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NASA Astronaut Dick Gordon, Pilot of Gemini and Apollo 12, Dies At 88 (astronautscholarship.org)
sconeu writes: Dick Gordon, pilot of Gemini 11 and command module pilot of Apollo 12, has died at the age of 88. Gordon was also slated to command the cancelled Apollo 18 mission. "Dick Gordon is an American hero, and a true renaissance man by any measure. He was an American naval officer and aviator, chemist, test pilot, NASA astronaut, professional football executive, oil and gas executive and generous contributor to worthy causes," said Curt Brown, board chairman of the Orlando-based Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and an astronaut and veteran of six space flights. "He was in a category all his own." The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has a touching write-up that details Gordon's childhood and career successes. You can read the full article here.
"The next person to set foot on another world will be either Chinese or an employee of SpaceX."
So what? Do you also get wistful about the nationality of the next person to go to the bottom of the ocean? Why not?
Why do so many people have such an emotional investment in space? It's a fucking dead vacuum with a few dead rocks in it. It's not like on TV. It's not like the movies. Grow up!
"I think Musk's company has a good chance of getting there first. The Chinese are taking it slow and steady, while Musk is willing to take more risks."