"Logan's Run" released 1976

Logan's Run, the Saul David production based on the novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson, was released June 23, 1976. It starred Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Peter Ustinov, and Farrah Fawcett(-Majors) and was directed by Michael Anderson.  

It depicts a utopian, hedonistic society where every wish can be fulfilled, but at a cost.  When a person reaches the age of 30, they are executed.  

Reviews were all over the place when Logan's Run was released.  Roger Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars, but Gene Siskel gave it 0 out of 4 stars.  However, it was a success at the box office, earning $2.5M in its first 5 days of release, which was substantial for that time.  

It was nominated for two Academy Awards, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.  There were no visual effects nominations that year, because the committee didn't consider any of the movies to attain the level needed for accolades.  The Academy reversed the decision and awarded Special Achievement Awards in Visual Effects to Logan's Run and King Kong.  The visual effects committee resigned in protest.

It won 6 Saturn Awards (see my post from Jan 15, 2025).

Endeavour (STS-89) launched 1998

STS-89 crew:

Front row (L-R): Joe Edwards, Terrence Wilcutt, Bonnie Dunbar

Back row (L-R): David Wolf, Salizhan Sharipov, James Reilly, Andy Thomas, Michael Anderson

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-89) was launched January 22, 1998 to the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Terrence Wilcutt, Pilot Joe Edwards, James Reilly, Michael Anderson, Bonnie Dunbar, Salizhan Sharipov (Roscosmos) and Andy Thomas. 

Endeavour carried Andy Thomas to Mir and brought David Wolf back.  Both were part of expedition Mir EO-24.  The crew returned to Earth January 31.

Columbia's (STS-107) final launch 2003

Rear (L-R): David Brown, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, Ilan Ramon;

Front (L-R): Rick Husband, Kalpana Chawla, William McCool 

Mission patch

As with the Challenger disaster in 1986, I'm sure we all remember where we were when we heard the news about the Columbia disaster in February 2003.  It was Columbia's 28th mission (STS-107), launched January 16, 2003, when a piece of foam broke off during the launch and damaged part of the thermal protective system on the leading edge of the left wing.

During re-entry, overheated gases were allowed into the wing, which ultimately led to the shuttle breaking apart and the loss of everyone on board.  The people lost were Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialist David Brown, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (first Israeli astronaut).  This was the first flight for McCool, Brown, Clark and Ramon.

The Columbia Accident Investigation Board uncovered some interesting facts during their investigation.  Apparently, NASA knew the crew was at risk but decided nothing could be done about it.  They realized that they could have expedited the Atlantis lift-off scheduled March 1, to February 10.  Columbia's crew had enough supplies and resources to last until February 15.  Atlantis would have had a five day overlap to rescue the crew and return them to Earth.  Columbia would be brought down into the ocean.

Space Shuttle astronaut Michael P. Anderson born 1959

Michael Phillip Anderson, born December 25, 1959 in Plattsburg, NY, was a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions.  After graduating from the University of Washington in Seattle he became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.  In 1986, he was selected to attend undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma.

Anderson reported to NASA in March 1995 and qualified to become a mission specialist.  His first Space Shuttle flight was on Endeavour (STS-89) in January 1998 to the space station Mir.

His second and final flight was aboard the ill-fated mission of Columbia (STS-107) which disintegrated over north Texas upon its return in February 2003.