explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1375: Astronaut Vandalism

2014-05-30T06:37:13Z

Thesetwoutes:

Is there an actual place that this is referencing? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.222.41|108.162.222.41]] 05:14, 30 May 2014 (UTC)
:This seems to be Grenada, MS. {{unsigned ip|108.162.221.28}}

Grenada is possible - but given the NASA connection to Winona, and the fact that the numbers are exact (but reversed), I think it's a better candidate.

1375: Astronaut Vandalism

2014-05-30T06:35:22Z

Thesetwoutes: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1375
| date = May 30, 2014
| title = Astronaut Vandalism
| image = astronaut_vandalism.png
| titletext = That night, retired USAF pilots covertly replaced the '62' with '50'.
}}

==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 miles (100 km), due to "astronaut vandalism". 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.

There may be an Elvis aspect to this comic. The mileages are approximately consistent with the sign's 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).

The {{W|U.S. Air Force}} will award {{W|astronaut wings}} to rated officers who fly higher than 62 miles as {{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}}. In the 1960s, however, after the FAI defined space at 100 km, it was enough to fly above 50 miles to earn the wings and seven pilots earned them like this. This explain why it was retired pilots who changed the sign - so their wings would still be valid.

Useful summary: [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/09/where_does_space_begin.html Slate: Where does space begin?]

This comic was published on the same day that the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(spacecraft) Dragon spaceship] was unveiled.

==Transcript==
:[A signpost with three arrows.]
:[Arrow pointing up:]
:Space 62
:[Arrow pointing right:]
:Jackson 115
:[Arrow pointing left:]
:Memphis 98

{{comic discussion}}

1375: Astronaut Vandalism

2014-05-30T06:34:58Z

Thesetwoutes: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1375
| date = May 30, 2014
| title = Astronaut Vandalism
| image = astronaut_vandalism.png
| titletext = That night, retired USAF pilots covertly replaced the '62' with '50'.
}}

==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 miles (100 km), due to "astronaut vandalism". 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.

There may be an Elvis aspect to this comic. The mileages are approximately consistent with the sign's 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).

The {{W|U.S. Air Force}} will award {{W|astronaut wings}} to rated officers who fly higher than 62 miles as {{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}}. In the 1960s, however, after the FAI defined space at 100 km, it was enough to fly above 50 miles to earn the wings and seven pilots earned them like this. This explain why it was retired pilots who changed the sign - so their wings would still be valid.

Useful summary: [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2004/09/where_does_space_begin.html Slate: Where does space begin?]

This comic was published on the same day that the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(spacecraft) Dragon spaceship] was unveiled.

==Transcript==
:[A signpost with three arrows.]
:[Arrow pointing up:]
:Space 62
:[Arrow pointing right:]
:Jackson 115
:[Arrow pointing left:]
:Memphis 98

{{comic discussion}}