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NASA's Michael Collins RIP

Ad Astra

The Instigator
This is a true loss.


Wish I had met him. His book, "Carrying the Fire," is not to be missed. I actually have two copies, dog-eared and the 50th anniversary.

This was a good guy and a great American.

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AA
 
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Ad Astra

The Instigator
The Apollo 11 crew was so well chosen... People know that Neil had icewater in his veins, and that Buzz was a walking orbital mechanics computer... But Mike had his own amazing skillset as well. 90 years is not enough. These men were truly giants... Buzz still is! He is a trip these days.


AA
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Michael Collins was, when he orbited to the dark side of the moon, alone in a way no human had ever been alone before. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull wrote a tribute to Collins in 1970 in which he explored some of what Collins might have felt as he circled the moon alone while his crew mates hopped around the moon in glory.
May he rest in peace.

 
You lost me at Jethro Tull, Owen, since the long-hairs laid the groundwork for the continuing utter devastation of our civilization, but, for Michael (and all other departed): Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.
 
This is a true loss.


Wish I had met him. His book, "Carrying the Fire," is not to be missed. I actually have two copies, dog-eared and the 50th anniversary.

This was a good guy and a great American.

proxy.php


Techmatic shave, for forum content:
proxy.php



AA
That shaving picture now has me wondering how he rinsed his razor and how he disposed of the used shaving cream with all the shaven beard hair. For that matter, how do modern astronauts shave and dispose of their stubbly used shave cream?
 
I remember “Carrying the Fire.” It was one of those books that I read until my eyes wouldn’t stay open. Then when I woke I would back up and read some I had already read. I remember him saying that when he was on the back side he felt like the loneliest man in history. He said something like, on the other side of the moon are 2 billion plus 2 and on this side is God, myself and who knows how many.

Those three men are my hero’s. Rest In Peace Michel Collins.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Michael Collins was, when he orbited to the dark side of the moon, alone in a way no human had ever been alone before. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull wrote a tribute to Collins in 1970 in which he explored some of what Collins might have felt as he circled the moon alone while his crew mates hopped around the moon in glory.
May he rest in peace.


Thanks, Owen. I like Tull but don't remember that one.

Collins himself brushed off those loneliness comments - of course. Purely professional, he was enjoying every minute of flying the command module. It was his.

Our minds may shrink from the void, but we were not chosen to go.
_________

Mission Control likened Collins' experience to that of the first human in existence. "Not since Adam has any human known such solitude," a mission commentator said. Collins later rejected that notion.

"That's baloney," Collins said on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in 2019. "You put some Samoan on his little canoe out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean at night and he doesn't really know where he's going, he doesn't know how to get there. He can see the stars, they're his only friend out there, and he's not talking to anybody. That guy is lonely "
"I honestly felt really privileged to be on Apollo 11, to have one of those three seats. I mean, there were guys in the astronaut office who would have cut my throat ear to ear to have one of those three seats. I was very pleased to have one of those three," Collins said. "Did I have the best of the three? No. But was I pleased with the one I had? Yes! And I have no feelings of frustration or rancor or whatever. I'm very, very happy about the whole thing."

Among his many contributions to the mission was the design of the Apollo 11 patch. Following a suggestion by backup crew member Jim Lovell, Collins sought to incorporate the American eagle into the emblem.

"Of course! What better symbol — eagles landed, didn't they?" he recounted in his memoir "Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey" published in 1974. "At home I skimmed through my library and finally found what I wanted in a National Geographic book on birds: a bald eagle, landing gear extended, wings partially folded, coming in for a landing. I traced it on a piece of tissue paper and sketched in an oblique view of a pockmarked lunar surface. Thus the Apollo 11 patch was born."


________


AA
 
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Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
Rip. I’ve been listening to the 13 minutes to the moon podcast again. Amazing history. People with character.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
That shaving picture now has me wondering how he rinsed his razor and how he disposed of the used shaving cream with all the shaven beard hair. For that matter, how do modern astronauts shave and dispose of their stubbly used shave cream?

Oh. He/they just wiped the stuff off on a towel.

ISS, I'm not sure. Electrics I think.


AA
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
You lost me at Jethro Tull, Owen, since the long-hairs laid the groundwork for the continuing utter devastation of our civilization, but, for Michael (and all other departed): Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.

Yes. An achievement for all time.


AA
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Thanks, Owen. I like Tull but don't remember that one.

Collins himself brushed off those loneliness comments - of course. Purely professional, he was enjoying every minute of flying the command module. It was his.

Our minds may shrink from the void, but we were not chosen to go.
_________

Mission Control likened Collins' experience to that of the first human in existence. "Not since Adam has any human known such solitude," a mission commentator said. Collins later rejected that notion.

"That's baloney," Collins said on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in 2019. "You put some Samoan on his little canoe out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean at night and he doesn't really know where he's going, he doesn't know how to get there. He can see the stars, they're his only friend out there, and he's not talking to anybody. That guy is lonely "
"I honestly felt really privileged to be on Apollo 11, to have one of those three seats. I mean, there were guys in the astronaut office who would have cut my throat ear to ear to have one of those three seats. I was very pleased to have one of those three," Collins said. "Did I have the best of the three? No. But was I pleased with the one I had? Yes! And I have no feelings of frustration or rancor or whatever. I'm very, very happy about the whole thing."

Among his many contributions to the mission was the design of the Apollo 11 patch. Following a suggestion by backup crew member Jim Lovell, Collins sought to incorporate the American eagle into the emblem.

"Of course! What better symbol — eagles landed, didn't they?" he recounted in his memoir "Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey" published in 1974. "At home I skimmed through my library and finally found what I wanted in a National Geographic book on birds: a bald eagle, landing gear extended, wings partially folded, coming in for a landing. I traced it on a piece of tissue paper and sketched in an oblique view of a pockmarked lunar surface. Thus the Apollo 11 patch was born."


________


AA
I must read this book, and soon. You see? Even in death, Michael Collins continues to inspire. Thank you, AA/Mike.
 
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