Status Updates From The Burning Blue: The Untol...

" . . . [Sally] Ride would have to answer a thousand dumb questions that had nothing to do with the job. During the run-up to Ride's ride, reporters kept asking her about bras and makeup in space. At one press conference, a writer from Time asked Ride if she cried when simulations went south. Turning to pilot Rick Hauck, she said, "Why doesn't anyone ever ask Rick these questions?""

" . . . every astronaut knew what the shuttle was--a very dangerous experimental flying rocket without a crew-escape system. [...] In order to overcome Earth's gravity the shuttle had to ride piggyback on its enormous fuel tank and two silo-sized rockets. It had to be armored to withstand a fiery reentry and streamlined enough to glide to a landing." (CONT'D BELOW)

Pam Dawber of "Mork & Mindy" fame was part of NASA's blue-ribbon panel of judges that evaluated the narrowed-down candidates for the "Teacher in Space" program. O.O

I am loving learning about all of the astronauts and the preparation for the mission. Really loving this.