Happy New Year to all my readers!

[GordonD]

Three years ago I decided, just for fun, to do a daily post listing astronauts who were born on that date, so that anyone celebrating their own birthday could see who they shared it with. Even with the large number of people who have flown in space, or been selected to do so and never flew, there were still some blank days, but there was nothing I could do about that.

 

The following year I posted manned space flights which had launched or landed on each day. Again, there were some days without any, but I did my best to find significant events in astronautical or astronomical history - sometimes with more success than others! - so there weren't any gaps.

 

Come 2020 and I've been chronicling EVAs. This actually involved significantly more work than the others - not in the preparations in assigning each one to a particular date in the year but because instead of a simple list I've been describing what activities were carried out. To be honest, this could be a bit of a pain at times, especially if I had something that had to be done, and it was often quite pleasant to be able to put "No EVAs on this date" and be done with it. Conversely there were days with four EVAs which had to be described...

 

But now we've come to the end. I can't think of anything to follow these - somebody suggested unmanned satellites but that would be well-nigh impossible. There have been literally thousands in the sixty years since Sputnik 1, and sorting them into calendar dates would be a major undertaking. I also imagine it would make for very dull reading. So I can get my mornings back!

 

So as I hang up my scribe's quill, I'd like to thank those who have followed along. In particular, thanks to Bengalensis, whose constant 'likes' in the EVA thread reassured me that unlike the SETI people I wasn't putting this stuff out there with no idea if anybody was receiving it!

 

I hope 2021 is a safe and NORMAL one for you all. 

[Bengalensis]

Thanks a lot for your work and enthusiasm Gordon. Very impressive, I have enjoyed every post you've made, and looked forward to the daily treat I knew would be there when browsing BM in the evening. It will all be missed next year, but I'm sure you will put good use to the time that will be freed up.

 

I wish you, and all other interested people, a Happier and Better New Year 2021!

[GordonD]

I will probably post details of EVAs as and when they're carried out, just to keep things up to date.