Mystery: Why is NASA training astronauts in Medieval Weaponry

This seems kinda silly with all due respect.

reply to post by bluemirage5


There is no clause, because there is no contract yet. NASA merely inquired about the possibility of him training their astronauts. He doesn't even know why, which is why he asked us our thoughts. In addition, he is a professional Medieval and Renaissance weapon master (in that he gets paid to teach and leacture on the Art). Our organization does not abide a person in a position of authority without the skills to back up what they teach, and in that regard he is the paragon of skill that the rest of the organization aspires towards. I would venture to say there are few other people alive right now that would stand to survive in a real swordfight as well as him, and i've seen enough grevious injuries with blunt steel swords to know roughly how quickly a sharp sword fight would be over. Odds are he is the premier Medieval and Renaissance martial artist in the world (specifically in his experience and breath of scope across the many different weapons of the era), so it makes sense if NASA wanted the best that they would go to him.

In regards to armor, we primarily practice 'Blossfechten' which is fighting based around not wearing armor. The reason being is the majority of our membership do not possess plate armor with which to accuratley study 'Harnischfechten'. So I doubt NASA wanted armored fighting instruction.

I'm sure they are preparing for Occupy NASA,but why they didn't request training to NYPD?They are champions in stick beat!!

Space wars! Using these weapons to capture foreign spaceships without damage.

Sweet

reply to post by Wayfarer


I don't know if you have heard about this series of books, but it is a series about what happens when, a "change" in the world occurs, that makes guns, electricity, and explosive or combustible mechanisms (such as engines) inoperable.

Dies the Fire (Emberverse I) S.M. Stirling's trilogy "Dies the Fire", published by ROC:

1. Dies the Fire - published August 2004 [sample chapters]

2. The Protector's War - published September 2005 [sample chapters]

3. A Meeting at Corvallis - published September 2006 [sample chapters]

A trilogy set in the world that the island of Nantucket left behind when it became an "Island in the Sea of Time". This world is hit by "The Change" causing electricity, high gas pressures, and fast combustion (including explosives and gunpowder) to stop working. This is very bad news for the majority of the population, but the books follow some of the survivors and show how different groups choose different ways to adapt to the changed world.

NASA supposedly just recently sent out a video warning the "NASA family" to get prepared for disasters. On the face of it, this is good advice for everyone, but do they know a real reason coming in the future, that we don't?

I could think of a few scenarios in which, before it actually happens, it might be good to practice up with whatever weapons will be sustainable in a catastrophic situation.

Good topic, OP

reply to post by Wayfarer


I'd imagine it'll be interesting and fun so good for moral.

Heavy armour and weaponry... Good for stamina straining also the heaviness for higher gravity or G's?

I don't know, but I doubt we'd be fighting aliens with swords out of honour. We would nuke em.

Good thread. I love these types.

NOTHING....would surprise me in terms of why..

Question: What kind of training jousting, sword fight, mace wielding, battering ram? Maybe they could have a giant catapolt for space battle , just can't see where their gonna be able get that puppy in orbit...

reply to post by Wayfarer


Perhaps to handle medieval weaponry requires both physical strength and balance? Who knows but if true its interesting, also makes sense what ever you do if it's an occupation thats "physical" being in shape in a multitude of ways can't hurt...

reply to post by Wayfarer


Lightsabers.
About freakin' time...

reply to post by needlenight


hah I will now imagine every astronaut actually still lives in their parents basement playing world of warcraft on the most decked out nasa computer.

it seems like the most reasonable guess that they are there for the fun of it.

reply to post by Wayfarer


NASA could suggest wearing armour?

Will it be an ongoing contract for years or is it once off?

I'm pretty sure if NASA had mischievous toughts on this they would get a green berret general, a mossad agent or jason statham in secret.

reply to post by sezsue


but even in a scenerio where lets say, the grid collapses, wouldnt guns and explosives be the next best thing, as opposed to medieval weapons. unless they are preparing for when the ammo runs dry.

