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April 01, 2003
Space Cadet
OK, the details I promised.
Karen and I decided a while back that we would do adventurous things for our decade birthdays (e.g. 30th, 40th) because it would give us something to look forward to rather than dread.
For Karen's, she flew a plane and spent a month [not week; sorry K!] on her own in Europe. For mine, it had to be Space Camp, because I've wanted to go for years. It's a one-week immersion into astronaut training, using real (if older) NASA procedures and equipment.
I'm going a few weeks after my birthday, from December 28th to January 2nd. For the Shuttle missions I'll be trained as a Mission Specialist, mostly because I don't have the coordination to fly the thing or handle that robot arm. A good solid tech, that's what they need. ;)
The whole thing sounds exciting, but I'm most intrigued by things like the buoyancy trainer tank, where I get to strap on SCUBA gear (first time ever) and work on space station components in a weightless-like environment. Kind of a poor-man's Vomit Comet, if you will.
I'm going to read up on Shuttle systems before I go, but otherwise there's not much to do but count the days until I'm 30. Come on, 30! Oh, and plan for what I'll do when I turn 40, or perhaps when I turn 50.
Posted by Chris at April 1, 2003 12:47 PM
Probably no one will ever read this, but in case someone's looking at the archives, Chris didn't go when he thought he would. His wife, Karen, did the adventure thing, giving birth to Ben on December 6, 2003. Chris postponed the space camp, and while I'm sure someone told me when he's now going, I can't remember. It's okay, though. ;-)
Posted by: Deana at January 17, 2004 04:02 PM