Apollo 11 Astronaut Mike Collins on 40th Anniversary of 1st Moon Landing

STATEMENT FROM APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT MICHAEL COLLINS

The following is a series of questions and answers prepared by Michael
Collins, command module pilot for Apollo 11. Collins issued the
following statement in lieu of media interviews:

These are questions I am most frequently asked, plus a few others I
have added. For more information, please consult my book, the 40th
anniversary edition of CARRYING THE FIRE, published by Farrar, Straus
& Giroux. All of the following sections in quotation marks are from
that reference.

Q. Circling the lonely moon by yourself, the loneliest person in the
universe, weren't you lonely?

A. No.

"Far from feeling lonely or abandoned, I feel very much a part of what
is taking place on the lunar surface. I know that I would be a liar
or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11
seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly
satisfied with the one I have. This venture has been structured for
three men, and I consider my third to be as necessary as either of
the other two. I don't mean to deny a feeling of solitude. It is
there, reinforced by the fact that radio contact with the Earth
abruptly cuts off at the instant I disappear behind the moon, I am
alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life.
I am it. If a count were taken, the score would be three billion plus
two over on the other side of the moon, and one plus God knows what
on this side."

Q. Did you have the best seat on Apollo 11?

A. No.

"The cancellation of 014 also freed Borman-Stafford-Collins for
reassignment, and reassigned we were, but not as a unit. Tom Stafford
moved up a notch and acquired his own highly experienced crew, John
Young and Gene Cernan; they became McDivitt's back-up. Score one for
Tom. Borman and Collins got promoted to prime crew of the third
manned flight, picking up Bill Anders as our third member.

In the process, Collins also got 'promoted' from lunar module pilot to
command module pilot, and lost right then and there his first chance
to walk on the surface of the moon. The reason I had to move up was
that Deke at that time had a firm rule that the command module pilot
on all flights involving LM must have flown before in space, the idea
being that he didn't want any rookie in the CM by himself. Since Bill
and Anders had not flown, I was it. Slowly it sunk in. No LM for me,
no EVA, no fancy flying, no need to practice in helicopters anymore."


Q. Were you happy with the seat you had?

A. Yes, absolutely. It was an honor.

Q. Has the space program helped young people become interested in
careers in math and science? Don't you tell kids to opt for these
choices?

A. Yes and no. We definitely have a national problem in that kids seem
to be going for money rather than what they consider 'nerdy' careers.
Other countries are outstripping us in the quality and quantity of
math and science grads, and this can only hurt in the long run. But a
liberal arts education, particularly English, is a good entry point
no matter what the later specialization. I usually talk up English.

Q. Turning to your flight, what is your strongest memory of Apollo 11?


A. Looking back at Earth from a great distance.

"I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see
their planet from a distance of 100,000 miles their outlook could be
fundamentally changed. That all-important border would be invisible,
that noisy argument silenced. The tiny globe would continue to turn,
serenely ignoring its subdivisions, presenting a unified fa?ade that
would cry out for unified understanding, for homogeneous treatment.
The earth must become as it appears: blue and white, not capitalist
or Communist; blue and white, not rich or poor; blue and white, not
envious or envied."

Small, shiny, serene, blue and white, FRAGILE.

Q. That was 40 years ago. Would it look the same today?

A. Yes, from the moon, but appearances can be deceiving. It's
certainly not serene, but definitely fragile, and growing more so.
When we flew to the moon, our population was 3 billion; today it has
more than doubled and is headed for 8 billion, the experts say. I do
not think this growth is sustainable or healthy. The loss of habitat,
the trashing of oceans, the accumulation of waste products - this is
no way to treat a planet.

Q. You are starting to sound a little grumpy. Are you grumpy?

A. At age 78, yes, in many ways. Some things about current society
irritate me, such as the adulation of celebrities and the inflation
of heroism.

Q. But aren't you both?

A. Not me. Neither.

Heroes abound, and should be revered as such, but don't count
astronauts among them. We work very hard; we did our jobs to near
perfection, but that was what we had hired on to do. In no way did we
meet the criterion of the Congressional Medal of Honor: 'above and
beyond the call of duty.'

Celebrities? What nonsense, what an empty concept for a person to be,
as my friend the great historian Daniel Boorstin put it, "known for
his well-known-ness." How many live-ins, how many trips to rehab,
maybe--wow--you could even get arrested and then you would really be
noticed. Don't get me started.