I agree with alot of post , i think it would be for a team building exercise of somekind, they dont want the astronauts just going off in thier seperate ways since they are not going up as often. since i think nasa is just a cover scientific organization for the real time travel and other projects are done by a more clandestine group and they wouldnt be just "calling" your friend on the phone lol

reply to post by Wayfarer


So it was just a phone call and no follow up so far? Did the so called Nasa representative provide any proof he was actually from nasa and not just some prankster? Did he actually say how many people at nasa would be involved or if it was some official nasa program? Do have any proof of this claim?

Even if true, and not a prank call, as many have said some employees probably just thought it would be a cool way to do a physical team building exercise or whatever. I think the military also offers or encourages employees to do similar things like this to branch out, develop varied skills, get physical/team building training etc.

Maybe they are planing a mission with the tech they have been hiding under the secret space program & are sending an experdition to an earth like planet with less advance human species inhabiting it,

Thats what my imagination is telling me anyway


Other then that they must be bored

Originally posted by Silverkiss
Seems to me our tech-based civilisation is extremely vulnerable. A decent EMP would take out all but the most hardened electronics. Think about how many items we use every day which contain electronic components! I aknowledge most of our American friends are armed and proficient in the use of projectile weapons, but seriously, there isn't an infinite supply of ammunition, so sooner or later pistols become throwing weapons and rifles become bludgeons. Perhaps that is the eventuality NASA is preparing for... I really like the time-travel idea too!

********************************************************************************************************************

This is probably a topic for a whole new subject related to NASA and TPTB
********************************************************************************************************************

("Perhaps that is the eventuality NASA is preparing for.".. "I really like the time-travel idea too!")



Has anyone thought or pondered if maybe there are habitable places in space and close enough to reach in a short..ish time frame. And with that the 1%'rs have aquired this vast wealth to facilitate the cost of building a Craft/Ship to take them to this place, and the plundering of the economies of the planet have thus suffered. I know it's a strech, but your mind gets to wandering sometimes reading these posts in ATS and key words sort of 'click' ideas in your head as your reading, you know, all the internal dialoque going on. SORRY to sidetrack this topic/post

Assuming this was a ligetiment contact and not a prank, I can think of several reasons NASA would want to train astronauts in medival(primitive) weapons.
1. It's a hell of a way to excercise and develop muscle memory.
2. NASA knows something we don't. Either it's something coming at us, or somewhere the "astronauts" (or chrononauts) are going to encounter.
3. It's just something that is good to know.

How many of the readers of this thread can use a bow? Not a compound, but a stick bow. Can you make arrows for said bow? I can.
How many of you can wield a sword of any type, and feel confident that you can, at least, injure your opponent?
I do.
How many of you can use a lance, a spear, or a battleaxe to defend yourself? (I feel comfortable with the spear, but I'm not so sure about the others.)
Without descinding down to the level of clubs and rocks, there may be situations where firearms are not practical, andf we my have to get back to basics.
Hell yes, I'd prefer my 9mm and my 12gauge, but we don't always get what we want. Sometimes we have to do with what we have, or int the words of Mick Jagger, "sometimes you get what you need."

Originally posted by el1jah
reply to post by sezsue

 

but even in a scenerio where lets say, the grid collapses, wouldnt guns and explosives be the next best thing, as opposed to medieval weapons. unless they are preparing for when the ammo runs dry.

Well, if NASA knows about a scenario coming where the Earth turns over (pole-shift?) or massive planet or space object (Nirubu or Planet X?) comes by affecting Earth.... wouldn't they want weapons (and training with them) that would be least affected by such a scenario?

It would be kinda hard to "keep your powder dry" if massive flooding was part of such a scenario.

(Not saying I believe in either case, but if anyone would know of such a possibility, you'd think NASA would be one of the ones...)

I'll throw my speculation to team-building and morale.

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale is just down the freeway from JPL Nasa in Pasadena.

Or maybe they're going to travel back in time using quantum physics!