Andrew Yee
July 13th 05, 02:44 AM
Air Force News Service
7/12/2005
Military astronauts prepare for Discovery mission
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Defense Department will be well-represented when
Space Shuttle Discovery launches into space July 13, with three of the
seven crewmembers from the military, including the commander, retired Col.
Eileen Collins.
As the clock ticks toward the scheduled 3:51 p.m. EDT liftoff, crews are
making final preparations, and NASA officials report that all details
appear to be "go."
Discovery's crew includes three seasoned military astronauts. Colonel
Collins and Navy Capt. Wendy Lawrence, mission specialist and logistics
manager, both have three previous spaceflights under their belts. Col.
James Kelly, who will serve as Discovery's pilot, was a member of the
March 2001 resupply mission to the International Space Station.
In 1995, Colonel Collins was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle --
Discovery STS-63 -- on the first joint American-Russian mission, and
included a rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir. In 1999, she was
the first woman to command a shuttle mission.
She has logged more than 6,280 hours in 30 different types of aircraft,
with more than 537 hours in space.
Colonel Kelly has logged more than 3,000 hours in more than 35 different
aircraft. In 2001, he flew the eighth shuttle mission to visit the
international space station aboard Discovery, NASA reported.
A naval aviator since 1982, Captain Lawrence has flown more than 1,500
hours in six different types of helicopters and made more than 800
shipboard landings.
Colonel Collins said she is confident of her crewmembers who have been
training for this mission for the past two years.
"I have a fantastic crew," she said. "The seven shuttle crewmembers have
been so professional in the work that we have done up to this point."
During the 13-day mission, the Discovery crew will travel to the
international space station, test new safety procedures and deliver
supplies and science equipment to the orbital outpost.
As members of the first shuttle mission since Columbia exploded over Texas
in February 2003, killing all seven crewmembers, the three said they and
their families recognize the risks involved.
The crew's loss was "absolutely overwhelming," Captain Lawrence said.
"It's hard enough to lose one friend, and as a naval aviator, I've lost
squadron mates and friends before. But to lose seven of them all at once
is just absolutely devastating."
Yet as the daughter and granddaughter of military aviators, Captain
Lawrence said she and her family understand the risks.
"My mother's father flew in World War II. He was shot down over the
Philippines and, fortunately, was rescued," she said. "My father was shot
down over Vietnam and didn't return until six years later. So my family
understands the risks."
"Coming from my background as a fighter pilot, I've lost friends in the
flying world, and so you realize that the next flight of anything could be
the last flight you're on," Colonel Kelly said.
He acknowledged that flying in space is riskier than travel in other
aircraft, but said it is a risk he is willing to take, and that he hopes
he has prepared his family for it as well.
Colonel Kelly said what drives him is "holding on to that dream" -- a
dream he said he has had since he was 5 years old and became enamored with
the Apollo moon missions.
It is the same dream Colonel Collins said she had as a child growing up in
Elmira, N.Y., dubbed "the soaring capital of America" for its rich history
in flight and collection of period planes. It was the dream Captain
Lawrence shared as a 10-year-old when she watched images of the first man
walking on the moon on her family's black-and-white TV set.
During Discovery's "Return to Flight" mission, the crewmembers said they
recognize the contribution they will be making to the U.S. space program.
"I understand very well the significance of this mission," Captain
Lawrence said. "It's very important for us to get back to space."
Besides moving the space program forward, Captain Lawrence called the
upcoming mission a way to honor the memories of the Columbia crew and
their commitment to space exploration.
By building on that commitment, the astronauts said they believe they are
becoming a part of something bigger than themselves.
"If you look through history, you see that the explorers and the countries
that were doing the exploring were the ones that were making the world a
better place to live in," Colonel Kelly said. "That's still true."
7/12/2005
Military astronauts prepare for Discovery mission
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Defense Department will be well-represented when
Space Shuttle Discovery launches into space July 13, with three of the
seven crewmembers from the military, including the commander, retired Col.
Eileen Collins.
As the clock ticks toward the scheduled 3:51 p.m. EDT liftoff, crews are
making final preparations, and NASA officials report that all details
appear to be "go."
Discovery's crew includes three seasoned military astronauts. Colonel
Collins and Navy Capt. Wendy Lawrence, mission specialist and logistics
manager, both have three previous spaceflights under their belts. Col.
James Kelly, who will serve as Discovery's pilot, was a member of the
March 2001 resupply mission to the International Space Station.
In 1995, Colonel Collins was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle --
Discovery STS-63 -- on the first joint American-Russian mission, and
included a rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir. In 1999, she was
the first woman to command a shuttle mission.
She has logged more than 6,280 hours in 30 different types of aircraft,
with more than 537 hours in space.
Colonel Kelly has logged more than 3,000 hours in more than 35 different
aircraft. In 2001, he flew the eighth shuttle mission to visit the
international space station aboard Discovery, NASA reported.
A naval aviator since 1982, Captain Lawrence has flown more than 1,500
hours in six different types of helicopters and made more than 800
shipboard landings.
Colonel Collins said she is confident of her crewmembers who have been
training for this mission for the past two years.
"I have a fantastic crew," she said. "The seven shuttle crewmembers have
been so professional in the work that we have done up to this point."
During the 13-day mission, the Discovery crew will travel to the
international space station, test new safety procedures and deliver
supplies and science equipment to the orbital outpost.
As members of the first shuttle mission since Columbia exploded over Texas
in February 2003, killing all seven crewmembers, the three said they and
their families recognize the risks involved.
The crew's loss was "absolutely overwhelming," Captain Lawrence said.
"It's hard enough to lose one friend, and as a naval aviator, I've lost
squadron mates and friends before. But to lose seven of them all at once
is just absolutely devastating."
Yet as the daughter and granddaughter of military aviators, Captain
Lawrence said she and her family understand the risks.
"My mother's father flew in World War II. He was shot down over the
Philippines and, fortunately, was rescued," she said. "My father was shot
down over Vietnam and didn't return until six years later. So my family
understands the risks."
"Coming from my background as a fighter pilot, I've lost friends in the
flying world, and so you realize that the next flight of anything could be
the last flight you're on," Colonel Kelly said.
He acknowledged that flying in space is riskier than travel in other
aircraft, but said it is a risk he is willing to take, and that he hopes
he has prepared his family for it as well.
Colonel Kelly said what drives him is "holding on to that dream" -- a
dream he said he has had since he was 5 years old and became enamored with
the Apollo moon missions.
It is the same dream Colonel Collins said she had as a child growing up in
Elmira, N.Y., dubbed "the soaring capital of America" for its rich history
in flight and collection of period planes. It was the dream Captain
Lawrence shared as a 10-year-old when she watched images of the first man
walking on the moon on her family's black-and-white TV set.
During Discovery's "Return to Flight" mission, the crewmembers said they
recognize the contribution they will be making to the U.S. space program.
"I understand very well the significance of this mission," Captain
Lawrence said. "It's very important for us to get back to space."
Besides moving the space program forward, Captain Lawrence called the
upcoming mission a way to honor the memories of the Columbia crew and
their commitment to space exploration.
By building on that commitment, the astronauts said they believe they are
becoming a part of something bigger than themselves.
"If you look through history, you see that the explorers and the countries
that were doing the exploring were the ones that were making the world a
better place to live in," Colonel Kelly said. "That's still true."