Wednesday, October 3, 2012

What is the wingspan of the SR-71 Blackbird?

When I was in college, my roommate and I would often go back and forth with trivia questions (I know, it's amazing, it was really sexy).  We each had an "uncle" question when we had reached our limit.

Mine was "Name the seven Challenger Astronauts."*  His was "What is the wingspan of the SR-71 Blackbird?"

However, now, via the estimable kottke, I can learn these pertinent pieces of information if the challenge is ever issued anew.  Jeff Calone, are you out there?  Bring it on.



* In case you were wondering, yes I could usually come up with all the names. Depends on how much we had been drinking. It was still college after all.  Here they are:
  1. Shuttle Commander Francis "Dick" Scobee
  2. Shuttle Pilot Michael J. Smith
  3. Mission Specialist Judith Resnick
  4. Mission Specialist Ronald McNair
  5. Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka
  6. Payload Specialist Gregory Jarvis
  7. Teacher Christa McAuliffe

2 comments:

Amy said...

Do you have the souvenir Challenger kit with the photos of the crew, a patch, and ... I think there was some kind of a certificate? I think I still have mine kicking around somewhere, most likely in the envelope it came in.

I don't remember if we got it before the crash or after -- the launch was kind of a big deal in my sixth grade because Judy Resnick was from Akron (even if she did go to a rival high school) and because of the first teacher in space, so I don't know if we all got these commemorative packets in advance or if it was a memorial thing that was issued after the accident.

Anyhow: Thus endeth my random detour down memory lane.

Brave Astronaut said...

Amy - I did have some shuttle stuff once, but that was several moves ago.