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  Vance Brand retires from NASA

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Author Topic:   Vance Brand retires from NASA
Delta7
Member

Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 04-08-2008 07:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
According to NASA's Astronaut Biography page, Vance Brand (Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35) retired from the agency in February.

Delta7
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Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 04-09-2008 12:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It kind of marks the end of an era. Brand was the last remaining veteran of the Apollo era on NASA's Active & Management Astronaut list, having joined between Gemini 8 and Gemini 9a. Surprising there wasn't more fanfare (press release etc.)

jasonelam
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Posts: 691
From: Monticello, KY USA
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 04-11-2008 04:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jasonelam   Click Here to Email jasonelam     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That is surprising, considering that it would have made him the second longest working astronaut at NASA. John Young retired after 42 years; considering Brand was selected in April, 1966, that would make his tenure 41 years, 10 months.

MSS
Member

Posts: 633
From: Poland
Registered: May 2003

posted 04-12-2008 02:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MSS     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Delta7:
...retired from the agency in February.
Mr. Brand retired from NASA *in January* 2008.

Delta7
Member

Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 04-12-2008 10:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The page originally said February, then was apparently corrected.

Delta7
Member

Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 04-12-2008 10:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jasonelam:
That is surprising, considering that it would have made him the second longest working astronaut at NASA.
Although I don't believe it was an un-broken run. Brand worked at the NASP Program Office in Dayton OH from 1992-94, which I do not believe was a NASA assignment (I could be wrong.)

Delta7
Member

Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007

posted 04-12-2008 12:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Delta7   Click Here to Email Delta7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I always wonder why some Astronauts retire with a bit of fanfare (press release, effusive comment from Astronaut Office Chief/Director of Flight Crew Operations/NASA Administrator), while others just quietly "slip out of town" (Name moves from Active & Management Astronauts page to Former Astronauts one.) Does NASA give it's Astronauts the option of a press release, or is it a case of whomever is in charge of these things deciding it isn't press release-worthy, or simply "never getting around to it"? (Which wouldn't surprise me in a government bureaucracy).

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-12-2008 12:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From what I have been told, it's the astronaut's choice (unless the program has a need/desire for the release.

I try to post a "Departure" notice on the front page of collectSPACE each time someone leaves, press release or not, though in Brand's case, given that a few months have already passed, my hope is to interview him in the coming weeks for a feature article.

machbusterman
Member

Posts: 1778
From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Registered: May 2004

posted 04-13-2008 02:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for machbusterman   Click Here to Email machbusterman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I wish Vance Brand a long and healthy retirement. He was always been a great friend to the collector. Now that he has retired the ASF has confirmed him to attend their show in November 2008, which has the most wonderful line-up already.

APG85
Member

Posts: 306
From:
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 04-13-2008 07:13 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for APG85     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Kind of wonder if it isn't like the military (and most astronauts have that background): Some guys like a big ceremony with a hometown news release and lots of fanfare. Some guys like to get their certificate, a piece of cake, say goodbye and out the door they go...

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