Seeing the result of Shoemaker-Levy 9 crash into Jupiter.
See the Voyager Spacecraft leave the Milky Way
Trying to fathom how a tiny spacecraft can land on a Comet with pinpoint accuracy.
The minds boggles at the cleverness of those who pull off these outstanding events.
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And the bravery of the men and women who" boldy go."
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It is bravery. Not knowing if the craft is going to explode on liftoff.
Not knowing if there is going to be a “Major Malfunction”
A thousand things could go wrong.
What if the oxygen generator goes kaput?
What if the Space walk tether severs?
What if a large hole is punched through the shell of the space station?
What if a major malfunction of the oxygen supply exploded, completely destroying the space station?
So much can go wrong.
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But, the same can happen crossing the street and getting hit by the number nine bus, the difference is, you don’t get your name in the history books for getting knocked down by a bus 
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I think the risk associated with crossing a road pales against going into space. 
I might be less risky crossing the road with lead boots and a helmet on (slower admittedly)
BTW, just for arguments sake, how many folks were on [quote=“Bretrick, post:1, topic:108694”]
Shoemaker-Levy 9
[/quote]
Not an experience for the claustrophobic Bretrick…
Weren’t some of The Apollo astronauts previously fighter pilots before being blasted into space? I suppose it was a progressive experience…hats off to them! 
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Hi
I am also fascinated by it, for two reasons, how big it is and how little we know about it.
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This video really gives an idea as to how large the Universe is.
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When God made the earth, he made it impossible to escape.
Even if he didn’t make the earth…It’s still impossible to escape.
My fear would be, to go out there and not be able to get back…A very slow death as water, food and oxygen gradually runs out…And there’s nothing you can do about it.
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A back up plan would to be have a suicide pill so not to slowly waste away when it becomes obvious that returning is impossible.
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I wonder if previous astronauts have carried one…
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Personally I do not think they did.
The latest technology for space travel is in development now.
Old School
Latest Prototype
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Hi
No need, just press the switch to open the door, no pressure in space, you will be unconscious in 10 to 15 seconds, then your lungs will explode.
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An awful thing to say but I think I’d opt for the pill…
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I never even thought of that. 
Hi
The scientist, with a background in Nuclear, Chemical and Biological defence.
Public Health and Public Safety is boring, but essential, and I am incredibly boring.
Loads of myths about things, If I wanted to end my life I would not go to Dignitas.
Practical reasons why, I do not currently want to end my life, secondly I could not get a fit to fly Certificate.
You need to have access to some very exotic chemicals to be assured of a quick and absolutely secure death.
The Salisbury Poisonings, Novichok, lethal, but takes time so curable as we have seen.
Novichok is not a single chemical, it is a group name for hundreds of different chemicals, developed from insecticides.
Generic Antidotes have been developed.
I have Palytoxin, my poison of choice, several million more times dangerous than Novichok.
It is in a coral in my reef aquarium,I know how to concentrate it.
Suicide pills are not painless, you need something really special to be both 100% effective, quick and painless.
You may be housebound, bedbound but life is great and worth living.
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The Right Stuff was a great book on those early American space launches - and an ok film. The book noted the difference between the test pilots of cutting edge planes of the 50’s and 60’s and the pilots who transferred to be astronauts. As they acknowledged, those first blasts up beyond the atmosphere were hazardous but simple (for the astronaut) up and then down events - they called themselves “spam in a can”. Which sums it up.
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