I have always admired this sculpture at the entrance to Loch Haven Park off of Princeton in Orlando but I only recently learned about its connection to space. Loch Haven Park is located between three lakes and is home to the art and science museums, a firefighting museum and two theaters. Rocket Thrower is a 1963 bronze sculpture by American sculptor Donald De Lue (October 5, 1897- August 26, 1988). It resides in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens New York City. De Lue was a sculptor best known for his public monuments. He studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and for five years in Paris. In 1941, he won a competition to create sculpture for the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Building in Philadelphia. De Lue's won many awards throughout is acclaimed art career and his works can be found in many museums across America. Rock Thrower was created for the 1964 World's Fair to celebrate man's entrance into space. The statue depicts a God like man crouching on one leg as he launches a small sphere into the sky with trail of flames. His left hand reaches for the sky as a swirl of stars encircle the path of the rocket. De Lue explained the work as "the spiritual concept of man's relationship to space and his venturesome spirit backed up by all the powers of his intelligence for the exploration of a new dimension." At the time it was released not all of the art critics were as enamored of it as I am. This replica of Rocket Thrower was commissioned for Loch Haven Park but was modified before it was installed in 1987. On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard. Stars representing each of the Challenger Space Shuttle Astronauts were added to the tail of the comet. This touching tribute to the Challenger crew is a poignant reminder of their sacrifice and of Orlando's connection to the space program. read more