Happy 50th Anniversary - US and John Glenn

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's historic orbit of the Earth aboard the Friendship 7 capsule. Participants reflect on the significance of early space missions, their personal experiences during those events, and the media coverage surrounding anniversaries of various spaceflights.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Historical
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the historical significance of Glenn's MA-6 mission, highlighting it as the first American orbital flight.
  • Several participants share nostalgic memories of watching early space missions on black-and-white television, emphasizing the limited technology of the time.
  • One participant expresses irritation that Glenn's anniversary received more media attention than Alan Shepard's anniversary.
  • Another participant recalls a lack of media coverage for Yuri Gagarin's flight anniversary and reflects on their school experiences during early space missions.
  • Some participants express a desire for increased interest and coverage of current and future space missions, indicating a perceived decline in public engagement with space exploration.
  • Humorous comments about the excitement of space travel and its effects on children are shared, reflecting a light-hearted tone in some responses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for early space missions, but there is disagreement regarding the media attention given to different anniversaries, with some feeling that certain events are overlooked.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express personal memories that may be influenced by individual experiences and perceptions of media coverage, which could vary widely.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in the history of space exploration, personal narratives related to significant space missions, and discussions on media representation of scientific achievements may find this thread engaging.

Astronuc
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Feb 20, 2012 was the 50th Anniversary of John Glenn's historic orbit of the earth. Flying then orbiting in Friendship 7 (Mercury capsule), Glenn made 2 orbits before re-entering the atmosphere.

"The MA-6 mission was launched February 20, 1962. It made three orbits of the Earth, piloted by astronaut John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit the Earth."
Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury-Atlas_6

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/glenn50/


Seven years, five months later, on 20 July 1969, Apollo 11 crew members, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr, landed on the Moon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11
 
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It was an outstanding experience watching these early missions on B&W TV.
 
dlgoff said:
It was an outstanding experience watching these early missions on B&W TV.
Dere wasn't no other kind of TV!
 
It irritates me that this is getting more media attention than Shepard's anniversary did.
 
I don't remember hearing anything about the anniversary of Gagarin's flight either. When Shepard flew, we went to the school auditorium to watch the entire flight. When Glenn flew, we watched the liftoff, and the recovery, but not the flight. I brought a transistor radio with me to school and between classes I kept up with the progress. I continued to to this for a few more flights, but they become too routine and took too long for me to maintain my interest.
 
I was so excited I pooped my diapers.
 
I watched a bunch of documentaries and dramatisations on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions quite recently, and I was awestruck with the enormity of it all, it's such a great achievement. I wish there was more interest / coverage in the space missions these days, and more space missions!

<3
 
Ivan Seeking said:
I was so excited I pooped my diapers.

Being in a Mercury capsule on a Atlas rocket would make me poop.
 
dlgoff said:
Being in a Mercury capsule on a Atlas rocket would make me poop.
Our school had one TV in the auditorium/gym, and we would get to watch each launch, and many of the recoveries. Most kids didn't have a TV at home, and the principal/administrator tried to make sure that we got to watch "important" stuff.
 

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