Tag Archives: astronaut

USAFA General Now Admits Being in the Tank for Mikey Weinstein

Until this summer, Col Martin “Marty” France was the Head of the Department of Astronautics at the US Air Force Academy, and he had been for some years. As a permanent professor he was allowed to maintain his rank and his position — and then retire with a promotion, as a Brigadier General.

Nine days after he retired, one of BGen (retired) France’s first acts as a civilian was publicly joining Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF.

In fact, it seems he isn’t ashamed of admitting he was in the tank for Mikey all along, even while he served on the USAFA faculty Read more

Christian Fighter Pilot, Astronaut Addresses Eglin Prayer Breakfast

US Air Force Col James Dutton, a NASA astronaut, addressed the Eglin National Prayer breakfast and reminded his listeners of the sense of awe — and the presence of God — that people often miss in their daily lives:

“The world around us is really amazing,” he said. “Our sense of wonder we had as a kid is often lost when we become adults…”

“Being in orbit was like being a two-year old and being a fighter pilot is like being a six-year-old again,” he joked.

MajGen Kenneth Merchant told Col Dutton he “gave us a feel for what it is like to touch the heavens.”  Dutton reiterated that it is “tremendously evident” there is a God Read more

First Bible on the Moon to be Auctioned

What is reportedly NASA’s first “lunar Bible” is being auctioned in a “Space and Aviation Artifacts” event this month.

The tiny object, an intact microfilm of the King James Bible containing all 1,245 pages and measuring 1.5 x 1.5 inches, will be included in the auction by PR Auction on the company’s website beginning Sept. 15.

The miniscule Bible was reportedly a product of the Apollo Prayer League — a group of NASA employees from all fields — and it was created to fulfill  Read more

Astronaut: There Are No Atheists in Rockets, and Prayer in Space

Putting a new twist on an old cliché, NASA astronaut Michael Good (Col, USAF, Ret) recently spoke on the awe-inspiring experience of space flight:

“They say there’s no atheists in foxholes, but there’s probably no atheists in rockets,” said Catholic astronaut Col. Mike Good, who believes his faith in God was solidified by the awe-inspiring views he saw from space.

The article notes the infusion of faith in the local community and NASA:

NASA employees fill pews in churches surrounding Johnson Space Center, including Webster Presbyterian Church, called the “church of the astronauts” when John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin, Jerry Carr, Charlie Bassett and Roger Chaffee were active members of the congregation. Later this month, the church will honor the anniversary of Aldrin’s Holy Communion on the moon, the first meal ever eaten on its surface.

Nearby, the Catholic Church St. Paul the Apostle in Nassau Bay depicts Hubble images in its stained glass windows, a design collaboration with space-loving parishioners.

Two years ago Col Good hoped to bring “glory to the Lord of all creation” on a mission to work on the Hubble.

Some atheists apparently took umbrage at Good’s use Read more

Astronauts and Fighter Pilot Traditions: Traveling Playboys

After a scandal involving “inappropriate” photos in a commercial airline cockpit, this site covered the fighter pilot tradition of putting risqué photos in cross country mission planning materials.  It appears the Apollo astronauts did the same thing.

On January 13th an auction house is planning to start selling off artifacts from a variety of space missions, including a Playboy centerfold:

Vintage color calendar photo of Playboy Playmate Miss August 1967, DeDe Lind, which was stowed away in the Apollo 12 command module Yankee Clipper during its November 1969 voyage to the moon…

The topless image is an original taken from one of the 1969 calendars published by Playboy and features the month Read more

Arizona Shooter was Left-Right-Wing Fundamentalist-Atheist

It was disturbing this weekend to see the attempted assassination of US House Rep Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) — in which a 9 year old girl lost her life — devolve into a game of political gotcha within minutes.

Because Giffords was a pro-abortion Democrat who defeated a “Tea Party” candidate just a few weeks ago, some pointed at right-wing “AM radio-listening” pro-life extremists.  When the alleged shooter’s internet ramblings started to become public — in which he appears to be a confused socialist and ambiguously anti-religion — the speculation went from “conservative fundamentalist” to “lunatic.”  Apparently because to Read more

Christian Test Pilot Commands Space Station

Astronaut and US Army Col Doug Wheelock has become the first US Army commander of the International Space Station.  Wheelock is a former Army test pilot, and he is also a Christian.

“The most important thing is to put your faith and trust in God and to keep your life in the center of His will,” Wheelock said. “When you do that, everything else tends to work out.”

He previously spoke to students at Oklahoma Christian University from space.

Christian Fighter Pilot, Astronaut Speaks at USAFA

As noted earlier, STS-131 pilot LtCol James Dutton was the top 1991 USAFA graduate, flew the F-22 as a test pilot, and is also a Christian and member of OCF.  On May 7th Dutton spoke to a dining out of the USAFA Astro department faculty and cadets.  Col Marty France, the Astro department head, had high praise for Dutton:

Col. Jim Dutton is exactly the kind of officer every cadet in this room should aspire to be… Read more

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