Author Topic: Who is your favorite astronaut?  (Read 39981 times)

Offline Renee

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Who is your favorite astronaut?
« on: 04/25/2008 03:51 pm »
Gush about your shuttle heros, post pictures, bios and facts. Talk about upcoming lectures, seminars or events that current or retired shuttle astronauts will be speaking at. This is not limited to shuttle astronauts, but any apollo veterans that are still around too. Let's keep it respectful, these are some of the bravest people that I am honored to know and work with.

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #1 on: 04/25/2008 04:08 pm »
Good thread opener. Even though some of us are more interested in the vehicles, as hardware rules....

...Pam "Pambo" Melroy, or Robert "Beamer Shakes" Curbeam. Probably John Young overall.
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Offline rsp1202

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #2 on: 04/25/2008 05:54 pm »
Anyone named Conrad.

Offline paulhbell07

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #3 on: 04/25/2008 06:11 pm »
See left. Scott Parazynski. But thats more than likely because, I've met him while doing a hobby that I like. A close second would be Neil Armstrong and Third has got to be Christa McAuliffe.

But if astros where to be world wide and not just NASA, I would have to pick Helen Sharman, British and she comes from around my area. Also hero of heros as got to be Yuri Gagarin.

And yes I no, I am being gready picking so many. But all astros are heros in my book.

Offline Renee

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #4 on: 04/25/2008 06:21 pm »
I guess I should post my own heroes, since I opened the thread ; P

Number one inspirational woman in the field has got to be Eileen Collins. She has earned my respect for taking on great responsibility as Commander of RTF STS-114 and being the first female shuttle Commander. In my job I am fortunate to be in and around the space environement, so I hope one day to meet this fantastic role model for women in science and technology. Eileen, if you are reading this....*hi*

I have a great deal of respect for all the astronauts I have met/worked with and I hope for that list to continue:

Dr. Samuel Durrance
Scott Vangen
Sunita Williams
Story Musgrave
Rick Searfoss
John Blaha

Offline shuttlepilot

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #5 on: 04/25/2008 06:31 pm »
Scott Parazynski. Not only for his Polish roots, but also for amazing astronaut experience. But he's half-Polish astronaut after all. ;) Here's extract from interview with him.

Quote
I read that your family is really important to you, what can you tell me about your Polish roots?

SP: My family came across at the turn of the last Century to Ellis Island and I have spent some time there, an amazing place. They emigrated from Cracow and settled in upstate New York. My paternal grandmother’s side of the family and my paternal great-grandfather settled in upstate New York. I have been back a couple of times to Poland for short visits to Cracow and Warsaw. I understand I have some distant relatives in that region of Poland but have not met them. It is a beautiful Country.

I understand you took some memorabilia of your ancestors with you into space on the mission.

SP: I took a patch commemorating the Kosciuszko squadron from Poland. It has a strong history of aviation excellence so I was very proud to take a special emblem that honoured aviation history and look forward to taking it back and presenting it sometime.

Offline iamlucky13

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #6 on: 04/25/2008 06:58 pm »
Jim Lovell, if only because he's the one I feel most familiar with. Apollo 13 was, of course, an outstanding demonstration of his (and Swaggart and Haise's) tenacity and competence. I don't know who actually snapped it, but I've always associated the Apollo 8 "earthrise" photo with Lovell. The anecdotes in Lost Moon about things like trying to build a gunpowder rocket in highschool and following the bioluminescent algae trail back to the aircraft carrier after his instruments shorted out stand out in my mind, too. Not to mention, sending his wife a fur coat for Christmas from "The man on the moon" during Apollo 8...classy.

I've also got to give some props to Buzz Aldrin for decking that tin-foil hat guy.

And Yuri Gagarin supposedly tried to get himself assigned as the primary for Soyuz 1 to force the Soviet leadership to delay it's flight until more of the problems were fixed rather than risk losing one of their biggest national heroes. If true, that's pretty gutsy.  Vladimir Komarov died on that flight.

Offline mjcrsmith

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #7 on: 04/25/2008 06:59 pm »
Lee Archambault.  Only because he was in some of my undergrad courses at U of I. :)

Offline brahmanknight

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #8 on: 04/25/2008 07:08 pm »
Chris, why are you stealing all of MY favorite astros?  Copy Cat!

John Young flew 4 spacecraft ( Gemini, Apollo command module, LM, and space shuttle ).  Enough said.

Offline ShuttleDiscovery

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #9 on: 04/25/2008 07:38 pm »
Piers Sellers, Pam Melroy, Scott Parazynski, Sunita Williams, Pegy Whitson, Doug Wheelock, CLAY ANDERSON!

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #10 on: 04/25/2008 08:03 pm »
Quote
brahmanknight - 25/4/2008  8:08 PM

Chris, why are you stealing all of MY favorite astros?  Copy Cat!