Q. So, if I wanted to sum you up, I should say "grumpy?"

A. No, no, lucky! Usually, you find yourself either too young or too
old to do what you really want, but consider: Neil Armstrong was born
in 1930, Buzz Aldrin 1930, and Mike Collins 1930. We came along at
exactly the right time. We survived hazardous careers and we were
successful in them. But in my own case at least, it was 10 percent
shrewd planning and 90 percent blind luck. Put LUCKY on my tombstone.


Q. Okay, but getting back to the space program. What's next?

A. I hope Mars. It was my favorite planet as a kid and still is. As
celestial bodies go, the moon is not a particularly interesting
place, but Mars is. It is the closest thing to a sister planet that
we have found so far. I worry that at NASA's creeping pace, with the
emphasis on returning to the moon, Mars may be receding into the
distance. That's about all I have to say.

Q. I understand you have become a recluse.

A. I'm not sure that's the word. I think of the Brown Recluse, the
deadliest of spiders, and I have a suntan, so perhaps. Anyway, it's
true I've never enjoyed the spotlight, don't know why, maybe it ties
in with the celebrity thing.

Q. So, how do you spend your time?

A. Running, biking, swimming, fishing, painting, cooking, reading,
worrying about the stock market, searching for a really good bottle
of cabernet under ten dollars. Moderately busy.

Q. No TV?

A. A few nature programs, and the Washington Redskins, that's about
it.

Q. Do you feel you've gotten enough recognition for your
accomplishments?

A. Lordy, yes, Oodles and oodles.

Q. Oodles?? But don't you have any keen insights?

A. Oh yeah, a whole bunch, but I'm saving them for the 50th.

This information was originally obtained from a NASA Press Release via e-mail.

Doing New Year's Eve in Times Square for Less Than $400

This post is a response to many questions I have received about my trip to New York City. It shocked most that I was able to attend the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square for less than $400. This price included round-trip airfare, meals, ground transportation, and airport parking fees. Below is a compilation of the tips, tricks, and advice that I learned prior to and during the trip.

Plan with a purpose.  From its inception, the goal was not to plan an all-encompassing visit to New York.  My goal was simple: Be in Times Square to see the ball drop.  With a specific goal(s) in mind, planning your trip will be much easier.

Be as flexible as possible.  Flexible travelers often find the cheapest airfare rates.  In this specific instance, our trip was restricted by one factor: getting to Times Square before 12:00am on January 1.  Keeping this in mind, we searched for the cheapest airfares available.  We ended up selecting a 4:05 PM flight from Houston which would put us in Newark, New Jersey, at 8:30 PM.  With this flexibility, the total cost (after tax) was only $277.50.

Flexibility also played a role on the morning of our flight.  After doing some research, we found that getting to Times Square late in the evening was a bad idea.  So we decided to change our reservation and stand by for an earlier flight.  Our carrier, Continental Airlines, charged a $50 change fee.  We arrived at the airport at 5:00am on December 31, paid the change fee, and got on the standby list for the 6:35am flight to Newark.

After a brief wait, we were able to get on the 6:35am flight and even got upgraded to First Class.

Total Airfare Cost: $327.50

Do Your Research.  This is the most beneficial piece of advice I can offer for anyone planning a quick trip or weekend getaway.  Contrary to the go-with-the-flow strategy used by many college students and long-term travelers, planning is essential to a successful, short trip.

For this trip, our research consisted primarily of determining how to quickly and efficiently get from Newark International Airport to New York City.  After considering many options (including an 8-minute helicopter ride for $159 each way), we decided to take the New Jersey Transit train.  This option provided direct transportation to New York's Penn Station at a cost of only $15 each way.

Total Ground Transportation Cost: $30

The above research saved us a significant amount of time once on the ground in New Jersey.  The only other research necessary for this trip was figuring out how Times Square would shut down leading up to midnight.  A quick search of Google results revealed that most streets near Times Square would be shut down as foot traffic increased.  Most sites agreed this would occur around between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM (Eastern).  In actuality, it occurred just before 4:00 PM.

Avoid cabs at all cost.  The movie portrayal of the New York cabs is spot on.  From the time we emerged from Penn Station, yellow cabs and their honking horns were a fixture of our experience.  We decided to try our luck at walking the 12 blocks to 7th St. & 44th St. rather than take a cab.  This was a great decision as many of the cabs were moving at a slower pace than we were walking.  I am not sure if New York cabs operate on a sector or per distance rate, but we walked the 12 blocks in just under 15 minutes.

