Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)
'The Longest Step or Astronauts Grissom and Young Suiting Up, 1965
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom are suited for the first flight of the Gemini program in March 1965. NASA loaned Norman Rockwell a Gemini spacesuit in order to make this painting as accurate as possible. That was part of the NASA Art Program for which Norman Rockwell painted as well the most famous Final impossibility - Two men on the moon.
The NASA Art Program was established in 1962 by the United States to commission artists, including Norman Rockwell and Robert Rauschenberg, for the purpose of recording history of space exploration through the eyes of artists.
The first director of the Art Program was James Dean (NASA). Using artists of different mediums and genres serves the purpose of educating different audiences about NASA and space exploration. To give the artists the best experience possible, NASA allowed them unprecedented access to sites and materials. Participants were present at suit-up, launch sites, and press releases.
All works, from sketches to finished products, were given to NASA for use in museums and exhibitions. The collection now includes 2,500 works by more than 350 artists.
