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Author
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Topic: Said on the space shuttle: Famous quotes from the space shuttle program
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-22-2010 12:57 PM
   
A recent New York Times article lamented the lack of memorable movie lines from films released over the past decade. That got to me thinking about quotable quotes from space shuttle astronauts.Almost every space history enthusiast can run off a list of famous words spoken by Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts. Indeed, when cS readers were polled about their favorite space history quotes, most harkened back to the first 10 to 15 years of spaceflight, if not earlier. With the shuttle program coming to an end, what utterances will be remembered? The aforementioned thread included a few suggestions: "What a way to come to California" - Bob Crippen, after landing STS-1 at Edwards Air Force Base."Gee, I thought we'd be a lot higher at MECO!" - Steve Hawley, after STS-41D's pad abort. "Golly, it's high up here!" - Michael Foale, making his first spacewalk on STS-63. What other shuttle quotes do you remember and/or feel should be remembered?(For the sake of this discussion, let's omit the final broadcast words from STS-51L and STS-107, as they will be remembered but for different reasons.) |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 10-22-2010 01:45 PM
"Mark, this is Scott. Six months in space is a long time. Thanks for taking my place!" Mark Kelly to his brother Scott, just arrived on board the ISS. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-22-2010 01:57 PM
That was certainly funny, but it is also more ISS-related than shuttle (even though Scott, err, Mark will be launching on the shuttle to visit Scott...).The shuttle has been flying for 29 years. Certainly there must be a few more lines to accompany its rich history. Here's one that comes to mind... though short of words, its contextually memorable: "Let's do it." - Rick Hieb, followed just moments later by... "Got it!" - Pierre Thuot, on the successful six-handed capture of Intelsat on STS-49, the first and only three-person spacewalk. |
chappy
Member Posts: 231
From: Cardiff, S. Wales, UK
Registered: Apr 2006
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posted 10-22-2010 03:11 PM
I remember that Bruce McCandless have said something like "There may be a small step for Neil, but its a heck of leap for me" during the first ever untethered spacewalk. Also I can't remember who said that "Hubble and shuttle are shaking hands again." |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 10-22-2010 03:41 PM
There have been a few conversations I've had with shuttle astronauts which have had memorable quotes. One of them was, "I was wearing underwear in that picture."  |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 10-22-2010 04:57 PM
"Put the Poppa Oscar Sierra back in the crew lock bag!"-Col. Pam Melroy USAF, STS-120 CDR, to MS Scott Parazynski in regards to his malfunctioning camera during EVA-4. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 10-22-2010 06:24 PM
I hope a memorable quote can still be said in the last 2-3 missions. I imagine the commander of the final mission will try to think of something suitable to say after the final wheel stop. |
OV-105
Member Posts: 816
From: Ridgecrest, CA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 10-22-2010 06:44 PM
The Capcom after the STS-41G landing, "Crip you fooled us again the beer is in California" |
randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 10-22-2010 07:55 PM
Jeff Hoffman on reaching orbit: "We're in space!" |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 10-22-2010 08:09 PM
"The dream is alive." John Young, STS-1 after landing"The thing I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I'm sure it was the most fun that I'll ever have in my life." Sally K. Ride, |
OV-105
Member Posts: 816
From: Ridgecrest, CA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 10-22-2010 08:41 PM
You just reminded me of another Sally Ride one, "That was an E ticket ride!" |
Max Q
Member Posts: 399
From: Whyalla South Australia
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 10-23-2010 04:26 AM
E Ticket? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-23-2010 04:55 AM
Sally Ride's full quote was: "Ever been to Disneyland? That was definitely an E ticket!" See: E Ticket |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 10-23-2010 06:53 AM
I haven't found the exact text, but I remember Jim Wetherbee speaking some inspiring words as Discovery rendezvoused with Mir during STS-63. |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 10-23-2010 10:24 AM
quote:
Originally posted by KSCartist:
I remember Jim Wetherbee speaking some inspirng words as Discovery rendezvoused with Mir during STS-63.
