Almost done with my oncall rotation, so hang in there a little bit longer and post volume should pick up again. In the meantime, read the gut-wrenching story of Vladimir Komarov, a cosmonaut who, to steal John Roderick’s words, “didn’t make it all the way home”.

He died, ultimately, because he knew either he or his best friend had to. And he chose himself. It’s a very sad story of the perils of “National Greatness” thinking, a government that sees its people as resources to be used and discarded, and, ultimately, the sacrifices that we’re willing to make for our friends and loved ones.

Related, here’s John Roderick performing, “The Commander Thinks Aloud” about another set of astronauts that didn’t make it home: