Kate Doolan

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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:
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Co-author Kate Doolan with the space research book, Fallen Astronauts (2003 edition)
Kate Doolan meets NASA astronaut Pam Melroy in July 2004
Kate polishes a NASA space shuttle model at the Galactic Tours Convention in 1986 (photo from the Helena Binns collection)

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, Calvin and Hobbes, Muttley, and her cats.

Space Writing

Kate's passion for the space program and, in particular, the tragedy of Apollo 1, can be seen in her writing:

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.[1]

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." [2]

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:

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.[3]

In another historical coincidence of which Kate would have tacitly approved, she passed away peacefully in her sleep during Astronaut Remembrance Week (going to sleep on the anniversary of Apollo 1, and passing away the following morning, on the anniversary of the Challenger disaster).

Tributes

Then-President of the Space Association, the late Peter Aylward, wrote in his tribute:

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![4]

Geoff Allshorn eulogised her enthusiasm for space and science:

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.[5]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ Kate Doolan, in Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press (2003 edition), p. 156.
  2. ^ Scott Carpenter, review on back cover of Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press, 2003.
  3. ^ Kate Doolan, in Burgess & Doolan & Vis, Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon, University of Nebraska Press (2016 edition), p. 217.
  4. ^ Peter Aylward, "Topic: Kate Doolan, space history writer (1962-2019)", on CollectSPACE forum, 8 February 2019,
  5. ^ Geoff Allshorn, "Thank You For Being A Friend", Humanist World blog, 28 January 2021.
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