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Author Topic: Travolta in space?  (Read 21142 times)

Offline LunarOrbit

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Travolta in space?
« on: December 04, 2009, 11:11:00 PM »
I was reading an entertainment news site and saw a story about John Travolta turning down an offer from Virgin Galactic go into space next year. It seemed like a plausible story due to Travolta's love of aviation, and I'm sure Richard Branson would like to have celebrities on board. But then I saw this quote by Travolta:

Quote
I think I would like it. I've been approached several times to go up into the space shuttle and do these other smaller programs.

Puh-lease.  :roll: There is no way NASA would offer a ride aboard the Shuttles to a movie star... right? I can sort of believe they might have considered something like that prior to the Challenger accident, but even then I doubt movie stars were seriously considered.
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Offline Johno

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2009, 11:25:51 PM »
I'd suggest Travolta was more likely to get a guernsey AFTER Challenger, but I might just be being cruel. :)
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Offline spacecat27

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2009, 01:21:44 PM »
Travolta (along with Tom Hanks) has been generous in support of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation both in time and money--- Living in Florida he's attended & supported a lot of their functions at the Cape.

I think in this case he was grossly misquoted.  He does have a jet pilot rating and would be familiar enough with the Program to not say something so ridiculous.

That is, like him or not as an actor- I suspect he's considerably smarter than the goofball image he promotes in public and on talk shows.  (I hope) the FAA does not license idiots to fly jets.   :lol:
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Offline LunarOrbit

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2009, 01:50:31 PM »
I do think that if NASA was really going to offer a celebrity such an opportunity then John Travolta makes sense because of his aviation experience.

And I may have misinterpreted his quote. He said they offered him the chance "to go up into" the space shuttle not "go up in", so he might have meant they were going to let him into the cockpit on the ground.

I also remember reading once that NASA considered sending a news reporter (Cronkite?) up in the shuttle. That makes more sense than a movie star.
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Offline DonPMitchell

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2009, 01:55:54 PM »
And as an Operating Thetan VII, I believe he could also guide the shuttle back telekinetically, if something goes wrong.
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Offline evancise

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2009, 05:05:02 PM »
Quote from: LunarOrbit on December 05, 2009, 01:50:31 PM
I also remember reading once that NASA considered sending a news reporter (Cronkite?) up in the shuttle. That makes more sense than a movie star.

I'd heard rumors of Miles O'Brien prior to the Columbia accident; but that was just hallway gossip as far as I could tell.
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Offline spacecat27

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2009, 08:28:30 PM »
Quote from: DonPMitchell on December 05, 2009, 01:55:54 PM
And as an Operating Thetan VII, I believe he could also guide the shuttle back telekinetically, if something goes wrong.


Oh yeah- I'd forgotten he's in the scientology cult.  Maybe I need to revise that FAA statement.   :lol:
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Offline Homo bibiens

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Re: Travolta in space?
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2009, 03:52:47 AM »
Quote from: spacecat27 on December 05, 2009, 01:21:44 PM
I think in this case he was grossly misquoted.  He does have a jet pilot rating and would be familiar enough with the Program to not say something so ridiculous.

I suppose it is also possible that he did say it, but wasn't being serious.
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