Another astronaut dies of cancer

[sammyg2]

Sally Ride, the first woman astronaut dies of cancer at age 61.
I saw that headline and said "not another one".

Is it just me or does it seem like an unusuallly high percentage of astronauts get cancer at a relatively young age?
It couldn't have anything to do with riding around in a paper thin aluminium can with little protection from radiation, could it?

Or maybe this is just one of those things we're not supposed to talk about.
Here's some I found in a quick search:


Sally ride died at age 61
Jack Swigert age 51
Janice Voss age 55
Alan Shepard age 74
Deke Slayton age 69 (did not go into space)
G. David Low age 52
Charles Veach age 51
David Walker age 56
Frank Caldeiro age 51

That's 9 out of 41 who are deceased or about 22%. Sure seems high to me and most of em weren't that old.


OK now that the tin foil has is on secure, here's another surprising thing:
Heart attacks. these people are supposed to be incredibly fit, yet check out the ages of those who had heart attacks:

Donn Eisele age 57
Ronald Evans age 56
James Irwin age 61
Wally Schirra age 84 (OK that's old)
Karl Henize age 67


To keep it in perspective we lost 11 astronauts in the challenger and columbia accidents combined.
It sure looks like the average lifespan on an astronaut is not that long.


Dead U.S. Astronauts - Who's Alive and Who's Dead

[Gogar]

It's just you.

[sammyg2]

it looks like the US has put about 312 people in space, so maybe those numbers aren't as high as I first thought.
Could be it's just that we hear about it more so it seems more prevalant.

[vash]

i blame TANG.

[mikeesik]

Apollo 11 crew are all old-alive and kicking.
-Perhaps some Astronauts low life span equal to a type -A- personality.

-btw, Deke was in space. Apollo-Soyuz-1975.

-Jim Irwins heart was fibrillating while walking on the moon.

[intakexhaust]

Godspeed Sally Ride

[jyl]

Interesting idea.

[mikeesik]

Airline pilots are exposed -over a life time- to cosmic radiation. Moreso-than any shuttle Astro.

-Curious about the Russian Mir Cos. history.

[red-beard]

Deke Slayton was on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

Remember, 20% of people die of cancer.

[pavulon]

What struck me was yet another person w/ pancreatic cancer. There seems to be tons of that cancer taking people down lately.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

To keep it in perspective we lost 11 astronauts in the challenger and columbia accidents combined.
It sure looks like the average lifespan on an astronaut is not that long.


Dead U.S. Astronauts - Who's Alive and Who's Dead

And 3 dead in Apollo 1

There have also been a few dead in training accidents, plane crashes.

[Baz]

God Speed Sally - and thanks for your contributions to our space program!

[Baz]

[Baz]

SALLY RIDE: AMERICA'S FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE -- JUNE 18, 1983 - JSC
Twenty-seven years ago, Sally Ride became the first American woman in
space on Jun 18, 1983. She accomplished this historic milestone when
she flew aboard Space Shuttle Challenger as a mission specialist for
the six-day STS-7 mission. Ride, a southern California native, was also
a mission specialist for a second shuttle mission, STS 41-G in October of 1984.
Since leaving the astronaut corps in 1987, Ride, who has a Ph.D. in physics,
has taught at various universities and authored several books. In 2001,
she founded Sally Ride Science, an innovative program dedicated to promote
student interest in mathematics, science and technology. She is a member
of the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Astronaut Hall of Fame, and
has received numerous awards, including two NASA Space Flight Medals.
(Interview conducted April 21, 2008)

[Nostril Cheese]

I blame Florida

[herr_oberst]

Rest in Peace, Sally Ride.

[mikeesik]

Sally Rode.

[mikeesik]

Sally Ride was a mission specialist- like I could be- given the bucks which includes clout- sans , Arab Prince- Also she was a lesbian.
I don`t think she had the same clout as the `1st. generation courageous`.-She didnt spend too much time with Al Shephard I can tell you that.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by vash

i blame TANG.

Tooooooo funny.

[mikeesik]

-btw- Tang was considered for the Astronauts to drink. This is on the Apollo Program. I am sorry to say, some other non-commercial fruit drink was chosen.
Tang was just a card in front of a desk of Emmit Seborn (sp) and Walter Kronkite. It was one of the most gracious sponsers of these times when these Anchormen thought they were some NASA director. Gunter Wendt.aka Pad leader.