The Thunderbirds were on site so they could take pictures for the World Space Expo that will take place at KSC in November. Some great ones have been going around the center in an email, so I thought I would share them here. I'm going to give photo credit to NASA since I don't know who actually took them.
You may have also seen the news last week that Wally Schirra passed away. He was one of the Mercury 7 - the first people who became astronauts and went into space. Imagine what that would be like. Let's say somebody came to you and said they want to pack you into a tiny capsule on a large explosive that nobody has ridden in before. They hope will get you into space for a short time and also hope it will bring you back. What would you say? Would you be to scared to take the chance, or would you risk your life for what could be the most incredible thing you ever get to do?
That isn't to say being an astronaut now doesn't take courage - it certainly does - or that spaceflight is routine, but there are so many things you don't know when you are one of the first. The astronauts who get to fly on the new vehicles in a few years will experience the same thing.
After the news came out I wanted to take Myca over to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or what we refer to as "capeside", to see the Mercury 7 memorial. I have not been able to do that yet, but I do have a picture I took of it a while back so you can see what it looks like.
As soon as I can get Myca capeside I will post the pictures here. I think it is important to remember how the space program started and the courage and sense of adventure it takes to do something new. When I look at kids Emma's age I know it will be one of them who gets to be the first human to walk on Mars. Who knows, maybe it will even be Emma. And then she can take Myca out while I wait for the pictures. Wouldn't that be something?
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