Author Topic: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets  (Read 19859 times)

Offline hold

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Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« on: 01/29/2006 05:53 pm »
This is Astronaut Mike Mullane.  Many who follow space exploration may have recently read a quotation attributed to me related to interviews surrounding the release of my book “Riding Rockets:  The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut.”  One quotation in particular has lead to quite a lot of conversation and consternation . . . the assertion that I said the shuttle was a “deathtrap.”  Everybody please understand…I’ve NEVER said the shuttle is a deathtrap.  EVER.  This “quote” was contrived by a reporter for a London newspaper…a reporter who never interviewed me.  Let me tell you what I have said in my numerous press interviews associated with the release of my new book, Riding Rockets.  When I have been asked about the Challenger, the shuttle design, etc., my replies have mimicked the current NASA Administrator’s Congressional testimony.  Administrator Michael Griffin has said something along the line, “The shuttle is a flawed design.  It has no crew escape system.” (As someone who is editorializing about being misquoted, I should emphasize what I have in quotes above is an approximate quote by Administrator Michael Griffin.  I don’t have his exact words in front of me.)  Griffin then went on to say words to the effect that, because human perfection is unattainable, if we continue to fly the shuttle for the indefinite future we might have another tragedy and lose another crew.  This was a preamble to his decision to fly the shuttle the minimum number of times to build out the international space station and then retire it in 2010.  I support Michael Griffin’s plan and I have said it in multiple interviews. In fact, I say it in the Epilogue of my book.  But somehow the “Guardian” newspaper reporter took these comments to fashion my “quote” that the shuttle is a “deathtrap.”  In a Fox & Friends interview on 1/25/06, I was asked about this deathtrap statement and refuted it with the same explanation as I’ve given above.  I also sent a letter to the Guardian editor explaining I have never made a “deathtrap” statement (fat chance that letter got published).  I also sent an email to the current astronaut corps and NASA Public Affairs saying the Guardian headline was bogus.  I thought that was the end of it, until my son put me onto this blog.  I have said in my interviews I would fly the shuttle today, if given the chance.  It is a marvelous machine, with incredible capability and redundancy, supported by a dedicated NASA team and I’m honored to have been given the opportunity to fly it three times.  I think what we learn here is: don’t believe everything you read in the newspaper, particularly if it sounds “sensationalized”, even “tabloid-like”.   This isn’t the first time I’ve been misquoted.  It’s happened to every astronaut.  Here’s an excerpt from my Riding Rockets book in which I describe the minefield of dealing with the press:

(Excerpt from Riding Rockets, The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, Scribner, copyright 2006 by Mike Mullane.)  “Interviews with the print press were much more relaxing but still held the potential to screw an astronaut.  During one interview I explained to the reporter my feelings of boundless joy and visceral fear while being driven to the pad for my first launch.  I said, “To see the xenon-lighted Discovery and know it was my shuttle, that I was only hours from the culmination of a lifetime dream come true, nearly had me crying with joy.”  But I was quoted as having said, “Astronauts cry from fear as they are driven to the launch pad.”  The story was picked up by Paul Harvey and repeated to a huge national audience on his radio show.  I was outraged and excruciatingly embarrassed. Experiences like this explained why the astronaut office bulletin board occasionally displayed news articles in which an offending quote was circled with, “I didn’t say this,” written next to it by a frakked-off astronaut.”

You will also see quotes in various media that I said, “The shuttle is the most dangerous spacecraft ever flown.”  I have said that or words close to that, but they were in the context of explaining my objections to the pre-Challenger “passenger” program.  I made that statement as I discussed the idiocy of flying people on the shuttle for public relations purposes…school teacher, politician, etc.  I (and many astronauts) felt the passenger program was an immoral program…to place people in harms way for PR purposes.  My, “most dangerous spacecraft…” statement was intended to underline this point about the passenger program:  IF the shuttle experienced a catastrophic failure, those passengers would die because the shuttle lacked an escape system. Dying because you are “mission essential” is one thing.  Dying as a “PR tool” is something else altogether.  This excerpt from my book says it in context:

(Excerpt from Riding Rockets, The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, Scribner, copyright 2006 by Mike Mullane.) “The passenger program didn’t end with Nelson’s landing.  Next in line was Christa McAuliffe’s initiation of the teacher-in-space program.  And it wasn’t going to end with her.  NASA HQ was dreaming of flying other passengers.  There were rumors Walter Cronkite and John Denver were being considered for flights.  TFNGs (note to bloggers…TFNG was the nickname for my class of astronauts…class of 1978) greeted these rumors with head shaking despair.  The part-timer program was not only taking seats from us and flying people who were scaring the dickens out of some crews, it was also an immoral program.  Individuals who were clueless about the risks of spaceflight were being exploited for public relations purposes.  The entire part-timer program was built on the lie that the shuttle was nothing more than an airliner, which just happened to fly higher and faster than a Boeing 747.  The very act of assigning a school teacher and mother of two to a shuttle mission dramatically reinforced that lie.   But every astronaut knew what the shuttle was…a very dangerous experimental rocket flying without a crew escape system.  Christa McAuliffe’s death on Challenger would finally open HQ’s eyes to that fact and the Agency ended the passenger program…with one notable exception, John Glenn.”

