Episode 10 -- Jerry Ross

For this very special episode, members of the awesome Facebook group Space Hipsters submitted their questions for astronaut Jerry Ross.

Jerry co-owns the record for most spaceflights in human history, with seven to his credit. Officially, Jerry recorded an incredible 58 hours, 18 minutes of spacewalking time over the course of nine EVAs ... that are on the record.

More importantly, however, Jerry is a good and decent a person. He's become a good friend over the years, and I'm quite thankful that he agreed to sit down for this interview.

SHOW NOTES:

*Jerry and his wife Karen missed damage to their home during Hurricane Harvey, but many of their neighbors weren't so fortunate.

*A veteran of several mission trips with his church, Jerry pitched in to help with recovery from Harvey before going on an extended trip in Europe.

*The outpouring of assistance in Texas and Florida in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma reminded Jerry of the help NASA received following the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

*Jerry remembers the very tentative start between the American and Russian space programs, and how both parties put aside their differences.

*Jerry talks about why he entered the astronaut program as a mission specialist and not as a pilot.

*Although he hasn't made use of it in quite some time, Jerry does hold a private pilot's license. Time and money kept him from flying privately during his time as an astronaut.

*Jerry discusses Tinker Toys in Space -- the EASE/ACCESS experiment -- on STS-61B. It's a precursor to construction methods on the International Space Station.

*At one point, STS-61B was slated to fly in the ill-fated Challenger slot.

*The flight is also Jerry's first, and as he exited the airlock to begin his first spacewalk, he forced himself not to let out a yell of excitement.

*Jerry grew up with the space race between the United States and Soviet Union, and he kept extensive scrapbooks along the way. That led him to learn about Purdue University in his homestate of Indiana, and in the fourth grade, he decided that he was going to attend the school and become an engineer. The goal of becoming an astronaut evolved over time. 

*Which spacewalk was his most fulfilling? EVERY spacewalk was fulfilling!

*When you go outside at night and see the International Space Station pass by overhead, just remember … Jerry Ross was a part of its very first assembly mission.

*Jerry gives some advice to Ham radio operators hoping to get in touch with the ISS.

*Jerry discusses his time in the air force, and the work he did as an engineer in flight tests of everything from the T-33 to B-1 bomber.

*Houston’s mission control team was always in charge during Jerry’s classified Department of Defense STS-27 flight. There were, however, a team of air force flight controllers being trained for launches that were scheduled to take place out of Vandenburg.

*For years, rumors have persisted that Jerry did an EVA during the flight of STS-27 to repair the military satellite that had been deployed, yet the information remains classified. He filed a Freedom of Information Act request when working on his book, which was denied.

*During the launch of STS-27, Atlantis sustained damage to more than 700 tiles ... and the crew knew about at least some of it. Hear Jerry give his harrowing account of his return to Earth ... and what might have been.

 

Episode 9 -- John Llewellyn, Part 3

SHOW NOTES:

*Although Glynn Lunney is still conducting the interview, he is on the phone with John and his voice is not heard in this episode.

*Because of John's experience in Korea, he finds college life much different than other students.

*John talks about his early NACA career and working with the legendary Max Faget, and after that, it's on to the Space Task Group.

*Working at the remote sites during Mercury was a blast and a half for John. He says working at far-flung places around the world was, for the most part "like winning the lottery."

*John has a run-in with Chris Kraft ... and survives!

*John gives his no-holds-barred take on Scott Carpenter's Mercury flight.

*John's family arrives about 15-20 minutes into the conversation, and there's some background conversation and noise throughout most of the rest of the interview.

*John becomes a clock expert.

*Mission rules become an important part of NASA's early successes.

*Cliff Charlesworth NEVER got tired ... he just got hungry.

*John doesn't mince words when it comes to the Apollo 11 landing.

*John remembers the time message tubes littered the area behind and next to his Retro console. To him, they looked like 105-millimeter howitzer shells. Some say this is how the Trench got its nickname.

*John reminds Glynn of the time he asked for the crew of Apollo 7 to be set down in the middle of a hurricane!

NEXT EPISODE: YOUR questions with seven-time Space Shuttle astronaut Jerry Ross! E-mail your questions to goflightpodcast@yahoo.com or on Twitter @goflightpodcas! The deadline is 10 p.m. Eastern, Sunday, October 22.

Episode 8 -- John Llewellyn, Part 2

SHOW NOTES:

*There's somebody in the background cleaning up what sounds like dishes. I've tried to clean up as much of the noise as possible, but some still remains.

*John discusses the Marines' retreat from the Chosin Reservoir.

*It was wise not to ask John what he thinks of then-U.S. Representative and fellow Korean War veteran veteran Charlie Rangel from New York ... because he'd tell you.

*Even pooping and peeing could have brutal consequences under the conditions in which Llewellyn was forced to fight.

*You may never hear a better explanation of bravery and patriotism than John Llewellyn's.

*John was on a championship football team in Korea. What did his winning team receive?

*Hear John's terrifying account of a bunker encounter with an enemy soldier.

*John received the Bronze Star, and was nominated for the Silver for an encounter in which he took command during battle after other leaders had been either killed or wounded.

*After receiving wounds to his knees, John rehabilitates in Japan.

*He became an occupational military policeman in Japan and ... well ... apparently took advantage of various brothels.

*John explains how he became interested in judo.

*John returns to Korea for a second tour of duty, and relates the story of a tragic story during combat that seriously wounds a fellow Marine in a very sensitive area.

*His experience at the Chosin Reservoir leaves him with serious frostbite, and consequences that last the rest of his life.

*John remembers his most harrowing battle ... and it was not the Chosin Reservoir.

*John is wounded again, and finally returns to the United States.

*Glynn apparently conducts a portion of the interview over the phone, where only John's voice is heard.

*Afterward, John gives his thought on everything from American soldiers who defected to China; Obama; going to what sounds very much like SEAL training; entering college first at William & Mary, then moving to Randolph-Macon and finally back to William & Mary.

NEXT EPISODE:

The third and final installment of this amazing interview with John Llewellyn.

Episode 7 -- John Llewellyn, Part 1

We are very proud to be able to bring you a very special interview over the next three episodes.

Listen in on an extraordinary conversation between legendary Flight Director Glynn Lunney and former Retro Officer John Llewellyn, whose overall story is so much more than his service with NASA. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, John fought in some of the Korean War's most savage battles and carried those memories with him for the rest of his life.

SHOW NOTES:

*John talks about his grandmother living through the siege of Richmond during the Civil War.

*He first met Chris Kraft, not at NASA, but in their native Virginia playing baseball.

*Although he had an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, John was in the marine reserves and got called up to active duty during the Korean War.

*At one point, the conversation between Glynn and John is interrupted by John's wife, Sandy, who asks Glynn to get John to tell the "cattle boat" story. He does, and it leads to a moment that is not politically correct, and in NSFW language. If you want to skip forward when you get to that point, please do so.

*John was right behind Platoon Commander Baldomero Lopez in an iconic photo taken on Red Beach during the invasion of Inchon. Lopez is shown near the top of a ladder going over a seawall, and died moments later.

*In almost painfully vivid detail, John discusses the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.

NEXT WEEK:

Part 2 of this incredible conversation.