A Conversation for Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Peer Review: A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 1

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Entry: Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks - A87904452
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - U1590784

About the fifth time somebody acted like they were offended by the red car in space, I'd had enough. Here is an entry about monkeyshines in space.

If I left your favourites out, please let me know, and we'll add things. smiley - smiley

smiley - dragon


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 2

Superfrenchie

First paragraph of "Before NASA" has "World War II wasn't the least funny"... Isn't that missing a word somewhere ?
Unless you do mean that the other wars were less funny than that one.
smiley - huh

Apart from that: really nice read, both informative and entertaining. smiley - biggrin
Thank you.


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 3

minorvogonpoet

I'm not surprised astronauts play tricks. There must be a mixture of boredom and tension up there. And it's fun to record them like this!

I wasn't sure I understood the sentence that begins. "While space scientists in other countries spin their wheels..."

On the subject of Apollos 12s 'Playboy centrefold and girlie pictures',this is perhaps a bit too sexist for modern taste. There's been such a furore here in the UK lately about women being required to dress up in skimpy clothing and put up with being groped.

The last I heard of Elon Musk's car, it was headed for the asteroid belt. Perhaps it needs that 'Don't Panic' sign.


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 4

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Thanks, SF! I changed that sentence. A word was left out.

MVP:

- While space scientists in other countries spun their wheels - meaning 'made no progress' - German space scientists were employed in missile production, more or less forcibly. Was that not clear? Or was it something else I've missed here? If it's really confusing, I can reword, if you can tell me what was confusing about it.

- I'm assuming you weren't seriously suggesting I leave out the naughty pictures prank because it is offensive to modern sensibilities. Were you saying that the description should be worded differently? I refuse to leave it out - we may disapprove of the porn industry, but it happened. But I'd be glad to reword.

If that car ends up in the asteroid belt, I hope they can get to a space garage...smiley - laugh


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 5

minorvogonpoet

Sorry, perhaps I'm being exceptionally dense. smiley - doh
I didn't recognise 'spun their wheels' as meaning 'made no progress'
and I wasn't sure why the scientists' doctoral theses were being labelled 'top secret'.

I have no objection to accounts of jokes about girly pictures.smiley - biggrin.


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 6

Tavaron da Quirm - Arts Editor

I really enjoyed reading this. smiley - smiley


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 7

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

smiley - laugh That really happened to von Braun - his doctoral thesis was sequestered because the military saw the potential for weapons. He was hoping to go to the moon.

Thanks for letting me know - I'll try to make that clearer. smiley - smiley

And smiley - oksmiley - rofl Yeah, those 'Right Stuff' guys could be pretty juvenile at times. It *was* the 60s. smiley - facepalm


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 8

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

There! I hope that's a little bit clearer. smiley - laugh


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 9

Deek

An interesting tale. Great read. Maybe you might want to include these:

Space food wasn’t universally regarded with enthusiasm by the astronauts. Gus Grissom, the mission commander of Gemini 3 was less than complimentary about it. Two hours after take off Grissom’s crew, John Young, famously gave Grissom a corned beef sandwich which he’d smuggled up in his spacesuit. The sandwich shed crumbs and had to be disposed of. Apparently the joke didn’t go down too well with tptb either.

Grissom had also named Gemini 3 ‘Molly Brown’ after a Broadway play ‘The Unsinkable Molly Brown’. She was the American lady who had pretty much taken command of one of the Titanic’s lifeboats and tried to rescue others. It was a bit of a dig at those who had inferred that he was responsible for the loss of his previous Mercury spacecraft ‘Liberty Bell 7’ when the hatch blew off prematurely and it sank.

Don’t know if they count as jokes exactly but Alan Shepherd, commander of Apollo 14 drove a couple of golf balls ‘miles and miles’. And David Scott Apollo 15, demonstrated Galileo’s theory with a hammer and a feather.

Deek


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 10

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Those are good! In they go! smiley - biggrin


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 11

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

Okay, can I rope in any other coauthors? smiley - winkeye

Note to Artists: The rocket car illustration is not to stop you from making one of your own stellar montages - far from it!

I happened to know that rocket car was already in our database from an old Post entry, so I threw it in. smiley - evilgrin I know where the pixels are stashed...


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 12

minorvogonpoet

smiley - ok This is getting better and better!

There is, of course, a Guide Entry on the subject of space food A87845502.


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 13

You can call me TC

Shame you're only writing this now - it would have fit beautifully into the book.


A87904452 - Von Braun to Musk: A Short History of Space Pranks

Post 14

Dmitri Gheorgheni, Post Editor

smiley - laugh We'll save it for 'Volume 2' some year...


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Post 15

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Post 16

Galaxy Babe - eclectic editor

smiley - applause


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