# On the death of an astronaut



## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

During the time he was Senator, I had many occasions as an assigned photographer for publications in Ohio to have interacted with John Glenn. Mostly it was a matter of showing up at an event on his schedule, but sometimes I had to pose him against some localized OH landmarks around the state. On one of those occasions, Glenn was to visit the Central Market in Cleveland, and since my parents lived in that city, I got my mother to come along to pose as an ordinary shopper (not really a stretch) engaged in conversation with the candidate for re-election. Well, Glenn, an engaging person himself, was accompanied by his wife Annie, one of the sweetest people on earth. Mom, in that regard, was no slouch herself, and there was an instant rapport among the three. It was a great photo session, ending only when the Glenns' schedule required. 

Over years, our paths crossed occasionally, and we would exchange pleasantries, although I doubt he ever knew my name. But much earlier, our lives intersected ever so slightly when he made his orbital flight. I was employed then at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Brookpark when work was suspended while we all listened to the radio chatter as Glenn soared above.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I posted this elsewhere:

John Glenn has passed away. His life spanned some important events. He flew 59 combat missions in WWII in the Pacific theater, and 90 more in the Korean War. He became the first American to orbit the earth in 1962. Americans walked on the moon just seven years later.

He later served 25 years in the Senate, filling some very important positions, and authoring (among other bills) the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978. In 1998, while still a sitting senator, he became the oldest person to fly in space as a space shuttle crewmember. After his retirement from Congress in 1999, he helped found what would become the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at Ohio State University.

He married his high school sweetheart in 1943, and the marriage endured until his death 73 years later.

Wow.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

I love John Glenn's comment about rocket technology (it comes in various versions):

“I guess the question I'm asked the most often is: "When you were sitting in that capsule listening to the count-down, how did you feel?" Well, the answer to that one is easy. I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of two million parts -- all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract.”


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## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

Pat Fairlea said:


> I love John Glenn's comment about rocket technology (it comes in various versions):
> 
> "I guess the question I'm asked the most often is: "When you were sitting in that capsule listening to the count-down, how did you feel?" Well, the answer to that one is easy. I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of two million parts -- all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract."


Also attributed in variations to other astronauts, but a good quote, anyway.


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