It's a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one's safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract. Alan Shepard More Quotes by Alan Shepard More Quotes From Alan Shepard Unfortunately, the suit is so stiff, I can't do this with two hands, but I'm going to try a little sand-trap shot here. Alan Shepard golf two hands We wanted to be in great shape, we wanted to be able to cope with zero gravity, we wanted to be able to cope with accelerations and decelerations and so on. So all of us trained so that we were probably in the best physical condition we had ever been in up until that point. Alan Shepard able zero shapes Of course I was delighted the flight was over, but I still had to worry about cleaning up inside the cabin, I had to worry about the hatch, how to get in the sling, and so on. Alan Shepard cleaning cabins worry So everything turned out fine, and we were given the opportunity to go to Washington and be briefed on the project of man in space, and given the opportunity to choose whether we wanted to get involved or not. Alan Shepard space opportunity men Of course, in our grade school, in those days, there were no organized sports at all. We just went out and ran around the school yard for recess. Alan Shepard yards sports school Then there was the challenge to keep doing better and better, to fly the best test flight that anybody had ever flown. That led to my being recognized as one of the more experienced test pilots, and that led to the astronaut business. Alan Shepard pilots tests challenges I didn't mind studying. Obviously math and the physical science subjects interested me more than some of the more artistic subjects, but I think I was a pretty good student. Alan Shepard math science thinking Al is on the surface. And it's been a long way, but we're here. Alan Shepard als moon long The excitement really didn't start to build until the trailer - which was carrying me, with a space suit with ventilation and all that sort of stuff - pulled up to the launch pad. Alan Shepard pads space stuff You have to be there not for the fame and glory and recognition and being a page in a history book, but you have to be there because you believe your talent and ability can be applied effectively to operation of the spacecraft. Alan Shepard pages believe book The same way people are now paying a couple thousand dollars to fly to other parts of the world, people will be paying $50,000 to spend a weekend on a space station. Alan Shepard weekend couple space They say any landing you can walk away from is a good one. Alan Shepard walk good you space The rocket had worked perfectly, and all I had to do was survive the reentry forces. You do it all, in a flight like that, in a rather short period of time, just 16 minutes as a matter of fact. Alan Shepard short you matter time
