Lunch with an Astronaut, Florida

Posted by Jackie Hewett on Thu 19th April 2007 at 09:55 PM, Filed in USA Florida

One of the best things we did in Florida during our trip October 2006 was to book lunch with an astronaut at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre.

We had no idea how ‘intimate’ it would be (in terms of numbers of attendees), what to expect regarding the format or who we were going to see.  We’d booked through a rep in our hotel, but if you book through their web site it lists the astronauts scheduled for about a month ahead (but it is subject to change).  The lunch wasn’t expensive – something like an extra $20 per head (on top of the Max access tour we had decided to do anyway) and we figured we’d be buying lunch anyway so why not give it a go?
The ‘Brady Bunch’ with Al Worden in the middle

We were given strict instructions about not going on the bus tour in the morning as we wouldn’t be back in time for the lunch which was to start at 12.15 sharp.  There were about 70 people waiting in the lobby on the day we went.  We filed into a large function room with the obligatory round tables and a video showing.  We were free to choose our own seats so we took a table near the ‘front’ and helped ourselves from the buffet.  The food was not gourmet, but fine, with a reasonable choice of hot and cold dishes and soft drinks.  But of course we hadn’t come for that.

After most people had finished their main course a pretty ordinary looking, even diminutive, guy stood up and took the mc.  He introduced himself as Al Worden, who I now know to be the commander on Apollo 15 in 1971 which was the fourth manned lunar landing mission.

I won’t spoil his stories in case you are privileged enough to hear him speak for yourself, but I will never forget the wonderful little insights into his deep space experiences Al didn’t moon-walk himself, but spent 3 days orbiting the moon while his colleagues (David Scott and James Irwin) went down.  What went through my mind was how scary can that be - to be completely on your own so far from home?  OK, you’ve got radio contact with the guys on the moon and the Command Centre on Earth, but what about the long periods of radio silence on the dark side of the moon, and what if the Lunar Module couldn’t dock with the command module Endeavor on return from the moon?  All sorts of things would have played on my mind during those lonely 3 days, but Al describes them as the best days of his life.

Of course there were the, to be expected, stories of performing of ablutions that delighted all of the boys present (big and little!) and much discussion about space food and menu’s, but it was the little and unexpected things I found the most interesting.  Things like some of the astronauts were scared of heights and hated crossing the gantry to the command module some 30 storeys up - so that’s why they were covered in canvas!  Who would have thought that?

Al is a charming man with an air of serenity and calm about him, and I would gladly hear him make exactly the same speech all over again.  At the end of his talk he took about 1/2 dozen questions from the audience and there we had the opportunity to have our photo taken in family groups with Al.  Everyone was given a signed print of Al, but the photos taken on the day had to be paid for.

If you find yourself in Florida with some time to spend away from the usual theme parks I’d urge you to go and book a lunch at Nasa, and if you are really lucky you may to get to hear Al.  Whilst there are quite a number of astronauts only some 15 or so went to the moon, 12 moonwalked, of which there are only 9 alive today.

The whole lunch has sparked an interest in space for me, and I can thoroughly recommend the book ‘Carrying the Fire’ by Michael Collins.  The book is widely regarded to be the definitive guide to deep space missions.  Michael Colins was the commander on Apollo 11 and his book gives a real insight into what it’s like to be launched into space in a ‘tin-can’.

Since the trip I have also really enjoyed listening to the fabulous ‘Moondust’ talking book in my car in which the author Andrew Smith tried to meet and interview the 9 remaining Moonwalkers to ascertain how the experience changed their lives and the problems they have encountered in re-adjusting inot normal life.

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