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LRB096 13373 KXB 28091 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate John Cornelius 
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Houbolt on the opening of the Apollo/Houbolt Exhibit at the 
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Joliet Area Historical Museum on July 17, 2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Cornelius Houbolt was born on April 10, 1919 
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and spent a part of his childhood in Joliet; as a youngster he 
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was intrigued by the mysteries of flight and took to a hayloft 
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to experiment; he used an umbrella, and later built a glider 
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with makeshift wings attached to a baby buggy to further his 
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research; and

 
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    WHEREAS, After taking classes in mathematics and science at 
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Joliet Township High School and Joliet Junior College, he 
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received a local scholarship and went on to the University of 
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Illinois, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master 
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of Science degree in Civil Engineering; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot and 
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later earned his Ph.D. in Technical Sciences at ETH in Zurich, 
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Switzerland; on May 15, 2005 he received an honorary doctorate 
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from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and

 
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    WHEREAS, While working as an engineer at Langley Research 
 


 






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LRB096 13373 KXB 28091 r




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Center in Hampton, Virginia, Mr. Houbolt came with an 
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alternative for NASA officials to contemplate as they 
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considered flight plans to put a man on the moon; NASA argued 
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for Earth Orbit Rendevous versus Direct Ascent; Houbolt's 
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decision came to be known as Lunar Orbit Rendevous; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Lunar Orbit Rendevous required two spacecraft to 
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link up a quarter-million miles from Earth; though many people 
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thought this idea was too complex and too bizarre, he continued 
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to argue for it and won over those who had previously been 
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against the idea; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thanks to his work and dedication to the ideals of 
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John Houbolt, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked 
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on the moon on July 20, 1969; the Joliet Area Historical Museum 
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is unveiling the new exhibit with  two-story exhibits, diagrams 
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and maps, audiovisual displays, and much more to tell the story 
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of John Houbolt and his vision; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate John Cornelius Houbolt on this wonderful 
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occasion; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to John Cornelius Houbolt as a symbol of our respect.