Michael Collins

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DodgeDodge Frets: 1430
edited April 2021 in Tributes
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56921562

A proper legend. Can't imagine what it must have felt being alone and the furthest human from Earth.  What a mind job.

RIP Mike.
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Comments

  • JonathangusJonathangus Frets: 4436
    “This venture has been structured for three men, and I consider my third to be as necessary as either of the other two. I don’t mean to deny a feeling of solitude. It is there, reinforced by the fact that radio contact with the Earth abruptly cuts off at the instant I disappear behind the moon, I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life. I am it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion plus two over on the other side of the moon, and one plus God knows what on this side”.

    RIP Michael Collins
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    As for "when am I ready?"  You'll never be ready.  It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it.  - pmbomb


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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    RIP.

    The Apollo guys were truly pioneers, I cannot imagine how big your balls have to be to sit on top of a giant bomb in a glorified dustbin and travel somewhere where no human had gone before. The very stuff of boys' own stories. 
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  • not_the_djnot_the_dj Frets: 7306
    Sad to read about his passing earlier tonight.  I’d vote for the moon landings to be mankind’s greatest achievement, and he was an essential part of that amazing journey. 

    RIP
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  • Michael Collins was my favourite astronaut. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    “This venture has been structured for three men, and I consider my third to be as necessary as either of the other two. I don’t mean to deny a feeling of solitude. It is there, reinforced by the fact that radio contact with the Earth abruptly cuts off at the instant I disappear behind the moon, I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life. I am it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion plus two over on the other side of the moon, and one plus God knows what on this side”.

    RIP Michael Collins
    Those seven Command Module Pilots - of the six landing missions plus Apollo 10 - experienced an isolation unknown to any other humans who have ever lived. And worse, the knowledge that if anything went wrong on the Moon - a very real risk - they would have to come home alone. Their names are often forgotten relative to the twelve who actually landed, but they were every bit as important.

    RIP :(

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • RonantianRonantian Frets: 890
    Drove the Brits out of Ireland and then went to the moon. What a man.
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  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    You have to remember that he knew what tiny piece of thin metal with a rocket underneath it, that might not have had enough fuel, had to get back off the moon to be able to get back to him.  It’s not as this was well proven technology for that manoeuvre. 

    And that loneliness when he was orbiting the moon.

    he, and the other CM pilots,  that’s character.
    RIP
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  • JonathangusJonathangus Frets: 4436
    Trading feedback | How to embed images using Imgur

    As for "when am I ready?"  You'll never be ready.  It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it.  - pmbomb


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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    sev112 said:
    You have to remember that he knew what tiny piece of thin metal with a rocket underneath it, that might not have had enough fuel, had to get back off the moon to be able to get back to him.  It’s not as this was well proven technology for that manoeuvre.
    It had in fact been tried only twice before, Apollo 9 in Earth orbit and Apollo 10 in Lunar orbit, and neither by launching from a surface. The problem with the Lunar Module as a whole was that it couldn't really be tested thoroughly since it was only capable of being operated in space.

    Although the ascent stage was deliberately designed with a rocket whose special fuel needed no ignition - simply mixing the two parts caused automatic combustion - it was still a no-backup-option part of the whole system, and the two astronauts on the Moon absolutely relied on that one engine to work flawlessly every single time or they weren't going home. There was a non-negligible risk of either not being able to leave the surface at all, or not being able to reach the command module. In those circumstances the crew could well have remained alive for some time, and the Command Module Pilot would have had to initiate the return to Earth without them. Thankfully it never happened, but apparently Nixon had a speech written in advance for broadcast in the event.

    From what I've read that's one of the major reasons the missions were discontinued after six landings, even though there were more originally planned - quit while you're still ahead.

    They were all extremely brave men.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • siremoonsiremoon Frets: 1524
    ICBM said:
    sev112 said:
    You have to remember that he knew what tiny piece of thin metal with a rocket underneath it, that might not have had enough fuel, had to get back off the moon to be able to get back to him.  It’s not as this was well proven technology for that manoeuvre.
    It had in fact been tried only twice before, Apollo 9 in Earth orbit and Apollo 10 in Lunar orbit, and neither by launching from a surface. The problem with the Lunar Module as a whole was that it couldn't really be tested thoroughly since it was only capable of being operated in space.

    Although the ascent stage was deliberately designed with a rocket whose special fuel needed no ignition - simply mixing the two parts caused automatic combustion - it was still a no-backup-option part of the whole system, and the two astronauts on the Moon absolutely relied on that one engine to work flawlessly every single time or they weren't going home. There was a non-negligible risk of either not being able to leave the surface at all, or not being able to reach the command module. In those circumstances the crew could well have remained alive for some time, and the Command Module Pilot would have had to initiate the return to Earth without them. Thankfully it never happened, but apparently Nixon had a speech written in advance for broadcast in the event.

    From what I've read that's one of the major reasons the missions were discontinued after six landings, even though there were more originally planned - quit while you're still ahead.

    They were all extremely brave men.
    Indeed.  They did have a brush with that too as Aldrin broke the top off the ascent engine circuit breaker with his backpack whilst manoeuvring his way out of the LEM for his first moon walk and they had to push the breaker in using a pen.  Sometimes there are very small margins between success and disaster.
    “He is like a man with a fork in a world of soup.” - Noel Gallagher
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15475
    I can't imagine the qualities it takes to know you're not going to be one of those chosen to walk on the moon, but still have the determination and esprit de corps to do everything in your power to make sure the mission succeeds. A true legend.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • thingthing Frets: 469
    He wrote two books, both highly recommended. On bravery, as one of the Apollo astronauts said about the launch experience ' When that thing lights and you're being shaken to so much that you're vision is blurred, you are extremely aware that you are riding something built by the lowest bidder.'
    This is absurd.  You don’t know what you’re talking about.  It warrants combat.
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