Finally, you will also see words in the media describing me as a “NASA Critic”.  That is true…but there’s a huge asterisk to that title.  My criticisms are about the pre-Challenger NASA leadership that allowed the Agency to disintegrate into a loose confederation of “fiefdoms”…which was also a finding of the Roger’s Commission.  There were serious lapses of communication between the NASA field centers.  I am also very critical of the pre-Challenger treatment of astronauts.  We were marginalized.  There was an abysmal lack of communication from our leadership, no empowerment, no insight into the crew assignment process, gross injustices in those flight assignments, and a huge fear factor that to speak out on some issues might damage one’s chances of flying in space.  This latter fact answers those bloggers who wondered why I didn’t speak up when I was with NASA.  Answer:  I wanted to fly in space, so, like other astronauts, I kept my mouth shut.  Here’s another excerpt from Riding Rockets:

(Excerpt from Riding Rockets, The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, Scribner, copyright 2006 by Mike Mullane.)  “Astronaut concerns about the shuttle’s “operational” label, the lack of an escape system and the passenger program should have been heard by every key manager, from Abbey to the JSC Center Director to the NASA Administrator.  But they were not.  We were terrified of saying anything that might jeopardize our place in the line into space. We were not like normal men and women who worried about the financial aspects of losing a job, of not being able to make the mortgage payment or pay the kids’ tuition.  We feared losing a dream, of losing the very thing that made us us.  When it came to our careers, we were risk adverse in the extreme.  Effective leaders would have done everything possible to eradicate that fear.  George Abbey, the JSC Director and the NASA Administrator all should have been frequent visitors to the astronaut office actively polling our concerns and each visit should have started with these or similarly empowering words, “There is nothing you can say to me that will jeopardize your place in the mission line.  Nothing!  If you think I’m doing something crazy, I want to hear it.”   I had experienced this form of leadership many times in my Air Force career.  I saw it during an F-4 mission with a General officer.  I was a 1st Lieutenant—and terrified.  I had never flown with a Flag officer before.  But this man was a leader who understood how fear could jeopardize the team and did his best to eliminate it.  As my foot touched the cockpit ladder, the General stopped me and said, “See these stars,” and pointed to his shoulder.  “If I make a mistake they won’t save our lives.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right on this flight, tell me.  There’s no rank in this jet.  Flying is dangerous enough as it is without having crewmembers afraid to speak up.”  It was an empowering moment.  The astronaut office desperately needed the same empowering moments, but they never came.  Fear ruled—a fear rooted in Abbey’s continuing secrecy on all things associated with flight assignments.  We kept our mouths shut.”

Again, my criticism is of the pre-Challenger NASA.  I am NOT a critic of the current NASA Administration.  I like what Administrator Michael Griffin is doing and I fully support him and the rest of the NASA team…and have said that in interviews.

I hope these words clear up the “deathtrap” statement and some other misconceptions that are floating around in cyberspace.  Again, I would really encourage everybody to be suspicious of what you see and hear in the press.  In the world of “sound bites” and sensational “headlines” it’s very easy to take things out of context.  I would also encourage everybody to use the power of the internet to spread this “deathtrap” rebuttal message far and wide.  I wish everybody a wonderful and blessed 2006.  Mike Mullane, Astronaut (Retired), Colonel, USAF (Retired).  PS:  I don’t have time to continue to participate as a blogger so I won’t be joining in any follow on discussion to this posting.  For those who wish to know more about my NASA experiences and where I stand on the issues of shuttle design and operation, read “Riding Rockets”.  In it, I open my soul for all the world to see.  You can blog the hell out of what you find in that book.  All I ask is that you quote it accurately and in context.  Thanks.

Offline Flightstar

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #1 on: 01/29/2006 06:01 pm »
Welcome to the site.

Fear not, no one took the report seriously on this site as we're aware of the actions of misquoting by some of the other media.

Offline Hotol

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #2 on: 01/29/2006 06:07 pm »
Welcome to the site sir!

Offline Martin FL

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #3 on: 01/29/2006 07:53 pm »
You sir are a hero, the reporter at the Gaurdian is not.

Chris, can something be done here?

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #4 on: 01/29/2006 08:24 pm »
There's always a way. Even if some of us have to go down to London and pay them a visit.

Might be worth pointing out that Mike or his son copied and pasted the post he's made on SDC to here. Reference to a number of people that had attacked him over the comment which they had assumed he made (and until the protest post I can't say I'd of blamed anyone for attacking him given there's a book sale involved. It was obviously important that he's alledged he's been misquoted.)

A lot of the post made has no relevance to this site or users of this site (which is not a blog site either) given no one attacked Mike on this site. That is very important to note and was missed by Mike or his son when they posted here.

