Sunday, February 03, 2019

We Have Lift Off - Sunday Five

I was alive for the excitement of manned space flight in the 1960's and about 11 years old for the first moon landing back in 1969.  The second winter my family wintered in Florida we moved the east coast of Florida, across the Indian River from the Kennedy Space Center.  I had a front row seat for the end of the Apollo project, satellite launches, and the shuttle program.  Hence this week's Sunday Five - Space the Final Frontier. 

1: If you are old enough, do you remember where you were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon? 
2: Did you listen to or watch the first shuttle launch? 
3: Have you ever seen a live launch? 
4: Ever met an astronaut? 
5: If it were as comfortable as a ride to the mall in a Cadillac, would you take a day long orbital flight? 

My answers: 
1: If you are old enough, do you remember where you were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon?  Watching TV in the living room in the house in North Branch, Michigan, our first color TV, new that that year. 
2: Did you listen to or watch the first shuttle launch? I was standing on the banks of the Indian River in Titusville Florida, you can feel the air move. 
3: Have you ever seen a live launch?  The picture above was one of the first I saw in person, in about 1974. 
4: Ever met an astronaut? My parents told me that I met the first astronauts in the lodge at the Grand Canyon when I was 4.  I recently talked with Senator Bill Nelson in the American Airlines check in line at National Airport, he was the last Senator to ride the Shuttle. 
5: If it were as comfortable as a ride to the mall in a Cadillac, would you take a day long orbital flight? In a heartbeat! 

Your answers in the comments. 

6 comments:

  1. 1: If you are old enough, do you remember where you were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon? No...was bore four years later
    2: Did you listen to or watch the first shuttle launch? nope
    3: Have you ever seen a live launch? nope
    4: Ever met an astronaut? many who thought they were in the bedroom.
    5: If it were as comfortable as a ride to the mall in a Cadillac, would you take a day long orbital flight? Hell YES!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1. Yes, I was 11 in 1969 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I watched it at home with my family on our B&W TV.
    2. I probably watched the first shuttle launch on TV but I don't remember it really. The only shuttle I remember is the one that blew up.
    3. No, have never seen a live launch.
    4. No, have never met an astronaut.
    5. If a day long orbital flight were perfectly safe, affordable and comfortable -- yes, I'd go!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1: I was 15, in high school, living at home, watched it on the color tv
    2: probably watched
    3: no
    4: no, but I once worked with a guy who tried out to be an astronaut; health problems denied him the chance
    5: no

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  4. 1. I was 13 and probably in my room reading a book. Don't remember a thing.
    2. No.
    3. No.
    4. No.
    5. Absolutely not! I am not a sardine!

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1: If you are old enough, do you remember where you were when Apollo 11 landed on the moon? I remember the landing, but have no idea where I was when it happened.
    2: Did you listen to or watch the first shuttle launch? Watched.
    3: Have you ever seen a live launch? No.
    4: Ever met an astronaut? No.
    5: If it were as comfortable as a ride to the mall in a Cadillac, would you take a day long orbital flight? Yes, if it were as CHEAP as a ride to the mall in a Cadillac!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was 7 at the time. I was annoyed all the TV channels were showing it, disrupting my TV viewing.

    ReplyDelete