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snoopy of the day

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"Need A Ride?", Glavkosmos, 1989

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Near the Cosmos. Dawn flight by Stanislav Torlopov (1984)

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“Gus helped me, to no end, backing me up in Gemini as I backed him up in Gemini. We worked very closely on the Apollo flight. I was his next door neighbor and then I had to be the executor of his will. He was a very close friend to all of us.” -Wally Schirra

“I remember being impressed with Gus as an individual and as a pilot… Gus was willing to join the group and he pulled his weight in the boat. He was considered a great pilot, enthusiastic and competitive like the rest of us. I guess the thing I’ll remember the most about Gus was the sacrifice he made for the program… The human element and frailties come to the surface and we have a tragic combination of things, which took the life of our buddy.” -Alan Shepard

“I agree with everything everybody said about Gus. He was a good friend to all of us… Gus unfortunately had to sacrifice his life for one of those human errors that let us then step ahead to another level.” -John Glenn

“We’re kind of like a bunch of brothers. We’re quite close.” -Gordo Cooper

“Gus didn’t say a lot, but when he did speak, it was worth listening to… I think we all take the same chances. But we’re all subject to human frailty, if not our own, that of others… It was dangerous but it hadn’t hurt us so we kept doing it. That was dead wrong and it took that tragedy to make it safe. So complacency causes great difficulty, but the end result is that it leads to progress.” -Scott Carpenter

“We miss him.” -Deke Slayton

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A very special happy birthday to Air Force test pilot, mechanical engineer, NASA astronaut, and all-around superhero Lt. Col. Virgil Ivan “Gus” Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967), who would’ve turned 99 years old today! Gus was one of NASA’s original Mercury Seven astronauts, the second American in space, and the first human to fly in space twice. He was a dad, a husband, a brother, and a son. He’s also my favorite person in the universe. His life and sacrifice continue to inspire people all over the world. Happy birthday, bubba ❤️

“Do good work.”

“There have been times when all of us have wished we’d gone in for some other line of work, say welding or psychology. Who hasn’t? But when the first man touches down on the moon a few years from now, we’ll know the whole thing has been more than worth it.” 

“You are scared, but you learn to take care of yourself.”

“There are few who pass this way of whom it cannot be said that they leave it a poorer place. Gus, however, enriched all of our lives by his presence, and left for future generations who will be travelling to the stars a rich heritage of knowledge, courage, and devotion to an idea. His name will be written in eternity as a pioneer and an explorer of the unknown.” -Walter Cronkite

“The rest of the astronauts thought the world of him.” -Walter Sullivan, Jr.

“Gus did not consider himself the hero type, nor was he impressed with personal prestige. He was a quiet, unassuming, and completely unpretentious person… He possessed a strong desire to succeed in everything he undertook, and this unbeatable desire to win was matched only by his determination and perseverance to see a job through to its satisfactory conclusion.” -Wally Schirra

“I’m pretty sure he got to the moon first. Of course, he didn’t make it… but in spirit I think he was already there.” -Betty Grissom

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Today in Sydney Australia is the late Gus Grissom’s birthday.

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Gus inspecting a Mercury capsule, photographed by Bill Taub, circa 1961

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Happy 99th birthday, Gus. Not a day goes by I don’t think of you still—you’re too much a part of who I am and why I’m here. I understand more every year. Still the bravest, the boldest, the funniest, most daring, hard-working, fun-loving spaceman there ever was

Your impact on the space program, the human endeavor to reach the stars, and my own life can’t be overstated. How lucky for all of us you were born on this day in 1926 and lived such a passionate life—far too short but you made the most of each day. I’m grateful to you in ways beyond words

I hope they’ve got fast cars and faster planes wherever you are, old man. 99 years! Happy birthday bubba I love you ❤️

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Busy day of astronaut birthdays! Happy birthday to…

James Benson “Jim” Irwin (March 17, 1930 – August 8, 1991), the LMP on Apollo 15, who would’ve been 88 today. Jim was the eighth man to walk on the moon and the first (and youngest) moonwalker to pass away.

Thomas Kenneth “Ken” Mattingly II (born March 17, 1936), original CMP for Apollo 13, CMP on Apollo 16, and commander of STS-4 and STS-51-C, who turns 82 today!

Kalpana “K.C.” Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003), mission specialist on STS-87 and STS-107 and the first Indian woman in space, who would’ve turned 56 years old today.

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Happy blood moon!!! I’m so glad the weather cleared up for me to catch it with my camera! 🌕

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A boy shares the news of Yuri Gagarin's space flight with local shepherd (1961)

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MOON BNUY

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The Apollo 10 Lunar Module (LM-4) Snoopy Crew Compartment Stowage Review at Grumman's Bethpage, Long Island, New York facility.

Date: March 5, 1968

NASA ID: S68-29197

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Astronaut Terry Virts shared this photo he took of Ukraine from the ISS in 2015. Praying for their safety.