John Glenn

[oldbike54]

 Just heard John Glenn has been in the hospital for a week . Amazing gentleman , at 95 the last surviving member of the original Mercury program astronauts . Kind of hard to believe all of those other pioneers are gone . Space , and the space program always fascinated me , those guys will always be heroes in my book .

 Dusty

[ohiorider]

Just heard John Glenn has been in the hospital for a week . Amazing gentleman , at 95 the last surviving member of the original Mercury program astronauts . Kind of hard to believe all of those other pioneers are gone . Space , and the space program always fascinated me , those guys will always be heroes in my book .

 Dusty

 
From Ohio.  A real hero in my book.  Hard to believe .... sitting on a skyrocket, waiting to get blasted into space, with the confidence you'd return to earth in one piece. 

[Gliderjohn]

 :1:He has lived well and done well. Amazing being the first American to orbit the earth and then years later ride the space shuttle.
GliderJohn

[John A]

From Ohio.  A real hero in my book.  Hard to believe .... sitting on a skyrocket, waiting to get blasted into space, with the confidence you'd return to earth in one piece.

I remember an interview where he was describing being strapped in a Saturn 5 just before lift off. The thing was shaking like the monster it was and he said he remembered thinking " maybe I'm in the wrong place"  yeah, a real hero, from when I was a kid

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from John A:

I remember an interview where he was describing being strapped in a Saturn 5 just before lift off.

Just to be historically correct the rocket was an "Atlas" not a Saturn. Man, a Saturn 5 would have put a Mercury capsule on the other side of the Sun!
GliderJohn

[John A]

Quote from John A:
Just to be historically correct the rocket was an "Atlas" not a Saturn. Man, a Saturn 5 would have put a Mercury capsule on the other side of the Sun!
GliderJohn

Yeah, that's right, I got my rockets mixed up!

[giusto]

Pretty cool stuff....certainly an American hero

The space program...wow...I still remember like it was yesterday Neil Armstrong stepping out onto the moon my 10th birthday. 

[jbell]

A great book about the astronauts is by Tom Jones (the astronaut) which I believe is called "Spacewalking".  Amazing what they went through in the program and that they had to wait years before ever getting a chance of going up.  Hope John Glenn gets better.

[twowings]

In case any of you young whippersnappers haven't seen it, watch the movie 'The Right Stuff' and read the book by Tom Wolfe...the stuff on Chuck Yeager alone is worth the price of admission...

Get well soon, Senator Glenn!

[Gliderjohn]

Neil Armstrong was also a very accomplished glider pilot. He did a a fair amount of contest flying back in the day. Other glider pilots commented on his skill, low keyness and as a quiet but ferocious competitor. Also known for great intelligence and coolness under pressure.
GliderJohn

[Arizona Wayne]

Neil Armstrong was also a very accomplished glider pilot. He did a a fair amount of contest flying back in the day. Other glider pilots commented on his skill, low keyness and as a quiet but ferocious competitor. Also known for great intelligence and coolness under pressure.
GliderJohn

Sounds like Eddie Lawsons personality too.

[rodekyll]

I think I saw a news item last week where he had been medivacked -- from Antarctica!     At 90-something!     Hope he goes back!

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I think in his youth he was a ww2 fighter ace too.  He has made the most of his life.
 Oops, he wasn't an ace but he did fly 59 combat missions in ww2 then shot down 3 mig 15s in Korea.

[pete roper]

I think I saw a news item last week where he had been medivacked -- from Antarctica!     At 90-something!     Hope he goes back!

I think this is Aldrin. Still exploring at 83 or some such! Good on him!

He got fluid on the lungs and was medivac'd out. Some great pics on the ABC, (Australian Broadcasting Service.) website of him smiling and giving a thumbs up in hospital.

Dedicated and very lucky men. When I was young we all dreamed of being an astronaut. Of course none of us realised the risks involved!