Eat a big lunch and consume liquids sparingly afterward.  After our initial survey of Times Square, we decided the smart move would be to stay in the area to avoid getting shut out when the streets and sidewalks began to be blocked off.  There are a number of restaurants, pizzerias, bakeries, and street vendors in the area.  Although everything smelled amazing, we chose to eat lunch at Hard Rock Cafe.  This was not a unique locale, but it provided warmth and good food.

The significance of eating a big lunch is only appreciated after understanding that you will be standing outside for 6-8 hours in fenced-off holding areas to see the ball drop.  If you've ever seen aerial shots of the area, you will notice that crowds are sectioned off at each city block (pictured here).  Once you enter a section, you are permitted to leave but there is no re-entry.  You will also notice the absence of any restroom facilities.  Yep, that is an unfortunate fact.  No port-o-potties.

If you don't want to eat a big lunch, there is always the option of purchasing or packing snack items and taking it with you into the holding area.  The only restriction is no liquor.  NYPD will search your bags prior to entering the area, but will not confiscate food or drinks items.

The toughest part of waiting 8.5 hours in 0 degree Fahrenheit was the acute awareness that no restroom facilities were available.  We routinely sleep for 8 hours or longer without needing to use the restroom.  However, try doing so when you are awake and aware that you can't use the bathroom.  That is why I recommend using liquids sparingly.  We sat in Hard Rock Cafe for 3 hours for a reason!

Total Food Costs: $50

Make Friends.  You will never be in a more diverse environment than that found on New Year's Eve in Times Square.  Well, perhaps the Olympics is more diverse, but NYE is a close second.  During our time in the holding area, we met people from Houston, TX, Atlanta, GA, Niagra Falls, Canada, Mexico, Holland, China, and Australia.  Those are only the nationalities that we specifically spoke with.

Most of our time was spent with the folks from Houston, TX, and Niagra Falls, Canada.  They provided great entertainment and there was no shortage of conversation topics.

Bring a Camera.  This is a self-supported statement.  You won't soon forget your experience, but you'll want to share it with everyone who wasn't there to experience it.

Choose between celebrity entertainment or network coverage.  One thing we learned was that not all activities of the evening take place directly in front of 1 Times Square.  Although the networks are located there, the celebrity entertainment is located about 5 blocks further away (near 48th St. according to my guesstimate).  Each locale has its pros and cons, but I can say that the Times Square area seemed much less crowded than further back where The Jonas Brothers performed.

Dress according to the weather.  This was a life-saver.  When you have the remote possibility of being on TV, you'll probably want to look your best.  However, make sure that you do not do so at the expense of freezing to death.  The weather predicted a low temperature of 14 degrees on New Year's Eve in New York with 1-2 inches of snow expected.  As such, I ended up wearing thermal underwear, blue jeans, a t-shirt, thermal shirt, and heavy-duty ski jacket.

Although the gate attendants in Houston looked at us funny, it paid off in the end.  Some of the people around us were freezing the entire night, but we were comfortable.

It should be noted that our experience was considered rare as New York natives were commenting on the unusually cold weather we experienced.  Either way, check the weather before you go and dress accordingly.

Travel back on New Year's Day.  Airfare rates were lower when traveling on a holiday.

Avoid paying for a hotel.  Our original plan did not include a hotel stay.  We had decided to celebrate 2009 in Times Square and catch a ride back to Newark International Airport.  From there, we figured we could sleep in the gate area or head down to the Continental President's Club for breakfast and a nap.

In the end, we decided to reserve a room at the Fairmont Inn (Newark International).  We only did so because the room was free after using Marriott Reward Points.

Welcoming 2009 from Times Square in New York City

It only seems fitting that my first blog post of 2009 describes how I spent the last night of 2008.

A few weeks ago, one of my friends (quite the traveler) called about a mileage-run special that Continental was having on flights from Houston (IAH) to Newark, New Jersey (EWR). The best deal was a New Year's Eve flight leaving at 4:05pm and returning on New Year's Day at 8:50am. After giving it some thought, we decided that this would be a great chance to experience New Year's Eve in Times Square and avoid the cost of an extended stay in New York during the holidays.

As the flight approached, we began reading up on the logistics of getting to Times Square for the celebration. We quickly found out that the streets near Times Square would be shut down to foot traffic as early as 4:00pm. Additionally, there was some concern with traffic and wait times for the NJ Transit train from Newark International Airport to NY Penn Station. With these concerns in mind, we began looking at earlier flights which would allow us more time to explore the city and make our way to Times Square.

On December 31 at 4:00am, we got up and went to the airport in hopes of standing by for the 6:35am flight to Newark. After a brief visit to the Continental President's Club to get added to the upgrade standby list and grab a light breakfast, we headed to the departure gate. Informed that the flight was over-booked by 10 seats, we still hoped for the best. Just 10 minutes before scheduled departure, we were added to the flight manifest and upgraded to First Class. This was my first experience with a First Class flight, and let me just say, Continental knows how to treat their First Class customers.

After a complimentary breakfast and a three-hour flight, we landed at Newark International Airport around 10:30am (Eastern). Less than an hour later we had ridden the NJ Transit train and arrived at New York Penn Station. By this time, there was a light snow and wind gusts of 15-20 mph.

From NY Penn Station outside Madison Square Garden, we decided to head toward Times Square and be familiar with the area for later in the afternoon. It was a quick 10-minute walk from Penn Station and I was surprised to find that we had reached Times Square and didn't even know it until recognizing the DOW stock ticker. Sure enough, though, we looked up and saw the top of 1 Times Square.

After a few minutes of checking out the area, we decided it would be best to stay in the Times Square area until they began shutting down streets. This would guarantee that we were close to the action and night's big events. A quick survey of the eateries in Times Square led us to the Hard Rock Cafe. Although the local food stands smelled amazing and the bakery items were hard to pass up, the Hard Rock Cafe offered warmth and a place to hang out until the festivities began.

About three hours later, we emerged from Hard Rock Cafe with our feet warmed, bellies full, and pockets a bit lighter. Two NYC cops we found informed us that there was still no timeline for shutting down the streets, but that we should head down to 7th St. & 44th St. if we wanted to be near the action. After a two-block trek, we found that they were shutting down the streets after all and funneling revelers into holding pens until midnight. These pens extended from the sidewalk to the middle of the street and would be the only areas to watch the ball drop.

Although this does not sound so bad, I must mention the stipulations for entering the holding area. First, you must submit to a bag check which searched for alcohol and weapons. Food and non-alcoholic beverages were allowed, but no alcohol could be bought or brought into the holding areas. Additionally, anyone who entered the holding area would not be allowed to leave and re-enter at a later time. If you left, you were not getting back in.

Why might someone want to leave the holding area? Food, beverage, restrooms, or souvenirs just to name a few. Food and beverage were available in limited supply due to the street vendor set up just outside our perimeter. A can of Pringles was $6, but there were items available for purchase. The restroom issue was more of a challenge. While sleeping at night, people can regularly forego the restroom for 8 hours or more. However, try avoiding the restroom when you're awake for 8.5 hours and constantly reminded that you cannot go to the bathroom.

At 3:30pm (Eastern), we were granted access to the holding area at 7th St. & 44th St. We were about 10 ft. away from the MTV sound stage where Lil' Mama and another co-host were broadcasting for MTV. Less than a block in front of us, one of the ABC sound stages for Rockin' New Year's Eve was being assembled. Five blocks behind us, Nivea Lip Care erected the sound stage which would host Lionel Richie, Parachute, Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers, and a huge crowd of screaming tweens.

As the night wore on, the temperature continued to drop and the wind gusts increased to nearly 30 mph. This dropped the wind-chill adjusted temperature to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. After the first few hours, temperature no longer seemed a concern. Cold became cold and we all got used to it.

Each hour, as the countdown entered the final 20 seconds for that hour, the big Toshiba started a countdown and we all celebrated the New Year with a time zone and "Only ___ hours to go!" until our own celebration. Over the course of our time in NYC, we celebrated 2009 with 8 time zones, 9 including Eastern.

In the final hour, the Spanish television hosts joined the party and we celebrated 2009 with Bermuda. This released a stream of green ticker tape as a preview of what was to come. During the remaining 59 minutes, we saw the second and third performances (the "live" performances) of Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift, and The Jonas Brothers.

1.5 minutes before midnight, the Clintons and the Bloombergs appeared to trigger the ball drop. There was constant cheering and a million-person vocal countdown as the clock approached midnight. Fireworks lit up the area, Auld Lang Zyne played over the loudspeakers, and New Years wished from around the world fell on the crowd via ticker tape squares. It was a great experience and one I won't soon forget.

Just 10 minutes after midnight, the streets began to clear as New Years revelers headed back to their hotels, their cars, and the bars. With 1 million people in and around Times Square, we managed to make it back to NY Penn Station in just 15 minutes. Two hours after midnight, we checked into our hotel in New Jersey to sleep for a few hours before our flight. Nine hours into 2009, we were seated in First Class for our flight back to Houston.

All in all, my New Year's Eve celebration in New York lasted just over 32 hours. For under $400 (including flight, ground transportation, and food), I celebrated the New Year with over 1 million people in one of the world's largest cities.

For more pictures of my night, visit my Facebook photo album at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2110518&l=fc613&id=25300868.

The New Computer

So as you may or may not already know, I have a new laptop to add to the collection. In addition to the existing Apple iBook G4 and Dell Inspiron 1720 (not purchased by me, though), I now have the new Dell Inspiron Mini 9. It is Dell's latest entry in the increasingly popular "netbook" category. Since it is my first "impulse buy", I thought I would write a few words about it.



















It has made a great first impression. I picked it up from the local DHL distribution center ten minutes before the facility closed for the weekend. When the attendant retrieved the package, her first words were "Is this a computer?" It came in a box not much wider than the laptop itself. In typical techie fashion, I had to open the box at the counter because the excitement was too much. In the mean time, another customer had showed up to grab a package and was now waiting for the official unveiling.

The computer came well packaged and protected. Plenty of box insert to protect the laptop and store the AC power adapter and suite of restore/program CDs. The laptop itself was surrounded by a cloth sleeve to prevent scratching the glossy black surface. Suffice it to say that everyone watching was impressed and the laptop was passed around to everyone to get first-hand judge of size and weight. The customer who walked in during the process left with the name, model, and Dell website where the Mini can be purchased. It should be noted that the laptop hadn't even been turned on at this point.
















The most impressive visual feature of the laptop is its uncanny resemblance to a a full-size laptop. Honestly, it looks like a 9" version of the Dell XPS 13" laptop. When compared to many other netbooks (EEE PC or Asus Aspire One), it looks more sturdy and features less "IBM-style" molding.

After turning on the laptop and configuring the operating system (Microsoft XP Home Edition, also available with Ubuntu Linux), the time from "cold boot" to succcessful loading of Mozilla Firefox 3.0 is just over 30 seconds. The screen resolution is standard 1024x600, but VGA output to an external monitor is capable of producing 1440x900 or better with no degradation is screen quality.

One of the major problems associated with the netbook class of laptops is the shrunken keyboards. Having used an EEE PC before ordering the Dell Mini 9, I was concerned about receiving the laptop and not being able to type efficiently (this doubt is why I refer to this as a true impulse buy, normally I would test the laptop at a Dell store first). Reviews quoted the Mini 9 keyboard as having a keyboard that is 90% the standard size of laptop keyboards. This is accomplished mostly through the elimination of the F-series keys above the number line. The F keys still exist, but are incorporated as Function keys on the ASDFGHJKL; line.



When I got the laptop and opened it to reveal the keyboard, my concern diminished. Sure, some keys had to be shrunken to make the keyboard work, but the main keys used for typing were not reduced extensively. The main difference is the apostrophe-quotation marks key is moved down two rows and now resides to the right of the space bar. After about 15 minutes of conscious typing adjustments, I have minimal loss of efficiency in typing on the laptop. To test the keyboard, I am writing this post using the Mini 9 keyboard. It has taken me 15 minutes thus far, most of which was spent trying to get the attached pictures to format properly.

As far as system functionality is concerned, the new 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor has performed well thus far. I have been able to download Google Chrome and install Symantec Endpoint Protection simultaneously. Given that this laptop was not designed for serious multitasking, I am sufficiently impressed thus far. In basic operation, the CPU load is averaging 12% with a memory usage of 300 MB out of 1024 MB. Battery life has exceeded over 2 hours with just under 40% remaining currently.

The 64MB integrated graphic cards allows for streaming video from website like YouTube and AOL Video with no skipping or buffering required. The only limitation to streaming video thus far has been the strength of my wireless internet connection. The standard 0.3 MP embedded webcam seems to work properly, although I have not used it to chat or take video yet. Will post a video in the future demonstrating basic features of the webcam.



