Yesterday I came back to my office after a long rendezvous sim and found this waiting for me: my mission montage from the STS-129 crew! Hooray!
I’ve worked many missions, but had never received one of these because they’re usually only given out to the lead flight controller for each discipline. Everyone in my office already has at least two or three of these from the flights they’ve worked as Lead Rendezvous Officer, so it’s nice to finally have one of my own. The only downer is that the crew makes a habit of personally dropping these off in each person’s office, and I wasn’t at my desk when they brought it over. I haven’t seen any of them since the mission last November, and it would’ve been nice to chat with them again.
I know it’s just a signed piece of cardboard, and I know the “flown in space and traveled 4.5 million miles” patch was unceremoniously vacuum-packed with a bunch of identical patches and stowed deep down in a space shuttle locker somewhere — but it’s MY cardboard and MY patch, because STS-129 was MY lead mission. That feels good.
I have no idea where I’m going to end up next year when the shuttle program ends, but I’ll always have good memories.
Did they really personally drop yours off? Two were waiting at my desk for me when I got them, and the third we got told to pick up in the FD’s office. None had an awesome personal message like yours does either :). The 129 crew is KEWL! 🙂
I don’t know for sure since I wasn’t here, but I assume they did — I’ve been in the office a couple times in the past when crews came in to give them out. Not the whole crew, but one or two of them. Like all things, it probably depends on the crew.
Very cool!
Totally cool! Well done.
I think this is so neat and is a wonderful momento of the time you spent at this particular job. It is something that you will be able to show your children and grandchildren.