| User | Comment |
|---|
| jjg | | posted 29-Oct-1998 10:41am |
Yes I do. I think it was two years ago that NASA forced 61 year old astronaut Story Musgrave to retire. Now they are sending 77 year old Senator Glenn into space. They're only doing it because he is a senator and the first American to orbit the Earth. |
| Jaime | | posted 29-Oct-1998 11:12am |
Yes, as any other NASA mission... |
| Jody | | posted 29-Oct-1998 11:23am |
I'm glad he's going, because if it brings more hope and money and focus to the space program, that's terrific. |
| doom | | posted 29-Oct-1998 12:13pm |
Not sure. It may be just that but I still think that it is cool that he gets to go back. |
bill    | | posted 29-Oct-1998 12:13pm |
It's "little" more than that (I wouldn't say "nothing" more than that)- and NASA seems to admit it. John Glenn is a hero in my book, and I think NASA needs to rally more support for the international space-station. If this stunt helps NASA to get people to look up at the stars and wonder some more, I see no problem with that. I think it's cool that the nightly news has something positive to talk about, I don't mind that Monica is losing air time to Glenn. |
| phi | | posted 29-Oct-1998 12:23pm |
I think the entire manned space program is a publicity stunt. Given that, this particular mission is a good one. |
| elijahblue | | posted 29-Oct-1998 1:16pm |
this is kind of a leading question... "What do you think about the mission...," with some more positive options, would have been better. |
| Mimi | | posted 29-Oct-1998 2:40pm |
I think NASA needs the PR...possibly they are not getting the funding they need. I hope something positive comes out of it. I just watched the launch & it was awe inspiring, as always. |
| steve | | posted 29-Oct-1998 2:49pm |
I said "No," because I think "nothing more" is too strong. I think it's largely a publicity stunt, but I think it's also an ego trip for a former senator, and I think, knowing how little NASA knows about biology, that they might actually think it's good science to send him up there and see what happens. |
| hunter | | posted 29-Oct-1998 8:22pm |
I don't think it's entirely a publicity stunt, I think that they wanted to do something nice for John Glenn, who's been their #1 poster child and supporter through the years. I'm sure they'll also learn some interesting things, as planned, but I certainly don't believe that science is the primary motivating factor. |
| anonymous | | posted 29-Oct-1998 10:16pm |
I think it's great that John Glenn is able to go back out into space, but I would like to know who the other six people on the crew are. Every mention of the mission that I have heard only mentions John Glenn. |
| seven | | posted 30-Oct-1998 6:53am |
The entire space program is an example of a publicity stunt that has kept going for about 40 years. NASA, a company that repetedly ignored warnings from engineers about catastrophic o-ring failure, yeah it's more money they need. |
| cpierson | | posted 30-Oct-1998 11:07am |
Yes, but it's a damn cool one. |
| milktree | | posted 30-Oct-1998 11:11am |
I don't think it's nothing more than a publicity stunt, but it's the first launch in years that they stopped normal programming to give us live coverage. There is certainly an element of publicity. |
| eris | | posted 30-Oct-1998 11:21am |
An idea from my SO: What would be really cool is if they would find the women who were kicked out of the space program for being too good (they discovered they would have had to send them into space - quel horreur!) back in the era of Glenn's first trip and send them up. |
| daver | | posted 30-Oct-1998 11:49am |
Yes, and I think he's earned it, even if his presence is of dubious value.
**eris: One of the women, Jerrie Cobb, is pushing for exactly that. |
| jer |
naaah... John Glenn had to return home to Mars.. |
| davec |
Since Glenn was prevented from having further space missions for political reasons, it's ok for him to take advantage of whatever pull he has to get this second chance to be in space. People should be complaining that more people who aren't career astronauts aren't getting into space, rather than complaining that one non astronaut does. |
| jzp | | posted 1-Nov-1998 10:53pm |
one other thing it might be: first man to orbit the planet wants to be the first obit _above_ the planet.
NB: i mean public obit, not rumoured-dead-cosmonauts, etc |
| lisashea | | posted 2-Nov-1998 12:47pm |
Yes, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I think many people haven't seen how space exploration "does anything good for me". A huge number of elderly people are excited now because this shows "that an older person can still be active and do things". Other people are excited for other various reasons. I think this is extremely valuable if we want to keep exploring space. |
| Resy |
Perhaps it is the last wish of an old man. |
Pomeranian  |
Sure, but why not? If more publicity means more funding and interest in NASA then it is good for NASA. |
| palmtree |
I do think it's a publicity stunt, and that NASA needs all the help it can get. However, give the guy a break, if I had the chance to go into space I would, and I haven't even been there yet. Why shouldn't he live his dream? p.s. I agree with eris and SO, I'd love to see those women have the opportunity to get to space as they should have so many years ago. |
| grmbrand |
Nonsense. I've -always- wanted to know how Depends hold up in zero G. |
| miykal | | posted 28-Nov-1998 3:09am |
no. It is for publicity but his activity will also achieve some new scientific knowledge. |
| North79 | | posted 21-Feb-1999 6:46pm |
Who? What? |
