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    Dick Gordon RIP

    Command Module pilot of Apollo 12 has died aged 88. He was apparently so laid back as an individual that he fell asleep during a spacewalk. RIP.

    #2
    This is really sad news. He was probably the greatest Apollo astronaut who never walked on the moon. I remember being mesmerised as a kid by his cool American banter with Conrad and Bean on Apollo 12, especially after the dour, rather technocratic atmosphere of Apollo 11. As cool as a cucumber throughout the lightening strikes during 12's launch.

    When he did his first Gemini space walk it the first one after Charles White had nearly died during his, so to remain so relaxed during that was also impressive.

    He and Conrad were also the instigators and main protagonists of the Chevy racing culture during the 60s, which while hugely irresponsible to today's eyes only furthered astronaut chic. These blokes were daredevil idiots sometimes, but to get where they did they probably had to be given the risks of the programme.

    Gordon was actually scheduled to be mission commander on Apollo 17, and would have been the last man on the moon, but his team got bumped to 18 after (justified) pressure to get a proper geologist on the moon (Harold Schmitt) before the programme's funding was cut.

    The fact that he looked a bit Like George Clooney also added to his aura.

    So my second favourite astronaut has died. The best, IHMO, Dave Scott is still going, thankfully. Yes there was the selling stamps scandal which has tainted the Apollo 15 crew's carreer ever since, but Apollo 15 was almost the perfect mission. The first mountain landing, the first Rover mission, and Scott was at the forefront of dragging the Apollo astronauts around to the geologists point of view. The mission before had seen Sheppard pissing around with a golf club on the surface. The sheer determination and enthusiasm Scott showed for the geological programme while cajoling/ enthusing Irwin along with him was wonderful.

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