Edgar Mitchell has died

Sad news -- it's on the wires.

Alan Shepard was asked, "Why did you pick Mitchell as your LM pilot?", he answered "Because I wanted to come home". But "Big Al" really had nothing to do with the choice, Mitchell already was ON the crew but a hole had appeared when the mission commander, Gordon Cooper, clearly well past his prime, was nudged into retirement, and it was HIS slot that needed replacing [if Shepard hadn't gotten off the injured-reserve bench, it probably would have been McDivitt].

Mitchell and I had a long-distance respectful relationship for the last quarter century, not agreeing on conclusions but encouraging each other to investigate thoroughly . For example, after reading and studying his published report, I concluded his private Apollo-14 ESP experiment was sloppy and meaningless, but I praised his boldness in attempting it. He was distressed by the degree that some UFO writers would distort his own views, and he was quick to clarify and such misstatements.

He also made it clear that while at NASA he never encountered any UFOs, or ever heard of his fellow astronauts seeing them in space, and he thought NASA was totally clueless about the subject. His own opinions on the subject were formed by stories other people told him in later years.

I'm glad people as intelligent and dedicated as Mitchell have pushed beyond the edge of the 'known' into controversial topics, even though the vast majority of them ultimately come up empty. It must be tried, good for him for the hope he could prove something new. I remain unpersuaded that he did, but I applaud his motives.

And for putting his fanny atop a Saturn-V, I cut him light-years of slack.

a reply to: JimOberg



Sadly we are getting to the point were the men made of the right stuff are getting up there in age or are no longer with us.

Rest in Peace Edgar Mitchell.

a reply to: JimOberg

Damn, I feel like I lost a friend I didn't know. Thank you for the post. Yes, RIP and thank you for being a part of why we are all here.

He lived a very full life. No sadness. Have joy in his passing.
His adventure may be just beginning.

A truly great and inspirational gentleman. A member of one of the most elite groups of people to ever grace the human race: Moonwalkers.

RIP my brother.

Damn...that is awful news.
What an absolutely incredible man he was - he saw, experienced and encountered things that most of us can only dream of and very few can comprehend.


RIP Edgar.

a reply to: JimOberg

History, he was such a great part of our past, paving a road for the future; a TRUE legend and Hero-

the mold has broken-

RIP Sir

RIP to a very very brave man.

a reply to: JimOberg

Another pioneer taken from us.

R.I.P Astronaut Mitchell.

What a magnificent life to have lived.

From Wiki...

Presidential Medal of Freedom (1970)
MSC Superior Achievement Award (1970)
City of New York Gold Medal (1971)
Arnold Air Society's John F. Kennedy Award (1971)
Navy Astronaut Wings
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
NASA Distinguished Service Medal
three NASA Group Achievement Awards
Inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame (inducted 1979)
Inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on October 4, 1997.[34]
Mitchell's other awards include -

Honorary Doctorates from New Mexico State University (1971); Carnegie-Mellon University (1971); University of Akron (1979); and Embry-Riddle University (1996); American Astronautical Society's Flight Achievement Award; Carnegie Mellon University Alumni, Outstanding Man of the Year (1972); Kappa Sigma, Man of the Year Award (1972); Adventurers Club, Gold Medal Award for Exploration; Drexel University, Engineering and Science Award for Explorations in Consciousness (1974); Explorers Club, Lowell Thomas Award for Explorations in Human Consciousness (1980).

Rest in peace Dr.Mitchell

R.I.P. Dr Edgar Mitchell,
When I think of him, I think of all the other astronauts, and all the mission men that made the Moon landings happen.
I think of Sir Bernard Lovell, who was forced to eat his hat, Lovell in the mid 20th century was pretty scathing of the idea of men on the Moon, by the 60's and Kennedy, he only revised it a little by saying it would take longer than the end of the 60's...he was wrong.

originally posted by: skunkape23
He lived a very full life. No sadness. Have joy in his passing.
His adventure may be just beginning.

Well put and I agree! Good journey to you Edgar!

a reply to: JimOberg

Thank you to Dr. Mitchell. You are a man of honor.

VERY sad. Another hero from my childhood passes on.

Godspeed, Edgar.

a reply to: JimOberg

Mitchell and all those Apollo astronauts were brave pioneers. To sit on top of a rocket while over 900 thousand gallons of propellant is ignited to launch them into space takes a lot of guts. To give any legitimacy to the possible reality of UFO's considering his public and professional status was also a brave. RIP Edgar.

It's hard for us to lose pioneers but now he gets to explore the universe.

what a life to have lived. r.i.p.

a reply to: JimOberg

Jose was so right Jim. Ed Mitchell was one of the most
meticulous pilots ever: maybe only surpassed by Gene
(Mission) as a check-lister if accounts are accurate.
I watched teary eyed and dumbfounded while something
still not 100% explosion proof lifted off the pad with real
men on it-- every time. Happy landing, my hero.

I just noticed this is in the Aliens and Ufos section, hmmm, not sure that is respectful.

Vale Edgar Mitchell

An old fashioned hero.