Quote:
Originally posted by DeltAlum
Mercury Astronaut Scott Carpenter (Beta Kappa, University of Colorado) is one of several Delts who have been in space. As I understand it, Brother Carpenter is/was kind of a "free spirit," unlike most of the original seven. And, as I recall, he took the second U.S. space flight, a sub-orbital one which lasted about fifteen minutes -- very much like Alan Shepard's. (I think I'm right about this, but am doing it most from memory, and could be mistaken) I think that he missed (don't know whether it was his fault or some primitive computer) the prescribed landing area by over a hundred miles. The were worried for quite a while that he had burned up on re-entry or something.
They found him a few hours later floating around in his capsule and having a good time.
It is absolutely untrue that, when found, he was wearing his Delt badge and drinking a bottle of Rolling Rock. I think.
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Okay, I've been reading this post for a long time (since way back in June or July). And I've tried posting to it several times, but I seem cursed...something weird always prevents me from posting to this thread.
Anyways...
Having worked at the most comprehensive space museum in the world during this summer I took advantage of my resources at that time, and asked Max Ary, the CEO of the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center about this. He is a noted space historian, and has served as a technical consultant on several movies (Apollo 13), Mini-series (the 1980's
Space and Tom Hanks
From the Earth to the Moon) and other projects. He knows more about space history at a place where lots of people know space history. He gave me the word that he had heard the Legend and throughout his research and the connections he has made he had never had it verified. That is absolutely enough proof for me.
A couple of other things that I've read that are absolutely untrue.
1).
The moon has no gravity...Actually it does and it is 1/6 as strong as that on Earth. If you are 180 pounds on Earth you'll be 30 on the Moon. Further this means that even if the astronaut had thrown it off the moon, it would not be fast enough to leave the Moon's gravitational sphere of influence and would eventually fall to the lunar surface. (Lunar orbit speed is about 3000 mph.)
2).
The pin could have been knocked about by later astronauts...no simply b/c all 6 lunar landing missions were to 6 different landing sites...none of which were close enough to each other to be withing walking (or later driving) distance
3).
The pin could have survived a reentry trip through the atmosphere...Not a chance...there's a reason why early capsules had a heat shield and why the shuttle has it's Thermal Protection system of reinforced carbon-carbon, thermal tiles and Nomex felt blankets (yes blankets!).
4).
Information on Scott Carpenter for DeltAlum Carpenter was the fifth American to go in to space and his mission was orbital. Only Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom made sub-orbital flights. Carpenter was by far the most physically fit of the Original 7, and was considered the philosophical one of the bunch. (Gordo Cooper was the not so serious one and he flew the final mission...he also was the one who overshot his landing target - his fault- and for that reason pretty much was never considered for another flight)
This information was taken from the books The Last Man on the Moon by Gene Cernan a FIJI, and from The Unbroken Chain by Guenter Wendt who was the pad leader for all launches of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo with the exception of Apollo 17
5.)Finally in response to those who don't believe there are city ordinances restricting the # of people who can live together I submit two articles from last springs Daily Nebraskan that showcase the situation 5 female Nebraska students found themselves in last spring.
Story #1 Story #2
Hope that this clears up a lot of things.