‘Houston, we have a virtual problem…’

NASA sorry

Gordon Cooper: “You boys know what makes this bird go up? FUNDING makes this bird go up.”
Gus Grissom: “He’s right. No bucks, no Buck Rogers.”

4 thoughts on “‘Houston, we have a virtual problem…’

  1. Brad Warthen Post author

    And let’s not forget Levon Helm’s awesome narration:

    There was a demon that lived in the air. They said whoever challenged him would die. Their controls would freeze up, their planes would buffet wildly, and they would disintegrate. The demon lived at Mach 1 on the meter, seven hundred and fifty miles an hour, where the air could no longer move out of the way. He lived behind a barrier through which they said no man could ever pass. They called it the sound barrier. Then they built a small plane, the X-1, to try and break the sound barrier. Men came to the high desert of California to ride it. They were called test pilots. And no one knew their names.

    Of course, those men didn’t come to “ride it.” They came “rahd it.” This being Levon, God rest him.

    Reply
    1. Bryan Caskey

      Chuck Yeager: Hey, Ridley, ya got any Tweets?
      Jack Ridley: Yeah, I think I got me a few.
      Chuck Yeager: Loan me some, will ya? I’ll pay ya back later.
      Jack Ridley: Fair enough.

      Reply

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