In his book on the USA space program, "The Right Stuff", Tom Wolfe wrote about the early test pilots who lost control of the X-1 and perished during test flights. He said that for the most part, the other test pilots shook off each new loss until they heard the last few minutes of audio when the pilot was realizing things were amiss. Typically, the pilot was ticking off plan b, plan c, plan d, plan e, plan f. Like this:
"I've tried the flaps. No good. I'll ease on some thrust, here. Huh. No good. Now I'm gonna try an outside loop. <silence> No good. I'm gonna try....." There's a <gulp> moment in those tapes. Then the g-forces mercifully knocked them unconscious and they 'augured in'. But the Mercury program worked. Then the Gemini program worked. Then we lost astronauts Grisham, White and Chaffe during practice on the ground, which resulted in a fire in Apollo 1. Then the Soviets lost good people. The space program learned and we came back. And finally I remember, as a 14 year-old, hearing this discussion inside a space capsule in trouble and running out of fuel: Buzz: "60 seconds (left)." Neil: "Okay." Buzz: "Uh-oh. Program Alarm" Neil: "I'm on it." Buzz: "45 seconds." Neil: "Okay....." Buzz: "30 seconds." Neil: "Okay." Buzz: "20, 19, 18.." <silence> <double silence> Neil: "Houston? Uh... Tranquility Base, here. The Eagle has landed." <jubilation in Houston> Capsule Communicator: "Roger that. Understand yer on the GROUND!" <silence> Capsule Communicator: <keys mic but finds himself without words> Capsule Communicator: <releases mic key> Capsule Communicator: "You had some of us worried down here." Capsule Communicator: <nervous laughter> Neil: "Roger that." It was July 20th, 1969 and it was the first time somebody walked on another world. Lama Debra said, >> This makes me very sad. Even knowing that the astronauts realize the risks, to be completely blown away so suddenly still makes me cry, and to think that most people, myself included, take for granted the work they and other astronauts do since it all goes so smoothly so often, well, it's not a good idea to ever take anything or anyone for granted. I've seen three videos of the burning shuttle. That's enough now. >> >Rose said, >I hope they didn't know what was coming, but I fear they did:0)
