[Mamzelle]

Lots of things blow up.... mostly they're brave enough to grin for the cameras. Rock stars want to buy tickets into space...are rock stars really brave? These astronauts can't hold a family together, get involved with a lot of money-losing schemes, trade on their brief moments and won't stop those who sell secrets to the Chinese--

Those who see these "heroes" at close range don't take them very seriously. Lovell was quite the exception. Mostly it was unsung technicians who got us into space, not the seat meat.

[Defend the Second]

Man, I wonder if you have a personal reason for sounding so resentful. I hope most peole are not as bitter as you. These days we could use a lot more guys in public life like the astronauts of the 60's. Now that I think about we do have a few: Donald Rumsfeld, for instance.

[TomB]

You've got some issues, Sparky. Now why don't you run along and kick a puppy or something?

[jlogajan]

Rock stars want to buy tickets into space...are rock stars really brave?

You really can't tell how brave someone is by the profession they are in. On the otherhand, they just might not appreciate the risk.

Mostly it was unsung technicians who got us into space, not the seat meat.

Almost all human endeavor is incremental -- building on the work of others. There are visionaries -- Goddard, von Braun, and earlier than that. Few people in the chain are irreplaceable. Everybody does their part. The "seat meat" just happen to have the immediate risk of bodily harm.

They are heroes in the Randian sense that they inspire bravery in others.