In 1962 astronaut Scott Carpenter spent a total of 28 days below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, close to the La Jolla, CA coast, in the SEALAB II experimental underwater habitat. This was a world record and quite a feat considering the dangers of saturation diving. Congratulations were clearly in order and the consummate […]
Apollo Mission astronauts have nearly five times…
Apollo Mission astronauts have nearly five times higher mortality from cardiovascular disease than other astronauts due to exposure to deep-space radiation.
An Apollo astronaut lost his wedding ring during…
An Apollo astronaut lost his wedding ring during his trip to the moon… and found it again during a spacewalk.
Astronaut John Glenn became the oldest person…
Astronaut John Glenn became the oldest person in space at 77 after “lobbying NASA for two years to fly as a human guinea pig for geriatric studies”.
On Space Shuttle Endeavor, astronaut John…
On Space Shuttle Endeavor, astronaut John Grunsfeld called into NPR’s Car Talk and asked why his government vehicle was shaking violently for a couple minutes before the engine died.
Astronauts in the Apollo program reported seeing…
Astronauts in the Apollo program reported seeing “streaks” of white light every 3 minutes, even when they closed their eyes.
If an astronaut “loses it” in space, part…
If an astronaut “loses it” in space, part of the protocol is to restrain them with duck tape.
Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad’s first word upon setting…
Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad’s first word upon setting foot on the Moon was “Whoopee!” in order to win a $500 bet with an Italian journalist that NASA didn’t script astronaut declarations.
The most isolated human being ever was Al Worden, command…
The most isolated human being ever was Al Worden, command module pilot of Apollo 15, who in lunar orbit was at a maximum distance of 2,235 miles from his fellow astronauts on the surface. While on the other side of the Moon, no communication with Earth or his comrades was possible.
If you’re flying aboard a spaceflight leaving from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan…
If you’re flying aboard a spaceflight leaving from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, you’ll be ordered to pee on the back-right tire of a bus. It’s tradition.