Movie Gravity

[qt]

Of course I expect a film to switch things around a bit for dramatic effect, but as for this,

but also the yelling match that never happened.

I wouldn't have minded it, if the eventual kiss-and-make-up weren't such a horrible Hollywood cliché.

[Noldi400]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

[ka9q]

I bet there'd be a lot less of a reaction today.

[Allan F]

Another question on Apollo 13 (the movie):

When they prepare to dock with the LM, Tom Hanks asks "How is the alignment", and Bacon answers "GDC aligned" and presses a button. Had he forgotten part of the procedure, and what what did that button do? Align the probe with the LM?

[twik]

I cry when they come out of radio silence!

I do, too, probably because I remember being a small child and sitting through that, hoping so desperately to hear something. Sometimes real life can conceive of more dramatic situations that the most lurid screenwriters.

[Noldi400]

I cry when they come out of radio silence!

I do, too, probably because I remember being a small child and sitting through that, hoping so desperately to hear something. Sometimes real life can conceive of more dramatic situations that the most lurid screenwriters.

And, as a side note, a tribute to the skill of Opie Ron Howard - to manage that level of suspense in telling a story of which we already know the outcome.  (As opposed to - IMHO - Argo, for example.)

[Glom]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

Cernan's statement was technically accurate. The LM was Snoopy, Snoopy was a dog, dogs are by definitions sons of bitches.

[Noldi400]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

Cernan's statement was technically accurate. The LM was Snoopy, Snoopy was a dog, dogs are by definitions sons of bitches.

The funny thing, I thought, was that the Commander, Tom Stafford, was also cursing a blue streak. Stafford, whose nickname was "Mumbles", was known to get just a bit less than articulate when excited (some of the other astronauts said that he was so smart he couldn't talk as fast as he was thinking) and his profanity didn't come across the comm link.

According to Cernan, what saved their collective butts was Stafford taking manual control of the LM and getting  them into the correct attitude in time to make the ascent burn.  As Gene said, "Old Mumbles sure do know how to fly."

[gtvc]

Are the Nasa helmets like that?

[BazBear]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

I seem to recall Cernan saying the anomaly was due to a crew screw up; ie. Tom and Gene both changed the same switch's position, one not knowing the other had thrown it.

[Peter B]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

I seem to recall Cernan saying the anomaly was due to a crew screw up; ie. Tom and Gene both changed the same switch's position, one not knowing the other had thrown it.

Yep, and on Apollo 17 he apparently made it very clear to Jack Schmitt where the line was - don't touch any switches on my side of the line.

[gtvc]

Hello? somebody please check the last trailer the one I posted above and tell are the helmets really with HUD display or is science fiction?

[Noldi400]

Look how long it took to publish the in-flight intercom tape dumps. They certainly weren't classified for any reason other than to hide the fact that these guys made mistakes, swore, joked, got emotional, and otherwise acted like perfectly normal human beings doing a very unusual job. Nothing they said in private could take away the fact that they did their jobs quite well.

Remember how much flak Cernan caught when he yelled "SONOFABITCH!" just because the LM computer suddenly decided it belonged on a carnival ride? The Right Reverend Larry "Dickhead" Poland raised such a stink that Cernan, under orders, made  a public apology at a press conference. 

Of course, Cernan later referred to the uproar as "goddamn hogwash".

I seem to recall Cernan saying the anomaly was due to a crew screw up; ie. Tom and Gene both changed the same switch's position, one not knowing the other had thrown it.

Just so. And then when the ascent stage "went nuts", Stafford - thinking the problem was in the Abort Guidance System - flipped the switch again, which of course left the system "totally confused and helpless".

[LunarOrbit]

I saw "Gravity" today. It was pretty good... but it definitely takes some liberties with reality.

[Ranb]

I saw Gravity tonight and enjoyed it.  While there was a short list of things I was able to recognize as inaccurate, I didn't mind the absence of the cooling garment and MAG when Bullock did her Barbarella un-suiting.

Ranb