Have You Met Any Astronauts?

[FalTorPan]

Tonight I attended a lecture about STS-123, conducted by Endeavour pilot Gregory Johnson. It was a fascinating and fun lecture. Johnson was very personable, and he was open to answering any and all questions, including the multiple "poop questions," as well as questions from young children.

Have any of you met any astronauts?

Years ago I met Richard Searfoss at a comic book convention, and at a Slanted Fedora Trek convention I met Richard Gordon. Both were nice people.

As an Ohioan I would love the opportunity to talk with Neil Armstrong someday, although that's probably unlikely, since he is said to be rather private -- and since I'm not a weirdo stalker!

 

[Neroon]

Yeah, I have and it's a thrill I count among the greatest.

I met Mike Mullaney while I was attending Space Camp about 18 years ago.

Then there was Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, who used to be director of the local science museum.

Last year, Piers Sellers came to the same museum for a special touring exhibit of the next generation NASA craft.

But my favorite was Dick Gordon, CMP for Apollo 12, whom I met at Dragon Con back in 2005. Very fascinating man to speak with!!!

Although not an astronaut herself, I did meet Christa McAuliff's mother awhile back .... after Challenger's tragedy. To say the least, it was more than a little sobering. But also uplifting.

 

[GodThingFormerly]

I was invited to dinner at the home of Dr. Ernst Messerschmid (who is one of my doctoral advisors at IRS) after relocating to Germany last July.

TGT

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

But my favorite was Dick Gordon, CMP for Apollo 12, whom I met at Dragon Con back in 2005. Very fascinating man to speak with!!!

Oh, man, I bet it was. He must have had some great stories to tell, especially about ol' Pete Conrad. Those Apollo 12 guys really seemed like best friends in addition to being crewmates.

Wasn't Dick up for a command of his own? Apollo 18, I think. Got cancelled because of budget cuts.

 

[philbob]

My uncle used to date Bonnie Dunbar (sp) anyway she heads up the flight museum now in seattle.

 

[shipfisher]

I met Buzz Aldrin back in the early seventies as a result of my father doing an interview with him. As a star struck kid I asked about "what was next" for the space program. I don't think he had the heart to tell me things were basically winding down in terms of any more manned flights beyond earth orbit, although he talked up the Skylab program as best he could. He was very honest in the interview about personal difficulties he faced in the aftermath of Apollo 11 - all in all a straight-up guy and exactly what you'd expect for someone who made the cut for the moon flights.

I just wish I'd asked him more about what it was like being on the moon instead of asking basically when Star Trek was actually going to happen. (and 35 years later I'm posting at the TrekBBS - go figure)

 

[Crewman47]

Back when I was in high school, about '95 or '96 our Computing teacher arranged a trip out a some lecture in Glasgow and there was a female astronaut giving a talk. Forget her name and the details of the lecturer but I do know that there were a couple of Trek references and even a question about God, it went "did you feel closer to God when you were in space" or something like that. There were quite a few groans and laughs at it. This was like around 12 years ago but I do remember it was all quite interesting.

 

[John Picard]

Story Musgrave came to my school in 1985(?) for a shuttle presentation. Nice fellow.

He related that on spacewalks he would go to the edge of the cargo bay, when the doors were open, and he'd hold the side rail with one hand and stretch out like Superman with the other. Everything else was obscured by the helmet, and he said it almost felt like he was flying over the earth. What a rush.

 

[Neroon]

I was invited to dinner at the home of Dr. Ernst Messerschmid (who is one of my doctoral advisors at IRS) after relocating to Germany last July.

TGT

Now THAT would be an incredible opportunity, to meet and talk with astronauts from other countries! What was the event like?

But my favorite was Dick Gordon, CMP for Apollo 12, whom I met at Dragon Con back in 2005. Very fascinating man to speak with!!!

Oh, man, I bet it was. He must have had some great stories to tell, especially about ol' Pete Conrad. Those Apollo 12 guys really seemed like best friends in addition to being crewmates.

That episode of "From the Earth to the Moon" is still my daughter's favorite and for that very reason - the camaraderie between the three of them.

Wasn't Dick up for a command of his own? Apollo 18, I think. Got canceled because of budget cuts.

Got it in one, Mr. Garibaldi! Yeah, Gordon was to be mission commander for Apollo 18, but we know what happened there.

 

[darkshadow0001]

I haven't, but I've always wondered if they seen any UFO's while up in space. Not a joke question either, I'm being serious. Or anything that would resemble as weird.

 

[Neroon]

I do think some have claimed to, but I can't recall who has admitted to. Maybe James Irwin?

 

[darkshadow0001]

I don't know. But I have seen shows on TV with Astronauts claiming they've seen stuff. I don't know if any of it is authentic or not, but it is an interesting concept.

 

[M'Sharak]

Jim McDivitt was a Vice-President of Rockwell during the time I worked for them in the 80s. He attended a meeting at the division where I was, and I met him very briefly as he was heading out the door on his way to catching the helicopter back to the Corporate Office. Seemed a pleasant guy.

 

[Hitman]

I meet and spoke with Buzz Aldrin sometime ago. I asked him all sorts of nerd questions for almost an hour, and he answered them all. What a guy. He talked enthusiastically about anything about space exploration and science.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I've met Lien Legsoft

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

I've met Lien Legsoft

Que?

One of the ESA's astronauts came to Belfast to give a talk on life orbiting Earth. Nice to hear it from an actual crew member.

 

[MANT!]

Back in the 60's, my father was attached to NASA from RCA (he was programming the payroll computers for the Space centers) ..I met Alan Shepard,Gus Grissom, Pete Conrad, John Young, Alan Bean and several others (heck I was ages 5 to 8 back then) as they sometimes dropped by to show support for the lesser personnel (and perhaps to check on the payroll ) and we saw off each manned Saturn V mission from the Cape as well as the last Gemini...

Heady days...

 

[Neroon]

"Heady days" indeed!!!

Especially when a few of those names have now passed beyond. Just wait until I tell my daughter. She'll be jsut as envious as I am right now!

 

[Mr. B]

We had a couple visit my high school a number of years ago. I'm afraid I don't remember their names, although I remember receiving an Apollo 13 movie poster, which is still hanging in my house.

 

[Buck Rogers]

We had a couple visit my high school a number of years ago. I'm afraid I don't remember their names, although I remember receiving an Apollo 13 movie poster, which is still hanging in my house.

Well a few years ago at couple of Farpoint conventions I met Alan Bean,and Cmdr Bean told me after I asked what was it like to walk on the moon? he said that it was like walking in a soft meadow how poetic can you get.

That is my take on this topic.

Signed

Buck Rogers