James May on the Moon

[JohnD]

Don't know if Mr.May has much of a profile in the US, but he's Captain Slow of Top Gear. He has his own life on TV though, in particular recently a series on 20th century technology. Perhaps arisng out of that, last night BBC showed two programmes, one with the above title and one called "James May at the Edge of Space". The first was JM seeing some Moon walker astronauts (not the usual ones), and training to go up in a U-2, the nearest thing, as I think he says that a middle aged, rather porky man could hope for, to going to the Moon.

It's really good, IMHO! Wonderful shots of the Curve of Earth from 700,000 ft, and an airliner pasing below, as far below as they are normally seen above. If you can get BBC iPlayer, see them again at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

John

[slang]

Lucky sod getting all the fun, I was just a little jealous :) I guess he deserved the U2 ride after all the abuse he gets in Top Gear. I agree with JohnD, at least for the part of the show I saw. Great program.

[saturn4b]

Don't know if Mr.May has much of a profile in the US, but he's Captain Slow of Top Gear. He has his own life on TV though, in particular recently a series on 20th century technology. Perhaps arisng out of that, last night BBC showed two programmes, one with the above title and one called "James May at the Edge of Space". The first was JM seeing some Moon walker astronauts (not the usual ones), and training to go up in a U-2, the nearest thing, as I think he says that a middle aged, rather porky man could hope for, to going to the Moon.

It's really good, IMHO! Wonderful shots of the Curve of Earth from 700,000 ft, and an airliner pasing below, as far below as they are normally seen above. If you can get BBC iPlayer, see them again at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

John

Erm, if anyone can get a plane to fly at 700,000 feet, I think NASA would like to hear about it. ;)

[JohnD]

Quote from Saturn 4b's signoff, presumably something he would like to live by:
"If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not."

It LOOKED like 700,000 ft.

"Demons tell us there is a hell for pedants, an interminable palace more empty than full, and without windows." Sadly I can't find the origin of this telling sentence, that all those who seek to correct the trivial mistakes of others should take to heart.

John the Mistaken

[saturn4b]

Quote from Saturn 4b's signoff, presumably something he would like to live by:
"If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not."

It LOOKED like 700,000 ft.



:lol: Good answer!