Fact or Urban Legend-One Way Trip to Moon?

[mcs_seattle]

I once read that the reason JFK's speeches about going to the moon always referrred to returning the man safely to the earth was because they had plenty of volunteers to go to the moon on a one way trip. Do you know if this was true or is this an urban legend? <br /><br />Second, would you volunteer for a one way trip to Mars - say you would have enough supplies for a year there but no way to get home?

 

[spacefire]

I'm sure there were plenty of nutcases ready to go on a one way trip to the Moon...<br /><br />I'd go on a one way trip to Mars only if had a good energy-matter-energy convertor <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[tomnackid]

I believe one of the earliest plans for a lunar voyage put forth by the military was to send a man on a one way mission with enough supplies for a year or so then worry about how to get him back later! I think this was more of a last ditch plan in the event it looked like the Soviets were about to send an expedition to the moon and "claim" it as Soviet territory. Remember, after Sputnik the USSR tended to overinflate their successes and play down their failures so it seemed that they were much closer to going to the moon than they actually were.

 

[henryhallam]

I wonder how long it would take for even the keenest space cadet to get bored of sitting in a tiny hab on the moon with nothing to do and no room to swing a cat...

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">I wonder how long it would take for even the keenest space cadet to get bored of sitting in a tiny hab on the moon with nothing to do and no room to swing a cat...</font><br /><br />The saddest thing about <i>that</i> is that it would be a one-way trip for the cat, too. Poor ol' critter -- at least our hypothetical suicide-prone astronaut would have had some say in the matter.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"... it would be a one-way trip for the cat..."</font><br /><br />This is totally off-topic, but can you imagine taking a cat along on a trip to the Moon? Imagine a weightless cat turning itself inside out trying to figure out how it could land on its feet. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /><br /><br />I need another beer.<img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[henryhallam]

I vaguely recall reading an (Asimov? Clarke?) short story about a cat on a space station, anybody remember what it was called?

 

[nacnud]

I remember one about canaries, but not cats...

 

[grooble]

Cat crap.

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">Cat crap. </font><br /><br />'Nuff said. As the proud owner (with my wife) of seven cats (or maybe we ought to make that <i>ownee</i>), I can confirm that until somebody invents a zero-gravity litter box, the whole notion of cats in space is a none-starter.<br /><br />Lord, the thought just sends shivers up my spine. They'll figure out how to do warp drive before they get a handle on all the issues that go with cats.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[lampblack]

I was an Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke <i>nut</i> when I was growing up, and I don't recall any cats on space stations. Which is not to say that there weren't any -- although I'm doubtful as to the prospect.<br /><br />On the other hand, space kitties are not unheard-of in science fiction. Data (in Star Trek TNG) had his faithful Spot (who never did quite get the knack of responding to verbal commands).<br /><br />And as is the case with many truly interesting ideas, the Russians thought of it first. To wit:<br />http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/h/hostarm3.jpg<br /><br />And there's even a web site devoted to the topic:<br /><br />http://catsinspace.com/<br /><br />Heck... given the loosey-goosey approach the U.S. has taken toward space exploration over the past 30 or 40 years, I'm thinkin' the evolved descendants of cats may well get to Mars (for instance) before we do. Wouldn't that be a furry disappointment?<br /><br />But this is slightly off topic. Recovery brings us to... <b>I'm thinkin' that</b> with the solid battery of psychological examinations that all the early astronauts were required to undergo, it's extremely unlikely any of the final candidates were the sort who'd voluntarily undertake a one-way mission. Not even if they could take a cat with 'em.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Yes, one way trips were considered. See http://www.marsinstitute.info/rd/faculty/dportree/rtr/mm09.html<br /><br />The cat in space story by Clarke was "Who's there?", in "Tales from ten worlds". It's a charming story.<br /><br />Heilein also had stories featuring cats in space.<br /><br />The French flew cats on some rockets launched from Algeria in the 60's. Sadly, not all survived.<br /><br />As for housing keeping, in zero G they would have to be caged, a strong airflow would keep things in the right place, the same principle is used on the rat cages that have been flown several times. On shuttle visions the rats have sometimes been let out, they seem to enjoy the experience, judging from the videos.<br /><br />As a committed aulirophile I think a cat would be great company on the moon or Mars. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

Cordwainer Smith also had a thing for cats, the faithful, brave pinlighters in "The game of Rat and Dragon", the warrior cats of "The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal", and C'Mell, the most wonderful woman - and cat - in the universe. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"As a committed aulirophile..."</font><br /><br />Jon, thanks for the new word. I just wish you had spelled it correctly <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />. The only thing Google found for "aulirophile" was somebody's username on some forums. I thought I got the meaning from the context, but wanted to be sure.<br /><br />But I found it in Encarta -- ailurophile: somebody who loves cats.<br /><br />Thanks, again. Always good to learn new words. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Oh, and I'm an unabashed ailurophile myself.<img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>As for housing keeping, in zero G they would have to be caged, a strong airflow would keep things in the right place, the same principle is used on the rat cages that have been flown several times. On shuttle visions the rats have sometimes been let out, they seem to enjoy the experience, judging from the videos.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Just don't let the cats and rats out at the same time. <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /><br /><br />Actually, with cats being a bit bigger than rats, maybe a better solution would be the one that was used on simian spacefarers: diapers! They do make diapers for both cats and dogs (yes, it has a hole for the tail) , mainly for incontinent elderly pets. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"They do make diapers for...cats..."</font><br /><br />Maybe an older cat would put up with that, but a younger cat would have that thing off about as fast as you could put it on. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Cats usually don't like things attached to them. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[SpaceKiwi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Heck... given the loosey-goosey approach the U.S. has taken toward space exploration over the past 30 or 40 years, I'm thinkin' the evolved descendants of cats may well get to Mars (for instance) before we do.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Already been done ....... <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">Actually, with cats being a bit bigger than rats, maybe a better solution would be the one that was used on simian spacefarers: diapers! They do make diapers for both cats and dogs (yes, it has a hole for the tail) , mainly for incontinent elderly pets.</font><br /><br />Heavens to mergatroid... diapers on a cat... Calli... how many cats have you known personally? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> (By the way, one of our cats is a calico named Calli Grace -- one of those harmonic convergence things, I'm thinking.)<br /><br />You might as well try to diaper a tornado. I had the bright idea of trying to put a collar on one of our cats one time. It was like a scene out of Apocalypse Now -- "The Horror! The Horror!"<br /><br />Now, the notion of managing the cat litter on a space station through the use of cages and air flow also strikes me as problematic. Every cat I've ever known personally was philosophically opposed to cages -- and even more opposed to doing litter box stuff in the vicinity of where he/she slept.<br /><br />I love cats. But I'm thinking that anybody who figures out how to manage cats in zero gravity will earn a Nobel Prize.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

I'm violently allergic to cats, actually. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> I realize it would be a challenge to get the cat to accept the diaper, but in the meantime if anybody wishes to attempt it, I am prepared to furnish the popcorn for any observers. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

I woz nva eni guud et spelng <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />I have only one beast, an enormous tabby called Oliver. he is beautiful, affectionate, and talkative - and a complete boofhead.<br /><br />Unlike our last cat, the much missed Sam, a blue burmese, who was small, muscular compact, very smart, very forceful, very affectionate, and almost completely silient.<br /><br />Every life should have nine cats.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>