I dips me lid to anyone who is willing to get on top of a flying bomb to try and further mankind's (Sorry, should probably be 'Personkind's!) knowledge! Astronauts, Cosmonauts, whatever! Something for people to admire and aspire to.

Pete

[oldbike54]

 Yep . Buzz Aldrin , medicaced to Christchurch .

 Dusty

[rodekyll]

Well, a goodonya for Buzz, too!   

[lucky phil]

Not long finished reading Neil Armstrongs official biography, what a pilot and what a human being. My personal hero, RIP Neil.

Ciao

[Muzz]

Yup. we got Buzz. Photo of him in today's paper with one of his docs.

[KiwiKev]

Guys, he was down at the South Pole which is at quite an altitude due to the thickness of the icecap. He developed altitude sickness I think they said.

You won't believe the name of the doctor who is treating him in Christchurch though ... dr David Bowie .. I kid you not ..

In what can only be described as a space oddity, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is being cared for in a New Zealand hospital by Dr David Bowie after being evacuated from the South Pole.

I Googled his name and it came up.

Strange but true ;-p


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chuck in Indiana]

I dips me lid to anyone who is willing to get on top of a flying bomb to try and further mankind's (Sorry, should probably be 'Personkind's!) knowledge! Astronauts, Cosmonauts, whatever! Something for people to admire and aspire to.

My friend, Ed the Rocket Scientist.. he was one of the principle scientists on the moon landings.. says the pilots knew there was a calculated risk. What they didn't know was just how much calculating was going on. 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Guys, he was down at the South Pole which is at quite an altitude due to the thickness of the icecap. He developed altitude sickness I think they said.

You won't believe the name of the doctor who is treating him in Christchurch though ... dr David Bowie .. I kid you not ..

In what can only be described as a space oddity, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is being cared for in a New Zealand hospital by Dr David Bowie after being evacuated from the South Pole.

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/stars-align-astronaut-buzz-aldrin-treated-new-zealand-hospital-dr-david-bowie/
That's funny

[oldbike54]

 There is a certain irony in an astronaut getting altitude sickness .

 Dusty

[fubar guzzi]

I recall about 1960 my hometown Derry N.H.was nearly renamed SPACETOWN, being as it was also the hometown to ALAN B. SHEPARD the first astronaught in space. A parade was assembled every one was partying in some way. I(at this time)the infamous FUBAR was riding on the trunk of a 58 Ford convert with about ten other lads,we were hauled down to police headquarters and issued tickets for?????.   There was so much commotion/confusion I slipped out the front(and only) door. I was 14 years old . That was the beginning of my life long affliction with the law

[Matteo]

There is a certain irony in an astronaut getting altitude sickness .

 Dusty

Like drowning in the pool on a cruise ship.

[guzzisteve]

Just saw on TV he has past away. God Speed ---

[oldbike54]

Just saw on TV he has past away. God Speed ---

 Sad indeed , but what a run . Oldest man ever in space at 77 , a life well lived . Hey Chuckie , we should look to the West .

 Dusty

[Sheepdog]

I lived in the Clear Lake area of Houston as a kid. The Manned Spacecraft Center was just a couple of miles away, so many of my schoolmates were the sons and daughters of astronauts. I knew the Boremans, the Armstrongs, and the Whites and my dad was well acquainted with Buzz Aldrin. Back in those days all the mom's would make commemorative mission flags that we flew right under Old Glory while the missions were on. The early Apollo fire that claimed White, Grissom, and Chaffee hit that community hard...the Challenger crash, too.

[Cam3512]

I'd be VERY happy with 95.  Long accomplished life.

[LowRyter]

I remember being in grade school.  The teacher would roll a black and white TV in the class room and we'd watch for take off.  Usually there was a delay, sometimes a cancellation.

As a kid, I never appreciated the danger or the complexity. 

RIP Major Glenn.

[jas67]

I'd be VERY happy with 95.  Long accomplished life.

 :1: :1: :1: