NOLS Grads in Space:
The space shuttle Endeavour is due to launch at 1:47 MDT. We inviteyou all of you across the country to join us in watching the launch. As a reminder, this is the penultimate space shuttle mission and the
final flight of the space shuttle Endeavour. Construction of the
International Space Station, the most complex machine ever built, is
nearly complete. (The final mission for the space shuttle fleet,
STS-135 , has a crew of four. They have a target launch date of June
28th.) Today's shuttle launch is commanded by CAPT Mark Kelly (USN). Mark is
a three-time NOLS graduate. In November 2009, in preparation for
their expedition; which is really a two year period of training,
flight and wrap-up; the entire crew took the inaugural NOLS-NASA
sailing course in 2009. The course was led by Steve Summers, Shari
Kearney, Doug Knapp and John Kanengieter. Among them, they have taken
12 NOLS courses. Three of the six astronauts/cosmonauts on Expedition 27 currently on
the International Space Station are also NOLS graduates. Notably, the
space station crew managed an unmanned Progress resupply ship docking
this in the last couple of hours.