Kate Doolan
| Fan | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kate Doolan |
| Alias(es): | Dools, CrocodileKatie |
| Type: | author, researcher, speaker |
| Fandoms: | science fiction, Star Wars, space program |
| Communities: | Enterprise, Galactic Tours convention, Space Association of Australia |
| Other: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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Kate Doolan (24 August 1962 - 28 January 2019) was a fan of the space program and related topics: astronauts, astronomy, cosmology, and unmanned exploration of the planets within the Solar System. She was a long-time member of the Space Association of Australia, and online social networks like Space Hipsters. She was also a fan of some science fiction, particularly Star Wars and Jurassic Park, and was an early member of the LGBT+ science fiction club, Spaced Out. Other activism included participating in the Rainbow Sash protest, being a member of PFLAG; and serving on the committees of both the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives and the "Shout - School's Out" project (an early advocate of "Safe Schools" anti-bullying programs). Her other hobbies included books, the history of the US military, TV series South Park and The Golden Girls, the 1970s pop group ABBA, LGBT+ activism, dinosaurs and crocodiles, and her cats.
Kate's passion for the space program, and for the tragedy of Apollo 1, might be seen in her writing [1]:
Three brave men had sacrificed their lives in their nation's quest to reach the moon, but their deaths would soon be overshadowed by the triumphant achievements to follow, during which twelve men would walk on the moon.
Geoff Allshorn eulogised her enthusiasm for space and science[2]:
Everyone who knew Kate knows that space was her deepest passion and interest. She held herself to the highest standards of professionalism when researching, writing or presenting space material. Kate got to meet astronauts, go to special movie screenings, attend space conferences and diplomatic functions, speak on the radio, and write articles for newspapers and magazines. Kate gave talks on space to anyone who would listen. This included a local ‘Star Trek’ club. Kate was like an evangelist for the space program.
Then-President of the Space Association, the late Peter Aylward, wrote in his tribute [3]:
Myself and members of the Space Association of Australia are very sad to hear of the death of our friend Kate Doolan.
Kate described herself as "Rowdy, idealistic, gay, leftie, occasionally foul mouthed Aussie who loves Spaceflight, Military/US Politics&History, Saltwater Crocodiles and ABBA", I don't think any of us who knew would disagree with any of that!
Kate was an historian and author and an expert in human space flight and dedicated much of her life to this area. She coauthored the book 'Fallen Astronauts' and had an ongoing passion in researching the Apollo 1 tragedy and its crew and seemed to somehow have virtual ‘love affair’ with Ed White, with her endless stream of "Ed pics" on social media!
Kate wrote many articles for newspapers and magazines; and was co-author of two editions (2003 and 2016) of the definitive book, Fallen Astronauts, along with Colin Burgess and Bert Vis, which was declared by Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter to be "an important contribution to the history of space flight." [4]
Kate's closing words in her chapter on the Apollo 1 fire in the 2016 edition of her book would ultimately be memorable for personally chilling reasons[5]:
The last week of January at NASA is now known as Astronaut Remembrance Week. By a historical coincidence, all of NASA's human spaceflight casualties took place within days of each other - Apollo 1 on 27 January 1967, STS-51L Challenger on 28 January 1986, and STS-107 Colombia on 1 February 2003.
In another historical coincidence of which Kate would have tacitly approved, she passed away peacefully in her sleep during Astronaut Remembrance Week (falling asleep on the anniversary of Apollo 1 and passing on the anniversary of the Challenger disaster).
Gallery
Kate and Mark Hillyer (for the Space Association of Australia) interview Apollo 16 astronaut John Young in Melbourne, November 1987 (photo from the Helena Binns collection)
Australian astronaut Dr Paul Scully-Power with Kate, Melbourne, 15 July 1994
Kate at the Kuiper Space Plane during its visit to Melbourne, 16 July 1994
Fans Kate Doolan and Geoff Allshorn meet Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke in Melbourne, 16 September 1995
Australian astronaut Andy Thomas with Kate, September 1996
20th anniversary of the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives (now the Australian Queer Archives) in 1998 - Kate with Gary and Graham, photo by Ken Lovett
Kate Doolan prepares to attend a Rainbow Sash protest on 31 May 1998
Kate and Geoff Allshorn at Melbourne's Pride March, January 2000
Kate at home with Benedict, 2001
Kate with John Shelby Spong, Melbourne, exact date unknown (early-mid 2000s)
Kate with Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer, 23 January 2005
Kate meets Jeffrey Roth, producer of the space documentary, The Wonder of It All, 2007
Kate with Armistead Maupin, Melbourne, 17 September 2007
Kate at an Equal Love (Marriage Equality) Rally in Melbourne, 28 November 2009
References
- ^ Kate Doolan, in Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press (2003 edition), p. 156.
- ^ Geoff Allshorn, "Thank You For Being A Friend", Humanist World blog, 28 January 2021.
- ^ Peter Aylward, "Topic: Kate Doolan, space history writer (1962-2019)", on CollectSPACE forum, 8 February 2019,
- ^ Scott Carpenter, review on back cover of Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press, 2003.
- ^ Kate Doolan, in Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press (2016 edition), p. 217