John Young flew 4 spacecraft ( Gemini, Apollo command module, LM, and space shuttle ).  Enough said.

Heh, though it's interesting to see other names and think "but of course." - such as Clay, Scott P and then of course there's Buzz. Michael Foale wins points for being English and all his space flight hours.

The thing about John Young is his reaction after landing with Columbia. He was acting like a kid who'd just got a fire engine for Christmas. Anyone got a clip where he's punching the air after STS-1? And this was a guy who'd flown next to everything.

Speaking of which, Crippen's tribute to Columbia was also extra special.
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3903&start=1

Damn, you could really go through a list on this.
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Offline CessnaDriver

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #11 on: 04/25/2008 08:15 pm »
Pete Conrad, got to shake his hand and talk a minute. Infectious optimism.
Story Musgrave, Articulate and my most quoted astronaut when making the case for space. I also love how he simply does not suffer fools when he has been dealing with the media.

Many others of course, but those two have impacted myself most.

Offline OV-107

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #12 on: 04/25/2008 08:44 pm »
All my favourites.

Active male mission specialists: Scott Parazynski, Jim Reilly,Rex Walheim, Clay Anderson, Dan Tani and Christer Fuglesang (i´m swedish so I must name him!) and I must name Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Malenchenko from russia too !

Active male pilots: Chris Ferguson, The Kelly-Twins, Mark Polansky, Scott Altman and Dom Gorie.

Active female mission specialists: Peggy Whitson, Sunita Williams, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper, Barbara Morgan, Cady Coleman, Karen Nyberg. (who have swedish ancestors)

As active female pilots there is only Pam Melroy and she is indeed a favourite too !

Retired male astronauts: Jim Wetherbee, Jerry Ross, Bob Curbeam Bill Shepherd, John Young, Bob Crippen, Jim Halsell, Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, Tomas Reiter, Pedro Duque, Claude Nicollier. (the list is of course longer)

Retired female astronauts: Eileen Collins, Susan Still Kilrain, Shannon Lucid, Sally Ride, Ellen Ochoa, Joan Higginbotham, Chiaki Mukai, Roberta Bondar and Claudie Haigneré.

It is totally impossible to only name a few !

And at honorary places in my heart is the crews of Apollo 1, STS 51 L, STS 107, Soyuz 1 and Soyuz 11 !











Offline Adama

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #13 on: 04/25/2008 08:55 pm »
How is the term "astronaut" defined in this thread?
Is it a) a person who has flown in space, or b) a person who is working as an astronaut?

If going by a), then the obvious answer is

DENNIS TITO


What he did contributed to civilian space flight more than all the professional astronauts combined. The other tourists are cool too, even though they are just repeating what Tito did before them.


This video is not about Tito, it's Clint Eastwood... errr... Olsen, but it's a nice trip report, or something like that (quality is not the best possible, unfortunately). "Citizen in Orbit", all six parts:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The last part includes a layman presentation about Soyuz re-entry too.

Offline Rusty_Barton

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #14 on: 04/25/2008 08:56 pm »
Project Mercury astronauts John Glenn and Scott Carpenter. Up to the time Glenn was launched, about 1/3 of Atlas launches (missile tests and orbital missions) resulted in failure.

Offline rsp1202

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #15 on: 04/25/2008 09:56 pm »
Second choice, Michael Collins, for quiet competence and this:

"If you had any balls you'd say, 'Oh, my God! What is that thing?' Then scream and cut your mike."

Offline toddbronco2

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #16 on: 04/25/2008 10:00 pm »
Ya know, hearing Michael Collins talk in "In The Shadow of the Moon" elevated him instantly to my top spot.  What a character!  I've actually gotten to meet Armstrong and Aldrin, so that gives them a special place in my heart too.  I've also got a thing for Tracy Caldwell...What can I say!?

Online Orbiter

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #17 on: 04/25/2008 10:15 pm »
My Favorite,
I have no Favorite, aslong as they get the job done. They are all my Favorites
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #18 on: 04/25/2008 10:48 pm »

Quote
toddbronco2 - 26/4/2008 10:00 AM  I've also got a thing for Tracy Caldwell...What can I say!?

 Geez, who wouldn't?! ;)

"Those who can't, Blog".   'Space Cadets' of the World - Let us UNITE!! (crickets chirping)

Offline Jim

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RE: Who is your favorite astronaut?
« Reply #19 on: 04/25/2008 11:15 pm »
Quote
Adama - 25/4/2008  4:55 PM

How is the term "astronaut" defined in this thread?
Is it a) a person who has flown in space, or b) a person who is working as an astronaut?

If going by a), then the obvious answer is

DENNIS TITO


What he did contributed to civilian space flight more than all the professional astronauts combined.

that didn't take a qualities worth of admiring, just $

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