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Author
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Topic: Photo of the Week 135 (June 2)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 06-02-2007 02:33 AM
   
 President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy chat with astronauts Ken Mattingly and Hank Hartsfield after the successful landing of Columbia at Edwards Air Force Base, concluding the STS-4 mission. Three Space Shuttle orbiters were present at Edwards on this Fourth of July in 1982: Columbia, Enterprise and Challenger. The newly completed Challenger was flown to Florida later that day in preparation for its first flight, STS-6. Ed Hengeveld This is one of the photos on the STS-4 disc, containing hi-res scans covering the complete mission. See the 'Buy, Sell & Trade' section |
SpaceCat
Member Posts: 151
From: Florida, US
Registered: May 2006
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posted 06-03-2007 01:49 PM
All partisan politics aside, what this country needs is another president who is genuinely interested in space.... and who looks good in a Bogart suit!  Hats off to Ken Mattingly, for sticking it out for 10 years and 2 months between spaceflights. That's patience! |
Tom
Member Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 06-03-2007 02:45 PM
Wasn't President Nixon the only other (sitting) president to view a landing...Apollo 11?
And as long as were on the topic, before President Clinton viewed STS-95 in person, Nixon was the omly previous president to view a (manned) launch from KSC...Apollo 12.
Edited by Tom |
micropooz
Member Posts: 1512
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 06-03-2007 03:36 PM
I remember this day clearly. There was a lot of speculation that Reagan would formally kick-off the Space Station in his speech that day. He didn't. |
Danno
Member Posts: 572
From: Ridgecrest, CA - USA
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 06-05-2007 10:12 AM
Are those guys wearing spurs? |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 06-05-2007 10:30 AM
quote:
Originally posted by micropooz:
I remember this day clearly. There was a lot of speculation that Reagan would formally kick-off the Space Station in his speech that day. He didn't.
It came 18 months later if memory serves well. And 23 years (!) later, it's still being built only to be soon abandoned. Chris. |
tfrielin
Member Posts: 162
From: Athens, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 06-05-2007 11:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by cspg:
It came 18 months later if memory serves well. And 23 years (!) later, it's still being built only to be soon abandoned.Chris.
Yes, Reagan did announce his approval for the space station just about a year and half later in his January 1984 State of the Union address. It's over-long gestation and stretched-out construction should be a case study on how not to execute a space program.
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garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 06-05-2007 01:16 PM
Danno is right - there are things attached to the crew's shoes, but they are not spurs. I blew the photo up and can see some kind of foot restraints. Send me a PM if you want a copy of the image. Do or did the crews wear these things? |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 06-05-2007 01:30 PM
 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe these spurs are part of the ejection system. Remember that Columbia had active seats on this flight. The crew's boots were attached with cables to the seat and if they had to eject the cables would instantly be reeled in and pull their feet close to the seat to prevent their legs from flailing around or even being cut off. Ed
Edited by heng44 |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1306
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 06-07-2007 06:59 PM
Yes! They are spaceage version of spurs. The spacesuits & ejection seats were a modified version of the type used in the SR-71. We all know about shoulder harness reels. Well some ejection seats also have cable reels for the feet. Those spurs are what the cables hook into. -Lou |
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