Ha! Ha! Ha! This is getting pretty good...

Spaw - You have asked several really quite stimulating questions...each one of which deserves an entire thread of its own, which further convinces me that launching this thread was a timely and excellent notion.

Major Tom was motivated by patriotism, honor, and a sworn sense of duty to NASA. William Shatner heard destiny knocking. Did he shrink? Did he quail? No! He did the courageous thing and took the "bull" by the horns, despite his obvious lack of acting ability. The rest is history.

- LH