Editing 1375: Astronaut Vandalism
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | Signs like this normally show the distance to places on earth's surface. This sign also has an arrow pointing away from earth and towards "space", with a distance of 62 | + | Signs like this normally show the distance to places on earth's surface. This sign also has an arrow pointing away from earth and towards "space", with a distance of 62 miles (100 km), due to "astronaut vandalism". |
− | We think of | + | We think of Space as being so very far away. This comic puts into perspective that it's really a lot closer to get to Space than to many destinations we're used to getting to by car or airplane. We think of 62 miles as being an easy trip on the ground, but that same 62 miles is incredibly hard when going vertically, against the force of gravity. Distance-wise, however, it's the same. |
− | The title text | + | The title text states that the distance to "space" was changed later from 62 miles (100 km) to 50 miles (80 km) by retired Air Force pilots. This indicates that the pilots wanted to reduce the altitude considered to be "space", so that their own high altitude flights could be considered space flights. |
− | + | The {{W|U.S. Air Force|USAF}} will award {{W|astronaut wings}} to rated astronauts who fly higher than 50 miles, while the {{W|World Air Sports Federation}} (FAI) in the mid 1950s designated the 100-kilometer {{W|Karman Line}} (62 miles) as the official boundary between the {{W|Earth's atmosphere}} and {{W|outer space}}. So for some pilots in the 1960s it was enough to fly above 50 miles to earn the wings and eight pilots on the {{w|X-15|X-15 Program}} earned them like this. This explains why it was retired pilots who changed the sign - so their wings would still be valid. | |
− | + | There may be an Elvis aspect to this comic. The mileages are approximately consistent with the signs being in Tupelo, Mississippi, birthplace of Elvis Presley. Tupelo is about 100 miles from Graceland (Elvis' home) in Memphis, Tennessee. Tupelo is also a bit over a hundred miles from the International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame in Jackson, Tennessee. The mileages given by Google maps, however, don't exactly match the mileages on the sign in the comic. Instead of 98 & 115 (in the comic), Google maps gives 101 & 104. | |
− | + | Another possible explanation is a simple mixup. {{W|Winona, Mississippi}} is the hometown of astronaut {{W|Donald H. Peterson}}, who is a retired Air Force officer and pilot, and served as an astronaut in the early Shuttle program. From Winona, it is 115 miles to Memphis International Airport, and 98 miles to Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport ([http://www.travelmath.com/nearest-airport/Winona,+MS source]). Thus, the sign would be reasonably located in Winona, albeit with an error, and Peterson would have vandalized it (and some visiting USAF buddy of his could change it back). | |
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+ | The road from Jackson to Memphis is I-55 (northwards); the distance (according to [https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=jackson&daddr=memphis&hl=en&sll=33.137551,-89.802246&sspn=8.955085,10.338135&geocode=FQXX7AEdluOf-ikhG3SQfysohjGgOPBB5M0TBw%3BFd5WGAIdLPah-ilFl0PqHn7VhzH-thpgFfOT0Q&t=h&mra=ls&z=8 Google Maps]) is 210 miles. That 98+115=213 may indicate that the location is 3 miles off I-55. There is a place called "Pace" near Cleveland which is around 79 miles from Winona. The "astronaut vandalism" may have been to prefix "Pace" with an "s" to form "sPace", and then to rotate the sign. The spacing on the signs in the cartoon is consistent with the idea that the "s" was added; it is a little cramped. The "P" of "space", "M" of "Memphis" and "J" of "Jackson" are perhaps a little larger than the other letters, indicating that those might have been the original initial majuscule letters. | ||
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+ | Based purely on the mileages, it is most likely that the sign is located in or near Grenada, MS. This makes the mileages nearly correct when using US-51 as opposed to I-55 to get to Memphis and Jackson, and also is about 62 miles from Pace, MS via Mississippi Route 8. It is unlikely, however, that a sign in Grenada would include the mileage to such a small town as Pace from such a great distance. Cleveland would be a much more useful control city for motorists. Additionally, since the viewer is looking east, Pace would be behind the viewer. Assuming the one doing the vandalism did more than simply turn and add a letter to the sign, it is possible that they also detached it from the southbound-side of the pole (where it could be viewed pointing to the west) and reattached it to the eastbound side, as shown here. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
:[A signpost with three arrows.] | :[A signpost with three arrows.] | ||
− | :[Arrow pointing up:] | + | :[Arrow pointing up:] |
:Space 62 | :Space 62 | ||
:[Arrow pointing right:] | :[Arrow pointing right:] | ||
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*See [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/09/where_does_space_begin.html Slate: Where does space begin?] for more background. | *See [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/09/where_does_space_begin.html Slate: Where does space begin?] for more background. | ||
*This comic was published on the same day that Version 2 of the {{w|Dragon (spacecraft)|Dragon spaceship}} was unveiled. | *This comic was published on the same day that Version 2 of the {{w|Dragon (spacecraft)|Dragon spaceship}} was unveiled. | ||
− | *The mileage | + | *The Memphis mileage may be a reference to {{W|Windows 98}}, which was internally codenamed Memphis whilst in development at {{W|Microsoft}}. |
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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