"It was like dancing in the cosmos."From a post rendezvous on-orbit news conference. |
irish guy
Member Posts: 287
From: Kerry Ireland
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 10-23-2010 11:33 AM
"OK, we got it!" - Bob Crippen on capture of the Solar Max. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1042
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 10-23-2010 11:40 AM
I think Foale actually said: "Gosh, it's high isn't it!". Could be wrong, but that's what I read at the time of STS-63.Another remark I like is by CAPCOM Charles 'Sam' Gemar: "That ole boy didn't wanna go", after deployment of Intelsat 6-F3 during STS-49. |
irish guy
Member Posts: 287
From: Kerry Ireland
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 10-23-2010 11:57 AM
"Ah Roy... are we on the... that was a awful smooth... are we on the ground?"Vance Brand on STS-5 to capcom Roy Bridges. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 10-23-2010 12:25 PM
"The first part of that ride was a real barn burner!" - STS-3 CDR Jack Lousma... describing the ride on the solids. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 10-23-2010 12:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by KSCartist:
I remember Jim Wetherbee speaking some inspirng words as Discovery rendezvoused with Mir during STS-63.
Tim, the quote was:"As we are bringing our spaceships closer together, we are bringing our nations closer together." |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 10-23-2010 01:26 PM
I thought it would have been something more like, "Open the pod bay door please, Valery" |
Skylon
Member Posts: 274
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 10-24-2010 10:24 AM
"No reason to die all tensed up." - Hoot Gibson on the STS-27 re-entry. I also remember on STS-116, on re-entry day, where nobody seemed sure if Discovery was going to end up at KSC, EAFB or even White Sands (it ended up at KSC, due to a sudden window of good weather MCC seized on). Early that day MCC radioed up the weather forecasts, the run down of which sites they could end up at and CDR Mark Polansky responded with something along the lines of "Sounds like a normal landing day." |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 10-24-2010 11:35 AM
Didn't the STS-5 crew utter the phrase "Houston, we deliver!"? (Or was it just written on a sign they held up?) |
kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 10-25-2010 11:18 AM
Anything from McCandless on his first MMU flight? Seems like a quote-worthy occasion. |
chappy
Member Posts: 231
From: Cardiff, S. Wales, UK
Registered: Apr 2006
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posted 10-25-2010 04:41 PM
quote:
Originally posted by kr4mula:
Anything from McCandless on his first MMU flight?
Look up into Oct. 22 which on my topic, which I've mentioned about Bruce saying on MMU flight... |
Lunar_module_5
unregistered
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posted 10-26-2010 04:46 PM
Dale Gardner describing his view of the first night time shuttle launch on Challenger STS-8 -"I looked back at engine ignition and darn near blinded myself!" |
chappy
Member Posts: 231
From: Cardiff, S. Wales, UK
Registered: Apr 2006
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posted 10-27-2010 02:45 PM
I remember during the STS-95 ascent, that John Glenn saying "Zero-G and I feel fine", am I right or wrong? |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 655
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 10-27-2010 04:33 PM
quote:
Originally posted by chappy:
Am I right or wrong?
Wrong, it was after orbital insertion: PS Glenn: Hello, Houston. This is PS 2 and they got me sprung out of the mid-deck for a little while. We are just going by Hawaii and that is absolutely gorgeous." Capcom Bob Curbeam: "Roger that. Glad you are enjoying the show." PS Glenn: "Enjoying the show is right. This is beautiful. The best part is ... a trite old statement: zero-g and I feel fine." |
Fezman92
Member Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 10-27-2010 04:55 PM
I saw this one in "Sky Walking" by Tom Jones on page 150. He is talking about how on STS-68 and how he and Dan Bursch volunteered to wear blood pressure sensors during landing. They were having a lot of trouble with getting it to work which was made clear by the loud cursing going on. Steve Smith came up and said, "I never imagined that spaceflight would be like this: floating in the cockpit of the space shuttle Endeavour with two weightless, semi-naked guys." |
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