We'll aim to see what the paper has to say in reference to this.
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Offline Tony T. Harris

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #5 on: 01/29/2006 08:39 pm »
Take them down Chris.
Former Saturn V propulsion systems lead engineer.

Offline rubicondsrv

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #6 on: 01/29/2006 09:05 pm »
I would love to see the idiots at the gaurdian forced to apologise.
However from the little that I know about the gaurdian they don't care who they misquote and/or offend as long as they sell papers.

Offline MATTBLAK

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #7 on: 01/29/2006 09:29 pm »
The Guardian has a history of sensationalist crap. Unfortunately, the general public still has a tendency to believe everything they read: It's on paper so it MUST be true, right?! Sheesh!
« Last Edit: 03/07/2012 11:27 pm by MATTBLAK »
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Offline Stardust9906

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #8 on: 01/29/2006 10:08 pm »
Quote
Martin FL - 29/1/2006  8:53 PM

You sir are a hero, the reporter at the Gaurdian is not.

Chris, can something be done here?

Totally agree with that.

Welcome to the site Colonel Mullane.  It's great to have you here.

Offline Dobbins

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #9 on: 01/29/2006 10:40 pm »
Quote
Chris Bergin - 29/1/2006  4:24 PM

There's always a way. Even if some of us have to go down to London and pay them a visit.

Don't forget to take tar and feathers.  :)
John B. Dobbins

Offline hold

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #10 on: 01/29/2006 11:11 pm »
Hi everybody.  I'm Mike's son here logging in under my dad's i.d.  Chris is correct, the post I put here was originally written (minus some minor edits) for posting at the SDC discussion forum. (I posted my father's SDC response here on his behalf due to some computer problems he was having.)   After speaking with my dad, though, he (and I) thought it was worth posting in your neck of the woods in the event that if anybody here should come across the Guardian article, they'd have information at hand to know what was true and what was not.   It was not posted in response to anything that had thus far been written here at nasaspaceflight.com.  Sorry for the confusion.  Thanks for your understanding. :)

Offline Jamie Young

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #11 on: 01/30/2006 02:08 am »
Well done, because it was important you posted. It'll get round the space community with the post on here and SDC.

Let the fightback begin! :)

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #12 on: 01/30/2006 02:19 am »
Quote
hold - 30/1/2006  12:11 AM

Hi everybody.  I'm Mike's son here logging in under my dad's i.d.  Chris is correct, the post I put here was originally written (minus some minor edits) for posting at the SDC discussion forum. (I posted my father's SDC response here on his behalf due to some computer problems he was having.)   After speaking with my dad, though, he (and I) thought it was worth posting in your neck of the woods in the event that if anybody here should come across the Guardian article, they'd have information at hand to know what was true and what was not.   It was not posted in response to anything that had thus far been written here at nasaspaceflight.com.  Sorry for the confusion.  Thanks for your understanding. :)

Thanks, that helps :) It was a good idea to post what you did as no one should allow such a misrepresentation to stand. We'll see about sending some tar and feathers down to London ;)
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Offline Hotol

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #13 on: 01/30/2006 07:28 am »
Might be worth popping into their offices at lunch time ;)

Offline Justin Space

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #14 on: 01/30/2006 07:50 am »
I'd love nothing more than that paper being racked, packed, stacked.

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #15 on: 01/30/2006 08:31 am »
Right, I want you all to calm down! It's very easy to bandwagon, but that's just not going to cut it here.

This is a serious situation and I'm looking into it.

Studying the article, he's NOT been misquoted. It does not have "The Shuttle is a deathtrap," said Mullane - which would be a direct misquote. He's been misrepresented and the paraphrasing of his comments are wrong (still bad, but let's be careful on what is and what isn't the case here - in terms of journalism).

Sure, they've also got their facts wrong in the article, but unless Robin McKie was a Shuttle specific writer, you're going to get that. It could easily be his subeditor who's paraphrased in the comment for impact (they do that!)

Let me see if I can talk to him today.
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Offline Tap-Sa

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #16 on: 01/30/2006 09:57 am »
Quote
Chris Bergin - 30/1/2006  11:31 AM
 Sure, they've also got their facts wrong in the article

Isn't the Gaurdian infamous for getting the facts wrong. Sometimes even misspelling it's own name? ;)


Offline FransonUK

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RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #17 on: 01/30/2006 10:24 am »
It's infamous for being a liberal mouthpiece regardless of if it puts British soliders at risk in Iraq.
Don't ya wish your spaceship was hot like me

Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #18 on: 01/30/2006 10:34 am »
I've e-mailed the writer. They don't work Mondays, according to the press office at the paper.

Will let you know if he responds.
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Offline Chris Bergin

RE: Astronaut Mullane Comments on Riding Rockets
« Reply #19 on: 01/30/2006 01:24 pm »
Robin mailed back.

It wasn't his initial report (as in he didn't start this snowball rolling). He noted that his article came from what he saw on Reuters.

Anyone able to find a link to that Reuters report?
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