Author Topic: Member ages  (Read 23502 times)

Offline Bob B.

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Member ages
« on: November 02, 2005, 03:08:51 PM »
I was just looking at some of the user profiles and I noticed something interesting about the ages of the forum members.  Looking at the top thirty posters (not all give age information) I found there are seven members whose ages fall between 15-31 and eight members whose ages fall between 47-58.  In the sixteen year gap between these groups is only one member at age 41.

It seems we have a group of 'old' guys who lived through the space race, and a new young group of enthusiasts from the next generation.

Being from the old group, I certainly understand how living through the 1960s could spark a lifelong interest in spaceflight.  I'm curious how the young members of the forum happened to get interested in space.  Any comments?

Offline LunarOrbit

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2005, 05:04:43 PM »
Count me in the 15-31 group. ;) I was born in 1975... about two months after the Apollo-Soyuz docking.

I credit my dad for my interest in space exploration and aviation. He had a private pilots license before I was born and I guess his interest in airplanes rubbed off on me, and I don't know anyone who is interested in airplanes but not spaceflight.

I also clearly remember the first time I learned that men had walked on the Moon. My family was returning from a trip (I think we went to see a movie) one night and there was a full moon. We pulled over on the side of the road to look at the stars and that's when my dad told me about Apollo... I was only 3 or 4 years old but I still remember it.

I don't remember the first flights of the space shuttle too well, I think when Canada's first astronaut (Marc Garneau) flew in 1984 is when my interest in spaceflight really took off. I'm sure Sci-Fi movies also helped. ;)
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Offline Johno

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2005, 08:15:06 PM »
My happiest memories of very young childhood (before 1981 - I was born in '74) involve sitting on my Grandfather's lap as he showed me through the National Geographic article on John Glenn's orbital flight (To this day Senator Glenn remains my favourite Astro, despite two Aussies having become members of the Corps).  My Dad was and is a model aircraft enthusiast (currently he's working on a project of using radio controlled aircraft for crop dusting), so by the time I was in High school I was combining all this together and building model rockets (which my folks encouraged).

I was living in Britain during 1981, and I'll never forget watching the first ever Shuttle launch and landing on TV.  I was already predisposed to interest, but that moment captured my imagination.  From that day onward, I was hooked.  Challenger was my first experience of true grief (I had a very blessed childhood! :)), and when Columbia crashed the memories of that day in 1981 flooded back; it was like losing an old, dear friend.  But no matter what happens, I am still hit by the amazing "wow" factor of space.

I'm 31, overweight to obese [depending on how weight watchers is going] and an Australian, so there is basically no chance that I will ever fly into space myself.  But my heart always goes up with anyone sitting on top of the firework and lighting the coloured paper!  :D

Offline Satanic Mechanic

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2005, 08:55:50 PM »
My experiences are similar to Johno's since we are the same age.  I remember going to National Air and Space Museum when I was 8 and I was amazed.  Also I was a 1/8th of inch from a moon rock and it was an unforgetable moment. 
As a kid I collected space shuttle patches.  I use to call up the National Space Society hotline to find out when Mir or Salyut 7 would go over my house. 
Also I was an amateur astronomer until I was 16... I lost interest and got into electronics, cars and of course girls.

Offline Simkid

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2005, 04:33:07 PM »
I guess my interest grew out of an interest in aircraft, and science.  I'm not really sure when or why I really did get interested through.

Offline SCEtoAUX

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2005, 07:59:58 PM »
At 38, I don't fit into EITHER of the 2 groups...go figure.  :P

I do remember my parents propping me in front of the TV to watch the Apollo 11 EVA. They figured that it was a historic moment that I should witness, but they weren't big fans of the space program, or science/technology in general. I have only hazy memories of the rest of Apollo, as my parents lost interest along with the rest of the country.  :( I do remember when ASTP was all over the news, as well as Skylab.

Something must have clicked, though, as I was always fascinated with science and technology for as long as I can remember. I was the kid who would haul home discarded TV sets and cannibalize the parts to build all kinds of other stuff. I remember the early space shuttle program very well, and was sitting in my HS electronics class watching the STS-51L launch with a couple of other people who actually cared to see it. The shop was the only room with TV, so we had a crowd drifting through after the breakup made the news. I was somewhat ticked off that all those people only thought the mission was worth following after 7 astronauts were killed...:(

Like most kids, I wanted to be an astronaut at one point, but never would have made it (a bit too tall and a bit too nearsighted  :() On the plus side, I now have a 3 year old who is fascinated with all things space-related....








Offline spacecat27

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2005, 05:48:52 PM »
After careful calculation, I have determined that my oldest pair of sox is 36.  :(

Offline Bob B.

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2005, 06:08:56 PM »
After careful calculation, I have determined that my oldest pair of sox is 36. :(
:lol:  LOL!  :lol:

I've never had sox last that long but I think I have a couple sweaters closing in on 30.



Offline Johno

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2005, 01:04:11 AM »
Aaaaaargh!

Must-Control-Teacher-Response!

SOX?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Socks, thank you!

:)

Offline spacecat27

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2005, 12:55:38 PM »
LOL- that comes from watching too much American baseball, Johno!
We've got the Boston Red "Sox" and the Chicago White "Sox."  :lol:

Offline Johno

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2005, 06:52:22 PM »
Warning: All baseballers don flame retardant suits!  This is not a drill!
 :D

ANY American baseball is too much!  I used to think it was a little weird talking about the Cricket world cup when it only contains 15 countries (now over 20, but I digress).  We at least have one team from every continent, however, except South America (and Antarctica, but that goes without saying).  How can you POSSIBLY call it the "World Series" when for most of its life, you have only had ONE COUNTRY?!?!?!?!?!?!

The World Series of Cricket at least has Seven!

Offline Jirnsum

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2005, 05:19:24 AM »
Born in '77: so I was at a very impressionable age when the Shuttle first wwent up. In 85 we first had our first Dutch astronaut go up, and next to that there was a whole series on "the coolest teacher on Earth" on the Dutch "Youth news".
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Offline snake river rufus

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2005, 05:09:14 PM »
Aaaaaargh!

Must-Control-Teacher-Response!

SOX?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Socks, thank you!

:)
Let me second that. And further note that the 'S' denotes plural so the words 'pair of' always seems redundant to me. Sorry mother was an english teacher(mostly).
Great oogalee boogalees!

Offline Ottawan

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Re: Member ages
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2005, 06:36:31 PM »
Which reminds me of Newt's line in Aliens . . . "They mostly come at night, mostly"
Man must explore . . . and this is exploration at its greatest

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