I grew up in the English countryside a few miles away from a US airbase which was designated as one of the possible landing sites in the event of an aborted lau

I grew up in the English countryside a few miles away from a US airbase which was designated as one of the possible landing sites in the event of an aborted launch, due to it's long runway. There was an American couple living in our village and the guy's job was to be on call during a shuttle launch. Suffice it to say he and his buddies spent most of their days playing poker.