On a wintry day in February 1962, John Glenn rocketed into space, stirring the dreams and imagination of a young boy. Reading everything I could find while saving and collecting countless space mementos became a passion and way of life.

While, the Lennox Space Museum began as a joint venture with my sister, after a little more than 10 years of fun filled adventures, I was operating solo. As the collection continued to grow, my thoughts turned to a career in the space program. Lacking the courage to even think about being an...