Tim Peake's Return to Earth on NASA TV Now

[Macavity]

27 minutes ago, Physopto said:

I just take my hat off to all those who have taken the risks over the last 50 or so years. Both the astronauts, cosmonauts and all the people who have worked in the background. Governments, I don't care much about but the people at the sharp end, are and were amazing. Many have lost their lives to prove that mankind could do it. Tim is just one of a long line of very brave people who have gone out of their way to do something exceptional.

Yes Indeed. Old enough (12) to remember the death of Vladimir Komarov in Soyuz One.
I seem to recall the news coming over the radio in quasi real time and being very moved.
Idem the Apollo I fire in the same year.

All of them brave men...

As long as the parachute works, you can pretty much rely on basic geometry to control
the orientation of the Soyuz during re-entry? For general fun, search for pictures of the
Control Panels from e.g. the VOSTOK spacecraft! Not *too* many options available... 

http://vostoksupersite.weebly.com/index.html

But I've always had a fascination for the more "venerable" hardware! 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Take a look at Virgin Galactic. Still very much in the early trial period and years away from becoming a reality, and already we have lost one test pilot. Its a horrible thing to say, but without the sacrifices of the few (too many really).....humankind would not be able to take these baby steps into the cosmos.

They certainly did not die in vain. History will record their names as pioneers of humanity.

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

The closest i and most of us will ever get to space travel is on one of those zero G flights on a 747. Dont know the cost of such an experience but its got to be worth every penny.

https://www.gozerog.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=reservations.welcome

$5,000.............sign me up. I know what i'm doing for my 50th birthday in 2024.

[Alan White]

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

There was mention today that future missions into orbit and the ISS could use astronauts who have already been trained and have done a mission before because it is so costly and takes many yrs to train new astronauts. The likes of Tim and others could be called upon in the future because they would only have to train for the specific mission/job at hand. This would mean less time training and less cost to space agencies. 

Makes sense really.

Lets hope he does 

[cloudsweeper]

It must be great to really ‘smell the Earth‘ like Tim did. Glad they're back safely. What an experience to go through!

Doug.

[LukeSkywatcher]

6 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Lets hope he does 

As the only British astronaut, im sure he may be called upon again. Funnily enough the ESA have been searching for quite a while for candidates for a manned mission to Mars (not like that's gonna happen any time soon), but 2 of the leading candidates are Irish. Its like the world is trying to get rid of us Irish.

LOL.

[LukeSkywatcher]

1903. First ever manned flight of humankind......by the Wright brothers.  Look how far we have advanced since then.

I dont know about the rest of you, but i for one am completely blown away with what us humans as a species have done just within the last 100-200 yrs.

Even within the last couple of decades.

Mind boggling.

I'd give anything to be alive in another hundred,thousand years to see what is gonna be possible.