The only two options that I did not include, which would have "maxed out" the Mini 9 at just over $500, are the integrated bluetooth device and upgraded, 1.3 MP webcam. I have bluetooth capability on each of my two remaining laptops and have not once used them to sync devices such as my Blackberry. The main motivation for not purchasing these (at a total cost increase of only $30) was the perceived increase in "production time" with an assumed loss in overall battery life when bluetooth is in operation.

Overall, I have been very happy with the performance of this laptop. I plan to install Microsoft Office 2007 Professional and Matlab R2007a tomorrow afternoon. With Windows XP installed, the base 16GB SSD still has 10.46GB of space left. To compliment this 16GB, I bought a secondary 16GB SDHD media card to go in the additional SD slot. This will come in handy for storing documents and make it easy to transfer files between multiple computers.

Future modifications include the addition of a 4GB memory card which would provide capability to install Windows Vista if desired. While I do not plan to do this, the increase in memory should improve Matlab performance and multi-tasking capability.



If you are looking at purchasing this laptop, please keep the following in mind:

This laptop is not intended or designed to be a desktop replacement or primary computing device.

I purchased this laptop with the intention of using it for travel and basic computing capability on the go. In that regard, I think that this laptop will continue to impress me as I use it more extensively. I'll provide another post after my first travel experience with the Mini 9.

Which way should I look?

Over the past 5 years, I have been asked some interesting questions in regards to human space exploration. They cover the entire spectrum of spaceflight, from training to on-orbit life. I am certainly no expert on all aspects of spaceflight, but I do my best to provide an honest answer if I have one.

To date, the most memorable question I have been asked came from an employee at an establishment located within viewing distance of the main gates of the Johnson Space Center. It was July 4, 2006, and the second "Return to Flight" mission, STS-121, was counting down the final two hours before launch. This would be my first Space Shuttle mission as a certified console operator and the countdown was proceeding smoothly. If all went well, we would put on a great fireworks display for eastern Florida.

While my first shift of the mission was not scheduled to start until a few hours after launch, just as the crew was preparing to go to bed, I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to watch the "Return to Assembly" launch from our console in Mission Control. So, I headed down to Clear Lake a few hours early to sit console with my mentor and another co-worker for the launch. On my way down, I reminded myself about one of the basic rules for working in the International Space Station (ISS) Mission Evaluation Room (MER). This rule is very simple, but vital:

Bring food... (I'm not joking - Ask anyone who's worked in either the ISS or Shuttle MER)

To keep with the theme of the day, I stopped by Space Center Houston to pick up every space enthusiast's favorite: astronaut ice cream. After SCH, I stopped to get food that people in the MER would actually eat. Of course, this meant buying plenty of candy and chocolate.

As I approached the checkout register with five different snack-size candy bar packages, a few bags of Hershey's chocolate, and a bottle of water, the clerk couldn't help but laugh. He didn't say anything at first, but you could tell he was trying to figure out how the water fit in with the rest of my purchases. The silence was finally broken when he noticed the work badges hanging from my lanyard.

"What could you possibly be doing at work on July 4?"

This question surprised me. Surely I couldn't be the first person from Johnson Space Center who stopped at this establishment on the day of a launch? I proceeded to explain to him that we were preparing for a Space Shuttle launch in a few hours. It was now his turn to be surprised. He said he hadn't heard anything about an upcoming launch and asked a few questions about the mission. I told him launch would occur just after 2:30pm.

Then he asked THE QUESTION.

"If I go outside at that time, which way should I look to see it?"

I honestly didn't know how to respond. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was about 1,000 miles west of where he needed to be. More than that, I was stunned that the question had come from someone who worked across the street from the main entrance to the epicenter of human spaceflight. Were our PR efforts really that horrible?

As he bagged my final few items and I swiped my credit card, he continued to explain that he had always wanted to see a Space Shuttle launch. His lunch break was scheduled for 2:30pm and he wanted to go outside and watch the launch if possible. In an effort to give a straight, yet kindhearted answer, the only response I could come up with was, "It will launch to the east. With the cloud coverage today, it will be very difficult to see." He wished me luck as I headed out the door.

Looking back on the situation, I think I could provide a more informative, yet still kindhearted answer to his question. However, at that time, I just didn't have the heart to tell him that he was in the wrong state.

