I have a really bad vibe about this SpaceX launch today

[malthaussen]

27. Alan Shepard was an early hero of mine.

We tend to forget the context of his mission into space, the first launch of a human being by the US. We forget that our rockets were blowing up and failing right and left as we scrambled to "catch up" to the USSR, we forget that Shepard spent uncomfortable hours going through hold after hold -- not knowing if he was going to blow up spectacularly, or make it through the ride of his life. We forget he had to wait so long for launch he had to urinate in his suit, which had no facilities for such. We forget that, as mission control was dithering over this problem and that, the exasperated Shepard finally snapped:
"I'm cooler than your are! Why don't you fix your little problem and light this candle?" We forget that after a few years, we would become so blase about space flight that we practically ignored the launches and the risks being taken, unless we were spectacularly reminded when something went wrong.

It's a risk. To paraphrase Gus Grissom, the crew are sitting on top of a million parts, all let to the lowest bidder. But they want to go anyway. They're eager to go. And everything is being done to ensure that they go safely and well. (When you get down to it, spaceflight has been less risky than a lot of activities we take for granted. Like driving, for example)

Ultimately, you pays yer money and you makes yer choice. It's time to light the candle.

https://www.americaspace.com/2012/05/09/light-this-candle-the-hours-before-freedom-7/

-- Mal