Meet My Stunt Double (JSC135 Tweetup – Part 6)
Sarah finished her overview of the consoles in the control room and was answering questions when suddenly a cell phone rang. It was made very clear to us that there was no flash photography and no cell phones during the tour. So why do I hear a cell phone ringing? Even if our hosts hadn't make a point about no cell phones, I still felt it very rude for someone to be taking a cell call during our Mission Control tour. Suddenly everyone's attention changed drastically as Ameko announced "Sorry to interrupt... we have 30 seconds of coverage, can everybody hear? I have Ron Garan on line with us from the International Space Station." Ok, I stand corrected on that whole cell phone business - a ringing cell phone from an astronaut in outer space is never a rude interruption!
Read MoreRunning on Empty (JSC135 Tweetup – Part 4)
It had been 18 hours since I had eaten anything and I remembered my nutrition bar tucked in a pocket of my carry on. I pulled it out along with the last remains of the bottled water from the Birmingham terminal gift shop. I put my cell phone on GPS and quickly wolfed down the nutrition bar before getting out of the parking lot and onto the main roads. I now had finally had my breakfast... sort of.
Read MoreHouston, I Have a Problem (JSC135 Tweetup – Part 3)
Ok, I'm already touching a sleeping stranger on an airport bench, but it looks like I was going to have to take it up a notch to get her awake. I couldn't abandon her, so I looked around seeing we were alone and placed a hand on each of her shoulders, gave her a careful, but firm shake and in my best Jerry Lewis voice yelled, "HEY LAAADY!"
Read MoreGoing, Going, Gone! (JSC135 Tweetup – Part 2)
The voice of the captain came on the intercom, "Folks, we seem to have lost oil pressure on our left engine and are diverting into Birmingham. Flight attendants please prepare the cabin for an emergency landing."
Read MoreGo For It! (JSC135 Tweetup – Part 1)
Sitting in the cockpit of this simulator would be identical to being in the cockpit of the real shuttle - the motion based simulator even tilts up 90 degrees to put you on your back for launch. Since STS-135 was now in orbit and the last shuttle mission to fly, this simulator was going to be decommissioned only a few days after the JSC Tweetup. To me, this was the closest I was ever going to get to being an astronaut, so I felt like it was a now or never opportunity.
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