Phoebe was 13 years, 4.33 months old on 11/26/1976. That is the date I recognize as landing on the Jupiter moon Callisto, which was my last stop before returning to Earth on 4/14/1977.
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I recognize the date 7/2/1976 as when I arrived at the comet and set to work to divert it. My theory is that "The Wall" represents the isolation I felt of being in space by myself for over 17 months. I need to research this to get precise figures, but when I was in deep space, especially past Saturn, the round-trip communication delay with Earth was probably a matter of hours. That meant I had to wait more than one hour, and possibly as long a three hours, to get a response back from Earth. I have also been thinking that in the months after I intercepted the comet, I didn't talk to anyone until just before I returned to Earth on 4/14/1977.
I'm not entirely sure why that was. I was thinking that my communications transceiver was damaged but I'm not sure about that now. I got that idea from the 1998 "Deep Impact" when they were entering the coma of the comet and a rock knocked off their antenna. But when I was watching that movie again recently, I decided that is actually a plot element detail that represents an event in 1985. I believe that particular detail about the antenna getting knocked off actually represents when I was almost shot down in 1985 in my F-14 Tomcat by Soviet fighters. As for my own experience flying into the comet in 1976, that movie didn't even come close. It was a nightmare of rock and boulders that I have equated in my mind to flying threw a hurricane that is over a gravel pit. My thoughts suggest that I had to make two flights into it, as well. I delivered 4 rounds of ordnance to the comet surface and I could only carry two at a time on my shuttle pod. On the first trip back, I slammed into a boulder which destroyed my pod and I had to make it back to my ship with suit thrusters and that was incredibly close to being the end of that mission. I have images flash into my mind sometimes that I think represent that time, but it just all seems like random thought. I think watching the recent episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" was bringing it all back to my consciousness.
There was also a scene in one of the recent "Star Wars" movies that got me thinking of flying into that comet as well. I can't remember off-hand which installment it was in, but there was that one where "Obi-wan" was flying through the rings of that planet and I was thinking to myself that it was nothing like flying into the comet because all those rocks he was flying through would be easy to avoid. But then his adversary detonated some kind of mine and that got it looking close to what I might have experienced. There was one point where I was whipping around through the chaos of all those randomly moving boulders and I rounded one of them to avoid a few others and I smacked right into the face of a giant boulder. My pod was smashed beyond hope of repair. I think I went back to it on the way back from my second trip with my back up pod and salvaged a few items from the first pod, such as the telemetry recorders. I have been thinking that I transmitted all that telemetry back to Earth and no one there ever successfully navigated the trip into the coma to get to the comet surface in the simulations.
From 7/2/1976 to 12/8/1979 is: 159 days, 3 years
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_wall
Released
November 28, 1979 (UK)
December 8, 1979 (U.S.)
The Wall is an album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1979. Hailed by critics and fans as one of Pink Floyd's best albums, the album is widely regarded as a rock classic, and its morbid anthems have inspired many contemporary rock musicians. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[1]
The Wall was the last Pink Floyd album to feature Richard Wright until his return in 1987. By the time the album was being recorded, Roger Waters had tightened his grip on the band and demanded near-complete artistic control, creating tensions within the band. On January 29th 1999, the RIAA certified The Wall at 23x platinum, denoting shipments of 23 million copies in the United States alone, making it the band's best-selling album there. Internationally, the album has sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide (60 million discs) which makes it the best-selling multiple-disc album of all-time. The album reached #1 on the Billboard album charts in the U.S. where it stayed for 15 consecutive weeks. The album would remain on the U.S. charts for two years. However, the album peaked at #3 in the band's native UK.
"Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" was the band's only number one single from The Wall, reaching #1 in both the UK and the US. Around the world, the album produced a number of hit singles for Pink Floyd, including "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)", "Young Lust", "Hey You", "Comfortably Numb" and "Run Like Hell".
The Pink Floyd album "Animals" released while I was in space on that mission to the comet and the album before "Animals" was "Wish You Were Here," which released 41 weeks, 4 days, before 7/2/1976. I recognize the date 7/2/1976 as when I intercepted the comet. I don't know if I was recording music while I was in space and beaming it back to Earth. I probably was. That ship was probably a very good recording studio at certain times, such as when I was coasting. When the propulsion system was engaged though, it was surely as jolting as riding on a pogo stick. I probably endured such jolting travel for months at a time. Thedia said something to me a few years ago that probably reminded me of that experience.
There are probably reasons for the release date of that album but I can't yet remember what it was.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_%28album%29
Animals is a concept album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on January 23, 1977 in the UK and on February 2 in the U.S.. The album proved a success in America, reaching #3 on the Billboard album charts. However, it was on the American charts for only six months even though it has continued to sell solidly, to the extent of its having gone quadruple platinum, according to the RIAA.
...
Animals was the first album to be predominantly written by bass player/singer/lyricist Roger Waters. Singer and guitarist David Gilmour only co-wrote one track, the epic "Dogs" as tensions in the band were increasing. Musically, Animals consisted of songs written for what became Wish You Were Here. The track "Dogs" was originally called "You Gotta Be Crazy". The song "Sheep" started as "Raving and Drooling". This was the first Pink Floyd album without a composition from keyboard player Rick Wright.
From 9/15/1975 to 7/2/1976 is: 41 weeks, 4 days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wish_You_Were_Here_%28album%29
Wish You Were Here is a concept album by Pink Floyd. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios between January and July, 1975 and released on September 15, 1975 (see 1975 in music), the album would later be regarded as one of Pink Floyd's greatest albums. Its lyrics, composed by Roger Waters and concerning the music industry, question the market-oriented record companies' lack of understanding and interest for musicians. The album also pays tribute to Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's former guitarist and chief songwriter, especially "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and the title track itself.
