One day in June 1987, Brewster Shaw poked his head into Robert ‘Hoot’ Gibson’s office with an idea. More than a year had elapsed since the destruction of Challenger and morale had hit rock-bottom. Several astronauts had already departed NASA or been reassigned elsewhere in the agency - Don Lind, Roy Bridges, Owen Garriott, Bob Stewart and Gordon Fullerton in 1986, alone- whilst the remainder were still mourning their fallen friends. Yet there was a glinuner of hope on the horizon. The Shuttle was gearing up to fly again, the first post-51L crew was named in January and modifications to the Solid Rocket Boosters were going well. A new class of astronaut candidates- the 12th- had been selected, but something more was needed to raise the corps’ spirits. A 1950s-style Saturday night ‘sock hop’, with hoop skirts and jeans, was proposed and Shaw wanted to put together a four-man rock band for it. Both he and Gibson played gnitar; so too did George ‘Pinky’ Nelson, who was quickly recruited. “Brewster played rhythm gnitar, didn’t want to play lead,” Gibson remembered, years later.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    New beginnings


    Additional title:

    Springer Praxis Books (formerly: Springer-Praxis Series)


    Contributors:
    Evans, Ben (author)


    Publication date :

    2012-05-21


    Size :

    65 pages




    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Beginnings

    Etkin, B. | Online Contents | 1999


    Beginnings

    Etkin, B. | Online Contents | 1999


    New Beginnings

    Pietsch, R. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1994


    Small Beginnings

    Emerald Group Publishing | 1959


    New Beginnings

    Kostek | Online Contents | 1997