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CAPT Wally Schirra, USN-Ret.: 12 Mar 1923 – 3 May 2007
“Are you a turtle?” I had always wanted to go to the Navy. As a young kid, I was intrigued by a Naval Officer with the beautiful brown shoes and sharp gold wings.- Wally Schirra Born into an aviator family (his father had gone to Canada during WW1 to earn his wings and his mom…
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, CBE: 16 Dec 1917 – 19 Mar 2008
If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run – and often in the short one – the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative. – Arthur C. Clarke, The Exploration of Space, 1951 Radar specialist, scientist, visonary and author. One of the great pillars…
Americans Demand Military Response After Chinese Shoot Down DirecTV Satellite
Americans Demand Military Response After Chinese Shoot Down DirecTV Satellite WASHINGTON, DC—A citizens’ group presented a petition signed by nearly 75 million Americans to key members of Congress Monday, demanding the United States take immediate military action against China after the Communist nation shot down a DirecTV satellite last week. “This is a blatant attack…
“…that may have been a small one for Neil…”
November 19th, 1969: 115:22:16 Conrad: (As he lands) Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me. (Pause) [Jones – "I understand that there was a bet on your saying that."] [Bean – "Who’d you bet?"] [Conrad – "You know who I bet."]…
Flightdeck Friday Special Edition: The Space Shuttle – Thirty Years of Dreams, Sweat and Tears
The dream was given form and fire on April 12, 1981 with the launch of STS-1, the world’s first reusable spaceplane — the Shuttle Columbia. At the controls were a crew of only two, Astronauts John W. Young, commander for the mission, and Robert Crippen (both Naval Aviators) for this first “test flight” which would…
The Problem With Debris: The ASAT Test One Year Later
About this time last year (11 Jan), China conducted the now infamous direct-ascent ASAT (Anti-Satellite) hit-to-kill test. We have written to some degree about it already – notably here and here. Both articles describe the notorious aspect of the test – the addition of significant amounts of debris to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). How much? …


