Loretta Hall has been fascinated by manned space exploration since her early teenage years, when the Mercury Seven astronauts were selected. The modern opportunities of commercial spaceflight space rekindles the excitement she felt during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo eras. While looking eagerly to the future is enticing, Loretta believes it is also important to reflect on the history of space exploration, to place it into context, remember how and why it began, and appreciate the diligence and creativity that made it possible. A freelance writer trained in technical topics, Loretta enjoys writing about the history of the space program in ways that bring it to life, through the personal experiences of the people who did the day-to-day work that made it happen. Loretta has called New Mexico home since 1977. She and her husband Jerry, raised their three daughters there. Loretta appreciates the state's rich history of Native American cultures, European settlement, Old West adventure, and---importantly but relatively unheralded---space research.