[FPSPACE] Names on a plaque

[Robert Pearlman]

On Aug 5, 2004, at 8:24 PM, NOdin at aol.com wrote:

> Yes, all of that is explained in the Smithsonian display -- the 
> question remains: WHY are Belyayev and Gagarin listed among those who 
> died on space missions in quest of the Moon, training or otherwise -- 
> Including Dobrovolsky, Patsayev and Volkov? 

The crew was honoring all known* astronauts and cosmonauts who had died 
up to the date of their mission. The plaque also listed astronaut Ed 
Givens who died in a car accident. Honoring them as pursing the "quest 
of the exploration of the Moon" wasn't a statement of their individual 
causes of death, but rather a more broad acknowledgment that the entire 
space race -- the whole reason for putting men in space -- was working 
to the achievement that was claimed by Apollo.

* Bondarenko's and Nelyubov's deaths were unknown to the crew and were 
therefore missing from the plaque.

-- 
Robert Pearlman, Editor
collectSPACE - The Source for Space History & Artifacts
http://www.collectspace.com/