Nathan Tye, (UNK Communications, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — Kearney Public Library and UNK-History Department welcome you to the History Brown Bag lunch series Wednesday, July 10 from noon-1 p.m. Dr. Nathan Tye will present “The Stratospheric Rise and Explosive Fall of the Explorer 1 Balloon, 1934.”
On July 28, 1934, Americans were fixed to their radios following the Explorer expedition as it attempted to reach the stratosphere in a state-of-the-art balloon. Sponsored by the Army Air Corps and the National Geographic Society, the expedition hoped to prove humans could survive in the upper reaches of the atmosphere, demonstrating the future feasibility of space travel. When the balloon tore and exploded, the three-man-crew leapt to safety 5,000 feet above Loomis, Nebraska.
Dr. Tye explores this overlooked aviation milestone at its centennial and Explorer’s place within in aviation and space race history.
Dr. Nathan Tye, is the Assistant Professor of Nebraska and American West History, where he has taught since 2019. He received his PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his research focuses on lives of migrant laborers, better known as hobos, and their efforts to survive on society’s margins.
Dr. Tye serves on the boards of several local community museums and cultural organizations. His research is published in Nebraska History, Annals of Iowa, The Willa Cather Review, and has appeared on NBC’s celebrity genealogy
program, Who Do You Think You Are?
This program is free and open to the public so bring your lunch and learn! This collaborative program is presented by UNK-History Department, and the Kearney Public Library. Mark your calendars for this ongoing series on August 14.
Check out our web site at www.cityofkearney.org.
