Posted on Feb 25, 2009 11:29:28 PM | NASA/Seventeen Co-op | 4 Comments   

Wow what a long, exciting day! We started with and adventure and it kept going till our day ended. As we partied all night the night before we weren't expecting the early 7:00 am -Wake up CallOur excitement began with getting ready for our day we got dressed makeup, hair, etc. Then we went for breakfast at The coffee house, which was delightful.  Susan then picked us up at 8:15 to take us to JSC to receive our Badges (made us official) then we received some amazing goodies including notepads to take great notes, pins, and pens! As we continue to take a tour with Frank the driver and Laurie the guide who gave us loads of info! We then arrived at SVMF - Space Vehicle Mockup Facility where we met Karen Lyberg a female astronaut who flew on STS-124 Discover. She showed us the Soyuz which were the emergancy escape and how the transported people! Also she showed us the Capsule where the astornauts move around, how they sleep, and where they use the restroom. She showed us the Add on's that will later be added to the satellite by the robotic arm.  We then moved on to a tour with Timothy Hall -  He was an (FAO) Flight activity operator - He showed us the (MCC) Mission Control Centers the original one which was in the Film "APOLLO 13" Also was used in the actual launches of Mercury and Apollo Missions. We then took a tour to the (MCC) of the (ISS) International Space Station- Which showed us where the team had to work together and how each person was devoted to their job's because it was like running a marathon because they were on all the time 24/7 practically. They even worked holidays! Then we continued to the (MCC) of the space shuttle and it was important because now they are raising the future generation to be in the room and let the people with families work in a office, but be on-call at all times. We learned about their risks, and how important each of their jobs are.  Learned that the Cato- Camera control he has the views of the satellites which help them repair the tiles on the outside of the satellite whichthey recently found where wearing down and continued by fixing it immediately with the help of CATO and camera views. We then headed to lunch where we met Kayla the interim which phone interviewed us before we were selected for the dream experience. (I had a Chicken ranch wrap) "Amazing" by the way, but thats beside the point we then had a surprise guest join us at the table aka Stephanie Wilson Astronaut who flew on STS-120 and then flew on STS-121 and will fly again on the STS-131.  She was very inspiriational, she told us it was difficult, but that we could do it. She told us about her background and her story. It's a breath of fresh air to met women of high power, it shows us girls that we can be astornauts and its not just for men its whoever has the dream and just to prusue your dream.  We then went into the gift shop where we spent some money!!!!!! haha, but we bought some really cool shirts which we will wear to our school and represent ! Then our next Adventure was to meet Linda who was a shuttle robotics instructor who trained astronauts, how to use the robotic arm which helps move and transfer things. We then experianced it ourselves we had the oppertunity to do the simulator that the astronauts actually train on. It was exciting and a totally awesome experiance. While having left over time Linda then took us to Building 4s which is where the astronauts work but, we were going to the simulators. She took us to see the actual potty they use in space, Where on the potty they have to use a camera to align themselves for practice. Its pretty cool, we got to sit on it and take pictures! haha! Which hopefully no one will see just kidding. Then our next tour was Sam where he took us on the SEMS (simulators) Launch and Land simulator they actually use to practice which it was pretty cool cause we each had a turn to be the pilot and land the shuttle. It was very difficult actually, then Jenny flew and was landing and Sam the instructor pressed a button on accident and we crashed, It was funny though. AMAZING day! then they gave us some space food to wrap up the day. * Well then Jenny took us/ joined us for dinner at Olive garden which was totally delicious we all had leftovers which I'm about to go eat mine right now!  Thats it for today! Will blog again tomorrow !!! :)  Peace -Ciara!!!!!!! =]

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