Astronaut Bruce McCandless has Died aged 80.
Discussion
McCandless also acted as the Capcom during Armstrong and Aldrin's Apollo 11 moonwalk.
He was recruited as an astronaut in 1966 but he never got the chance to fly any Apollo missions. He decided to stay with NASA and wait for the Shuttle but didn't get his first flight until 1984 - so an 18 year wait.
He was recruited as an astronaut in 1966 but he never got the chance to fly any Apollo missions. He decided to stay with NASA and wait for the Shuttle but didn't get his first flight until 1984 - so an 18 year wait.
NASA over recruited in the mid 1960s. In addition to their own astronaut intake, in 1969 they were also "donated" a bunch of USAF astronauts when the Manned Orbiting Laboratory programme. NASA didn't really want these guys because, by 1969 they knew that they already had too many astronauts.
As it happened, it was these MOL guys who made up some of the key crews for the early Shuttle flights.
As it happened, it was these MOL guys who made up some of the key crews for the early Shuttle flights.
I think interest in space exploration is reviving. There is more space activity going on now than at any time, ever (and that includes the peak of the Space Race era).
The mainstream media is pretty disinterested (as you might expect) but the internet is awash with enthusiast bloggers, youtubers, programme makers etc.
All US and European launches are all available to watch on the internet and even the Russians, Japanese, Indians and Chinese put theirs up on youtube to watch - many of these also live.
We are literally on the verge of a new Golden Age of space exploration.
The mainstream media is pretty disinterested (as you might expect) but the internet is awash with enthusiast bloggers, youtubers, programme makers etc.
All US and European launches are all available to watch on the internet and even the Russians, Japanese, Indians and Chinese put theirs up on youtube to watch - many of these also live.
We are literally on the verge of a new Golden Age of space exploration.
Yipper said:
Someone recently offered me a ticket into space, scheduled for 2020-2022, for ~£140k.
The next few years are going to be interesting for consumer space travel.
They certainly are.The next few years are going to be interesting for consumer space travel.
At the moment, there are two options - Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin.
VG is well behind its original timetable so its likely that Blue Origin will beat them to the punch.
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