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Author
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Topic: 'Dine with an Astronaut', a different take...
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Rob Joyner
Member Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 02-21-2004 09:29 PM
   
If you had the opportunity to walk into a nice restaurant and have a very leisurely dinner, say, three hours, which included a thorough Q & A session with any living astronaut, who would you want on the other side of the table? Before you answer...
There are NO autographs, NO photos, NO nothing! Zilch! All you 'get' is a free dinner and a cordial, polite handshake!
I'll answer later. This being my question, I don't want to promote one over another.
Forget about the autographs and collecting and think of which astronaut you would just like to sit down and talk with!
Rob |
jamato99
Member Posts: 147
From: Leesburg, VA USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 02-21-2004 11:06 PM
Great question, Rob! That really is a toughie. Without a doubt, the astronaut I'd most like to sit down and talk with would be Gus Grissom. But as for living astronauts, I don't know if I could pick just one. I'd either choose John Glenn for his perspective and full-circle knowledge of the space program or any of the moon walkers for obvious reasons. |
Rob Sumowski
Member Posts: 466
From: Macon, Georgia
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 02-22-2004 12:18 AM
Frank Borman or Bill Anders.Rob |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 02-22-2004 01:36 AM
That is an EXCELLENT question and one that I really had to think about. I suppose my answer would be Alan Bean. Yes he is one of the most accessible astronauts, but he is also one of the most personable. We both grew up in Fort Worth and then moved to Houston, share an interest in art (art *history* on my part - I don't have much artistic talent) and could talk about lots of different things probably, not just about his astronaut days, which I have a feeling all those guys are secretly kinda sick of talking about anyway. Haha.Just to make sure no one overlooks their obvious choice, here is a handy link containing names of practically all the astronauts:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html [This message has been edited by Scott (edited February 22, 2004).] |
mensclub10@aol.com
New Member Posts:
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posted 02-22-2004 11:04 AM
I would like to have dinner with Alan Shepard but like jamato99 said about Grissom, that can't happen. It would be great talking to the first American in space and one who also walked on the moon. That would be like a 10 hour dinner. The most obvious person would be Mr. Armstrong. What a life this man has lead. It must seem like a dream to him. My first question would be "are you happy (with your life) that you were the first or would you just be as happy if you were the third or sixth man to walk on the moon?" Great question Rob! Dave [This message has been edited by mensclub10@aol.com (edited February 22, 2004).] |
John K. Rochester
Member Posts: 1292
From: Rochester, NY, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 02-22-2004 11:53 AM
Story Musgrave.....the man can speak with confidence on ANY subject. Second choice, Winston Scott.. |
Ed Krutulis
Member Posts: 145
From: Plainfield, IL USA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 02-22-2004 12:29 PM
I would choose Wally Schirra. All his "gotcha" stories would be a great night of laughter !!! Ed |
William
Member Posts: 46
From: Terre Haute IN
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 02-22-2004 12:32 PM
Ditto for Wally Schirra or maybe Neil Armstrong.Bill Lower
Terre Haute, IN
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-22-2004 12:43 PM
For me, it would have to be a pair: the twin astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly. The Kelly brothers grew up in my hometown and graduated from the same high school where I attended (when they were seniors I was in first grade across the street at the elementary school). I think hearing of their experiences combined with the familiarity of their upbringing would be inspiring and enjoyable. I did have a chance to have a short conversation with Mark when he attended a Congressional reception for the ISS Expedition 6 crew, but have yet to meet Scott. For similar reasons, I did greatly enjoy a conversation with Buzz Aldrin who grew up in the town neighboring mine in New Jersey, during which we discovered that as a child he frequented some of the same restaurants and hang-outs I did. I guess its the chance to find some type of connection beyond admirer/hero that I find so enticing... |
icarkie
Member Posts: 618
From: BURTON ON TRENT /England
Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 02-22-2004 12:54 PM
Great Post Rob.
I can understand the no autograph policy but it would be tempting to get the old camera out.
Late astronauts I would choose either Slayton, he must have had some great storys to tell about crew selections and the great times at Nasa in the 60's early 70's.
Conrad would be my other late astronaut chioce,the guy in my opinion is one of the best and he must have had some GREAT storys to tell.
Living would be Bean and Glenn for the same reasons thats already been posted above and also Engle,I would ask him about the X-15 and missing out on Apollo 17.
I would still take my camera just in case.
All the best
Ian |
mensax
Member Posts: 861
From: Virginia
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 02-22-2004 06:13 PM
I guess I'm lucky, I've already had dinner with my top pick, Charlie Duke. It was at the Sims/Hankow autograph gathering in DC last year. I signed up early, requested to be seated at Charlie Dukes table, and was very pleased when I got my wish. I can't imagine anyone being more pleasant and personable than Charlie was that night. I heard many stories of his moon voyage, of his memories of being capcom during the landing of Apollo 11, and so much more!Noah |
dss65
Member Posts: 1156
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 02-22-2004 08:55 PM
Tough tough tough tough question. So many right answers. I think I'll pick Jim Lovell--Apollo 8 AND Apollo 13--not to mention Geminis 7 and 12. I'd like to ask him about a lot of things, but also to comment on the man that gave him the nickname "Shakey".------------------
Don |
Paul
Member Posts: 201
From: Duluth,Ga.
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 02-22-2004 09:41 PM
I'd like to talk to Neil Armstrong, mostly about his test pilot and X-15 experiences! If he was still around, I'd like to talk to Deke Slayton, he reminded me a lot of my dad! Paul |
WAWalsh
Member Posts: 809
From: Cortlandt Manor, NY
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-23-2004 08:05 AM
An incredibly difficult question and there are a number of arguments for several people. My choice -- John Young. First Gemini mission, first to solo around the Moon, ninth man on the Moon, first shuttle mission, first spacelab mission, longest in the program, etc. From the astronauts perspective, John Young serves as the embodiment of the history of almost the entire program. Real fear is that three hours would not do it. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 02-23-2004 08:45 AM
1. John Young
2. Wally Schirra
3. Harrison Schmitt |
Glint
Member Posts: 1040
From: New Windsor, Maryland USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 02-23-2004 04:42 PM
A little off topic but I did have dinner once with Samuel Durrance (STS-35 and STS-67). He was between flights at the time and working at JHU. I had arranged a public lecture in the town I was living in.He told a very funny story about why drinking soda in space is a bad idea. Their flight was equipped with soda cans similar to the ones in Robert Perlman's collection. |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 02-23-2004 07:19 PM
Nice to see that many votes go the way of Wally Schirra. Last January, while I was in the States, I had the incredible privilege of being invited to a private restaurant dinner in San Diego with Wally and Jo Schirra by Dee O'Hara. Not only was it wonderful conversing with Wally in full flight, but he and Dee hadn't seen each other for several years, so all of us had a great conversation about the old days at the Cape. No autographs, no notes taken, no photos, just a handshake at the end and a sincere promise to help out any time I needed information for future writing projects. What a great guy, but totally impossible to keep up to with those puns! Years ago, Wally and Frank Borman had toured Australia after their Gemini rendezvous flights, and as they passed me by in a shopping mall I just managed to shake Frank's hand, so it was nice to be able to "complete the set" after all these years. |
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