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Fallen Astronauts/Cosmonauts


Voyager275

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I thought I would make a memorial post for those who died advancing our understanding of space and spaceflight.

Apollo 1:Gus Grissom, Edward White, Roger Chaffee/capsule fire/January 27, 1967

Soyuz 1:Vladimir Komarov/parachute failure/April 24, 1967

Soyuz 11:Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, Viktor Patsayev/capsule depressurization/June 30, 1971

Challenger: Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Greg Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe/explosion/January 28, 1986

Columbia:Rick Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark, Ilan Ramon/reentry breakup/February 1, 2003

I know this post doesn't do these crews justice, but I wanted to make sure others knew of their sacrifices. Flying among the stars, R.I.P

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Might we also remember those that did not lose their lives, but dedicated theirs to the advancement of space flight? Those are the men and women you rarely ever hear about, but that made the whole thing happen. Away from their families and loved ones and often pouring their hearts and souls into the various projects, they worked at doing the impossible by solving one problem at a time. I image in cost them some years too, since space flight is not a stress free endeavour. Veritable armies of people have worked anonymously to further mankind.

To those that rather do hard things than easy ones.

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Might we also remember those that did not lose their lives, but dedicated theirs to the advancement of space flight? Those are the men and women you rarely ever hear about, but that made the whole thing happen. Away from their families and loved ones and often pouring their hearts and souls into the various projects, they worked at doing the impossible by solving one problem at a time. I image in cost them some years too, since space flight is not a stress free endeavour. Veritable armies of people have worked anonymously to further mankind.

To those that rather do hard things than easy ones.

Heh, you know... sometimes it's too bad that space missions aren't like Hollywood movies. After it's all over, you get an insanely long list of credits for everyone who contributed.

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Alan Quimby/booster explosion/September 7, 1990

Sidney Dagle, Lot Gable, John Fassett/solid fuel stage explosion/April 14, 1964

Many other ground crew and workers have died, R.I.P

X-15 Flight 3-65-97:Michael Adams/structural breakup/November 15, 1967/considered a spaceflight by those involved but not under accepted definition

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Originally from 4chan's /tg/

--------

The farer's sacrament

In ages past we looked above and gazed upon the stars,

And wondered if a man could live on Luna or on Mars.

Today men fly that starry night and bless'd are we who know,

The hallowed names and faces of the men who made it so.

[Yuri] might not be, some say, the first into the Black,

But none deny the truth that he's [The First] to make it back.

We look to good old Yuri as the patron of our race,

Humanity's protector in this vast and outer space.

[Neil] knew it was his duty to use NASA's mighty boon,

And take [The Giant] leap on man's behalf up to the Moon.

Now colonists and settlers look to Neil for peace of mind,

On having made the choice to leave their homeworld far behind.

[buzz] was a mighty pilot and just may have been the best,

But more, he was [The Dreamer] seeing far beyond the rest.

With name dear to the hearts of anyone who's grabbed the helm,

We thank Buzz for the future he foresaw our starry realm.

[Michael] chose himself a role that most men could not take,

Crewed his command module [Loner] for Eleven's mission's sake.

When a 'farer's flying solo and his ship is far from home,

He can trust that Michael's with him and he's never quite alone.

[John] may have never gone to space but hallowed is his name,

Without his [steely Eye] Apollo would've died in flames.

His brilliant troubleshooting saved Man's place among the stars,

Now 'farers pray to Johnny as our helpful friend afar.

[Jim] took the role of captain on Thirteen's unlucky flight,

And without him as [The Leader] they'd been lost unto the night.

We oft think of Jim's example when we're facing matters grave,

For he taught us: to be calm, to be resourceful, to be brave.

[Georgy, Vladislav and Vicktor] earned their solemn, holy place,

And will always be [Remembered] as the first to die in space.

When our fellows go to join them they would tell us not to cry,

But to drink a shot and know they're in that bright and starry sky.

[Laika] was a mongrel, who had more than shown her worth,

As [The Loyal] friend of man who proved that we could leave the Earth.

Now the shipboard pets and critters that we choose to share our days,

Are all guarded and protected under Laika's watchful gaze.

Whenever we break atmosphere, we call out to two more,

And beg their benediction on that vast dark ocean's shore.

Whose crews did burn like novae where the Earth's blue fades to black,

To [Challenger] when setting out, [Columbia] when back.

We lift a glass to those who laid our path into the sky,

A solemn prayer in thanks before into the black we fly.

We ask you to watch over us wherever we are sent,

And offer up our voices in a 'Farers Sacrament.

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A bit odd that Wikipedia doesn't mention the Nedelin disaster in their list of spaceflight-related accidents and incidents but I digress.

RIP, all those who have died while leading the way for all of us.

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Space was an inevitable goal for the human race. From Grissom to Husband, they will not be forgotten. Remembered as the ones who walked ahead of us on the softly calling road, and gave their lives so we could do the same. Humans are capable of greatness, and these brave crew showed us that.

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Edited by Voyager275
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Just finished reading Fallen Astronauts by Colin Burgess and Kate Doolan. Capt. Gene Cernan wrote the foreword. It tells the stories of both Astronauts and Cosmonauts who died in flight and on the ground. It was published in 2003 so it doesn't include any stories about our more recent fallen Heroes. Never the less, it's a good read as it gives some of the background behind the legends. And it helps us remember heroes like Elliot See, Ted Freeman and Valentin Bondarenko, who are almost forgotten now, but gave it all so the humankind could reach for the stars.

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