Neo Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 To quote Alan Shepard on Freedom 7: "I looked at those toggle switches I had to turn on cue. I looked at the dials I had to turn on cue, and I thought to myself, "My God, just think, this thing was built by the lowest bidder."" One of my favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 To quote Alan Shepard on Freedom 7: "I looked at those toggle switches I had to turn on cue. I looked at the dials I had to turn on cue, and I thought to myself, "My God, just think, this thing was built by the lowest bidder."" One of my favorites. Best. Quote. Ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor of Philhousley Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Congratulations ikp!!! How did you celebrate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) To quote Alan Shepard on Freedom 7: "I looked at those toggle switches I had to turn on cue. I looked at the dials I had to turn on cue, and I thought to myself, "My God, just think, this thing was built by the lowest bidder."" One of my favorites. Awesome quote. P.S. I asked Senator Glenn what was his mission, he told me to be a human guinea pig, to measure the effect of cosmic radiation effects on an elderly person. He then said he wouldnt turn down that opportunity for the world... and looked off down the capitol shuttle tunnel whistefully. Edited December 24, 2015 by North Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Awesome quote. P.S. I asked Senator Glenn what was his mission, he told me to be a human guinea pig, to measure the effect of cosmic radiation effects on an elderly person. He then said he wouldnt turn down that opportunity for the world... and looked off down the capitol shuttle tunnel whistefully. Holy it is amazing that you were able to have this conversation with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Holy ###### it is amazing that you were able to have this conversation with him. One of my best memories from working on the Hill for 15+ years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjag Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 It still chafes me to this day that John Glenn got to go back to space.. Considering there were only so many seats left in the shuttle program, he was older than a fossil and he basically denied a seat to a deserving astronaut, I thought it was a completely undeserving publicity stunt. Imagine how a young John Glenn might have felt if someone usurped his spot on his history making flight because NASA wanted a publicity stunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) It still chafes me to this day that John Glenn got to go back to space.. Considering there were only so many seats left in the shuttle program, he was older than a fossil and he basically denied a seat to a deserving astronaut, I thought it was a completely undeserving publicity stunt. Imagine how a young John Glenn might have felt if someone usurped his spot on his history making flight because NASA wanted a publicity stunt. He was aware of the criticism but felt the publicity "stunt" would help overall funding of the space program as the shuttle program was winding down. He said he wasn't pushing for it to happen, but wasn't going to turn it down. Edited December 24, 2015 by North Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjag Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 He was aware of the criticism but felt the publicity "stunt" would help overall funding of the space program as the shuttle program was winding down. He said he wasn't pushing for it to happen, but wasn't going to turn it down. I have a hard time believing this statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 I have a hard time believing this statement. Yeh a lot of people felt the way you do... All I can say is what he told me.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) Of course the down side to landing with fuel is an explosion. A good point. Right now it's unmanned. There's a significantly higher standard for safety and reliability for man-rated spacecraft. (And actually, the Space Shuttle historically did not meet that requirement as an operational craft.) It still chafes me to this day that John Glenn got to go back to space.. Considering there were only so many seats left in the shuttle program, he was older than a fossil and he basically denied a seat to a deserving astronaut, I thought it was a completely undeserving publicity stunt. Imagine how a young John Glenn might have felt if someone usurped his spot on his history making flight because NASA wanted a publicity stunt. Some seats were for astronauts and some for payload specialists, such as Christa McAuliffe who died in the Challenger explosion. Part of the purpose of the Space Shuttle Program was public relations (or as you put it "publicity stunts"); the majority of Shuttle missions could have been done with unmanned rockets. I'm pretty sure Glenn went up as a specialist and didn't take a seat from a "deserving astronaut." Considering the kinds of research done on the shuttle, I thought Glenn's flight was squarely within the charter of the Shuttle's mission. Edited December 28, 2015 by The Big Johnson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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