why? Because the rockets that propelled the astronauts from Earth into space were developed at Marshall – the most famous rocket being Saturn V, the one that launched Apollo 11 into orbit. e technology, skills and talent to create such an amazing engineering feat came from all sorts of people. Certainly, scientists, mathematicians, engineers and project managers played a role. But so did welders, machinists, secretaries, draftsmen, and others. "Any visitor with any connection to the Apollo program is quick to let us know how they or a family member contributed," said Pat Ammons, Director of Communications, U.S. Space and Rocket Center. "ey are proud to have been a part of such an enormous historical event, one of humankind's biggest achievements." Huntsville area residents not directly connected to the program still felt its impact, from the ground-shaking, window-rattling rocket testing to the economic and cultural growth of the area. So many people were involved that if you lived in the area during the 1960s, you either worked on the program itself or knew someone who did. And all of those workers needed support services: grocery stores, gas stations, five-and-dimes and yes, credit unions, specifically Redstone Federal Credit Union (RFCU). 8 | r e d f c u.o r g I N O U R C O M M U N I T I E S "ONE GIANT LEAP" MOON LANDING'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY July 20, 1969: It was a moment beautifully described as "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Moon walk. Photo Credit: NASA

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