Since that day, I have shared the story with many others. The first response is always laughter. We can all relate to being asked some of those seemingly "silly" questions by our friends and family. But that day will always stick out in my mind. It was shocking for me to see that we haven't even done a good job of reaching out to the "average American" who works across the street from Johnson Space Center.

My first industry conference...

One of the greatest benefits of being a college student and working in the aerospace industry is getting registration discounts for most technical conferences. Some organizations even offer 100% discounts. For someone on a budget, any discount can increase the affordability of attending a conference.

As a price comparison, the upcoming AIAA Space 2008 conference offers a $0 registration fee for students (includes access to exhibits and Exploration Alley). For a reduced price of $195, an AIAA student member is given access to all exhibits, Exploration Alley, and the conference meals. On the other hand, the lowest, regularly-priced registration fee for AIAA members is $690.

My first experience with an industry conference was the American Astronomical Society's annual meeting held near Johnson Space Center in the fall of 2005. I had just transferred to a new group as a co-op. I heard about the conference through a NASA e-mail and the list of speakers was impressive. The line-up was essentially a "who's who" in human space exploration. Among the expected attendees were:

- Mike Griffin, NASA Administrator
- Bill Gerstenmeier, NASA AA for Space Operations
- Kirk Shireman, NASA ISS Deputy Program Manager
- Numerous contractor program managers and executives

After talking with my manager, I decided to attend. This was certainly going to be a new experience for me. I registered for the first day of the conference only (at a reasonable cost of $30). I would be able to see many of the best speakers and minimize the impact to my work schedule.

On the day of the conference, I was not sure what to expect. Would I feel out of place being "just an intern"? The eventual answer to that question was "Yes, and no." I was the youngest person in the audience by at least 10 years. For the most part, that age gap extended to 20-30 years. Three years and many conferences later, this age gap still exists.

While I thought the age gap would be a disadvantage during my time at the conference, it was actually quite the opposite. Being that young, impressionable co-op, I grabbed my conference material and headed to the second row of seats. If the first row hadn't been peppered with "Reserved" signs, I would have sat there.

As the time for the opening/keynote speaker approached, the seats behind and around me started filling in. If I didn't stand out because of my age, being the only person seated in the 2nd row sure didn't help! About 10 minutes before the scheduled presentation, the first row VIPs started to file in. I continued reading the short biographies posted in the conference booklet when I noticed that three people just filled the seats in front of me. Yep, still the only person in the 2nd row.

When I looked up, I saw the back of three heads. They were adjusting their chairs and trying to get comfortable. In the process, the person directly in front of me turned around to ask if I would mind him moving his chair back slightly. As I responded, you could tell he was "badge-checking" to see who I was. After doing so, he looked up and introduced himself. "Thanks, Chris. I'm Mike Griffin. Nice to meet you."

Soon after, the gentlemen on either side of him turned around and introduced themselves as well. "Hi, I'm Bill Gerstenmaier." "Hi, I'm Kirk Shireman." I was no longer the leper of the second row. They continued the conversation by asking me who I worked for and how old I was. At the time, I was 20. They remarked about what they were doing at my age and said it was encouraging to see a young face in the crowd. We chatted for another minute or two before Mr. Griffin had to take his place for the keynote address.

That was the highlight of my day! I just met three of the most influential minds within NASA. They were where I hoped to be one day. And they talked to "the co-op" that nobody would sit by. The opening speech went well and Mr. Griffin turned around and said goodbye before he left.

While I didn't realize it at the moment, I had just learned an important lesson about attending conferences as a student. Young faces stand out. This was hindsight when I think back to the age gap that existed in the room that day, but that was the best $30 I've invested in a conference.

Each conference I have attended thereafter has similar, but not quite as spectacular, results. When I look around the room, I'm usually one of the younger faces in the crowd. I'm 23 now. This provides a unique opportunity to network with a wide variety of industry professionals.

My advice to interns and co-ops is this: invest the time and money it requires to attend conferences. If you are not able to travel to some of the larger conferences, attend the smaller ones in your area. If you can attend a large conference such as AIAA Space or the NSS International Space Development Conference, I encourage you to do so.

Conferences are a great way to stay updated on the industry...and you never know who might sit in front of you!

NASA Public Outreach: What can I do?

