Featured Image Credit: Associated Press/UPI/Alamy
Topics: Jack Black, US News, Science, Technology, NASA
Dominic Smithers
Topics: Jack Black, US News, Science, Technology, NASA
It turns out that Jack Black's mom was an absolute 'boss'.
For a while, there have been rumours that the comedian's mother, Judith Love Cohen, used to work for NASA.
So the story goes, the former ballet dancer worked with the space agency to design the Abort-Guidance System that helped bring the Apollo 13 astronauts back to Earth.
Quite the feat, eh?
Advert
For those out there who aren't familiar with what happened on that infamous voyage, it was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space programme and the third that was supposed to land on the Moon.
However, after setting off in 1970, disaster struck when an explosion damaged the oxygen tanks, meaning the operating systems couldn't work and the crew were left stranded.
Fortunately, however, the team on the ground were able to get them home safely, with Black's mom a key part of the team.
On the face of it, tale seems pretty unbelievable, however, the School of Rock star has now revealed that it is in fact true, and that his mom is a bona fide legend.
In a Mother's Day post to his Instagram account, Black shared a photo of Judith seemingly hard at work in a lab, with the factoid above.
Confirming the story, the 53-year-old said: "It’s true…my mom was a bad-ass aerospace engineer…and also a loving mother…I miss you mama!"
The story was also confirmed by Black's half brother, Neil Siegel, in their mother's obituary in 2016.
He said that her contribution to the Apollo 13 mission was incredibly important to her.
"My mother usually considered her work on the Apollo program to be the highlight of her career," Siegel wrote.
"When disaster struck the Apollo 13 mission, it was the Abort-Guidance System that brought the astronauts home safely.
Judy was there when the Apollo 13 astronauts paid a 'thank you' to the TRW facility in Redondo Beach."
Understandably, Black's fans were blown away by his mom's efforts, with many piling into the comments to express their admiration for her.
One user said: "Amazing! Totes bad-ass."
Another remarked: "What a boss!?"
"Apollo 13 and Tenacious D…if that’s not a family legacy then idk wtf is," put a third.
While someone else added: "Aww wow! That is f**king amazing!!!! Love to your beautiful mama!"
And another said: "Yoo what thats crazy being epic just runs in the family ig."