Category Archives: Uncategorized

The official NASA history of STS-109 can be found on the agency web page:  The last part of that official account reads:  “After a successful launch, flight controllers in Mission Control noticed a degraded flow rate in one of two … Continue reading →

Warning: A long story that has a lot of technical details – and a moral. Reflecting on my career as a Space Shuttle Flight Director, there were many difficult decisions to make and sometimes some terrifying results.  Putting peoples’ lives … Continue reading →

Probably the most heart stopping moments in spaceflight occur at the final stages of a countdown to liftoff.  Will it go or not?  What happens once the engines start?  Success or failure or just wait for another day?  I lived … Continue reading →

I have a good friend who flew helicopters in combat for the US Army. His number one rule is “Don’t Do Stupid.”  I think this is a good rule to remember.  We have too much at stake in space exploration … Continue reading →

A few days ago, I wrote about ‘Protecting the Bird Sanctuary’.  I hope you read it.  Because I told you that story just to be able to tell this one.  I put this story in the ‘mostly true’ category – … Continue reading →

SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT RULE     A2-62       ET FOOTPRINT CRITERIA DESIGN MECO CONDITIONS AND ABORT MODE BOUNDARIES MUST PROVIDE AN ET IMPACT POINT (IP) FOOTPRINT, INCLUDING 3-SIGMA DISPERSIONS, WHICH SATISFIES THE FOLLOWING CONSTRAINTS: A. NOMINAL MECO TARGET: THE ET IP FOOTPRINT … Continue reading →

Tradition!  Here we have traditions for everything; how to eat, how to sleep, even how to talk to the crew. You may ask, how did this tradition start?  I’ll tell you – I don’t know.  But it’s a tradition!  – … Continue reading →

Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honor and recognition in event of success. – Apocryphal advertisement attributed to Ernest Shackleton for his 1914 Antarctic Expedition We cannot … Continue reading →

This month contains NASA’s Day of Remembrance as it does each year.  Each year the events that need to be remembered draw more deeply into the past.  This year is extraordinary because it marks the twentieth since we lost Columbia … Continue reading →

When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, I had a recurring dream that I could fly.  Not fly an airplane but fly like a bird.  Although better than any bird because I could traverse continents in minutes … Continue reading →