This summer is an exciting time to be an intern/co-op anywhere near NASA's Johnson Space Center. We are continuing assembly of the International Space Station, preparing for the last service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, and making necessary modifications in advance of the arrival of the James Webb Space Telescope for final environmental testing.

Just as important, preparation for the retirement of the Space Shuttle fleet and a U.S. return to the Moon are well under way. The Constellation program's Orion crew vehicle is in the early development stages, the Ares I contracts have been awarded, and the first flight of the Ares I vehicle, Ares I-X, is slated for sometime in 2009.

While the current workforce is continuing to support legacy programs and develop new ones, a center-wide discussion on the future workforce is taking place. This discussion has led Johnson Space Center to start developing a 20-Year Vision. In April, a two-day workshop was held and a group of 30 enthusiastic civil servant and contractor employees came up with their vision and an implementation plan.

Since then, the vision and subsequent versions have been presented to all levels of management at JSC and within the contractor community. It has been met with vast support and harsh criticism. Regardless of one's feelings on the issue, it has sparked great debate. It has made waves throughout NASA and even blipped the radar of the United Nations.

This summer, I have been fortunate enough to work with one of the JSC 20-Year Vision authors and participate in some of the feedback forums. At each of these events, one constant theme arises. Everyone is in agreement that NASA struggles to maintain relevance with the general public. In particular, it seems we are not of interest to future workforce candidates.

Before proceeding, I must state that I fully disagree with this assessment. NASA is completely relevant to the average American. We may struggle to convey that relevance, but that does not mean it is non-existent.

Anyways, the natural progression of these forums leads to a full-blown discussion on NASA's public relations issues. Without a doubt, the following comment is always made:

"NASA needs to do a better job of promoting itself, but we can't because we're not allowed to advertise."

I can't say for sure whether or not the above statement is "technically" true. I've been told that it is true and the only government entity who can advertise is the United States Postal Service. Have you seen a post office ad recently? While I may not have seen a USPS commercial, I see at least two Army recruiting commercials every day. Maybe Mythbusters can help us solve this one?

The issue of what government agencies can and can't advertise is not what's important. If we were to start airing NASA commercials on television, I don't think it would greatly increase public support for space exploration. In my opinion, the real support for space exploration comes from within the agency. It comes from each of us who make an effort to educate others on the relevance of space exploration.

To answer the question, "What can NASA do to promote space exploration?", I pose a different question.

What are you doing to promote space exploration?

Adjusting a famous quote from President John F. Kennedy, I say:

"Ask not what NASA can do for you? Instead, ask what you can do for NASA."

Each of us is the best advertisement that NASA could ever ask for. It is each of us that can bring personal relevance to NASA and space exploration. We are united by the common goal of furthering humankind's knowledge of the solar system through human space exploration.

"What inspired you to get involved with human space exploration?"

Share the answer to that question with others and you will be surprised at their answers. Tell them about the amazing programs and people you work with. We are living the life that we dreamt about as children.

As a college student, I feel confident in saying that I am surrounded by "the future workforce" who supposedly does not support space exploration. From experience, I can say that I have yet to share my story and hear the words:

"Well that's dumb. NASA is a waste of my money."

There are misconceptions surrounding what we do that leads some to utter those words. However, making human space exploration personally relevant changes their perspective. By sharing your story, you make that connection. If nothing else, NASA is now "personally relevant" to that individual because they know someone who works there and have heard first-hand about the amazing things we do.

By nature, personal relevance is not objective. There is no "one-size-fits-all" public relations campaign that will bring personal relevance to the average American. For that very reason, NASA will always struggle to maintain broad public support for its goals. However, that is not to say that we should accept this as fact and retreat to the walls of our cubicles. Instead, it is our responsibility to make a personal connection with those around us. By doing so, we bring the subjective, personal relevance to the general public that we feel it so desperately needs.

There are wide-eyed children all around us who would love to hear from "a real, live NASA employee." We see them every day riding the Space Center Houston tram around the JSC campus. They are friends with your children. They work at various establishments across the street from the main entrance to Johnson Space Center (another story for another day).

I challenge each of you to find a way to bring personal relevance to those around you. In the coming weeks, I will post about some of the outreach activities that I am involved with and what I am doing to share space exploration with anyone who will listen.

Are you doing something to promote space exploration that others can learn from? If so, I'd love to hear about it. Let's make a list of things we can do and share it with everyone else who would like to promote space exploration!