No Flash In The Pan -- July 20, 2021

For folks who think Jeff Bezos' flight today was a rich man's folly:

Bezos displayed scientific interests and technological proficiency, and once rigged an electric alarm to keep his younger siblings out of his room. 

The family moved to Miami, Florida, where Bezos attended Miami Palmetto High School. 

While Bezos was in high school, he worked at McDonald's as a short-order line cook during the breakfast shift. 

Jeff attended the Student Science Training Program at the University of Florida. He was high school valedictorian, a National Merit Scholar, and a Silver Knight Award winner in 1982. 

In his graduation speech, Bezos told the audience he dreamed of the day when mankind would colonize space. A local newspaper quoted his intention "to get all people off the earth and see it turned into a huge national park". 

In 1986, he graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a 4.2 GPA and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in electrical engineering and computer science; he was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa.While at Princeton, Bezos was a member of the Quadrangle Club, one of Princeton's 11 eating clubs. 

In addition, he was elected to Tau Beta Pi and was the president of the Princeton chapter of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS).

He started Blue Origin in 2000 if I recall correctly. Fact check please.

I've not looked up Sir Richard Branson's background regarding his interest in space. 

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Medical Knowledge

NASA has never sent an 82-year-woman into space. It would be interesting to know her degree of osteoporosis, typical in an 82-year-old woman.

Speed of the capsule just before it came to a complete stop on terra firma: 15 mph.

Automobile air bags deploy at 10-12 mph / sudden stop. Link here. 

Also interesting that no one complained of air sickness, nausea, or vomiting.