Before NASA Was Replaced By NASACAR There Was Joe Kittinger

Before NASA Was Replaced By NASACAR There Was Joe Kittinger

Joe Kittinger was suitably saluted by the crew that put Felix Baumgartner up at the edge of space to break his record. But we should never forget the difference between a stunt and feat of real daring, made in the interest of pushing the human race forward.

“If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” said Sir Isaac Newton, himself standing on the shoulders of John of Salisbury.

Sometimes they’re red-headed, freckled giants. 

2 thoughts on “Before NASA Was Replaced By NASACAR There Was Joe Kittinger”

  1. I had the pleasure of spending time with Col. Joe Kittinger a few years back when he was the keynote speaker at a conference. I was tasked with picking him up at the airport, getting him to his hotel and conference and back to the airport when he was finished the next day.

    What a guy – we talked about this that and the other thing just like any other people would. We shared a few jump school stories, swapped a few war stories from Vietnam (he was a fighter pilot credited with one MIG kill and 11 months as a POW) – I was totally awed by this ordinary guy who was a real American hero.

  2. Tom- What an opportunity to meet such a rare guy. I really think he was as notable as any astronaut. He certainly was taking as many, or more risks as anybody in the space program. He’s one of those guys that the Internet loves, though. It was fun that they included him in the new attempt.

    Thanks for reading and commenting.

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