The Bugz — It Takes All Kinds

JSC2000-06853: The Bugz
The NASA Astronaut Class of 2000 — the 18th class of NASA astronauts.

Our class name is “the Bugz” (the name has several origins: the class before you gets to name you / year 2000 and the millennium bug / bugs actually fly / it’s better than maggots….)
 

We all received the phone call on July 20, 2000 – the anniversary of the Apollo moon landing.  This year we’ll celebrate two important anniversaries – 9 years since the Bugz became astronauts and 40 years since Neil and Buzz took those first historic steps on the moon.

“AsCan” (short for Astronaut Candidate) is what you’re called when you’re first selected to the Astronaut Office and while you’re going through the initial training.  Then one day, a year or so after you’re selected and when you’ve successfully completed the initial training, you earn the title Astronaut – which is way cool because it’s even before you actually fly in space.

We have a great class that is made up of really interesting people from all different backgrounds – military test pilots and flight engineers, submariner, oceanographer, geophysicist, medical doctor, and aerospace engineers.

The picture above was taken at the same time as our official class photo – this is the fun shot (that’s me in the front row, second from the left).  It represents the beginning of an amazing adventure for the Bugz. When I look at this picture, it always brings a smile to my face because the look on everyone’s face is very telling of each and every personality.  It has been such a pleasure getting to know all of these people. 

I’m convinced that it’s more than just your work and educational background that helps make you a good astronaut candidate (I’m thankful to the selection committee for recognizing this too).   This is especially evident when you find out that aside from the diverse work backgrounds of all these people, it’s even more interesting to learn about the diverse and fun interests everyone has outside of work.  Who would have known that great astronauts are also made up of an almost professional water skier, excellent dancers (one even does a good river dance), comedians, carpenters, private pilots and flight instructors, baseball coaches, Sunday school teachers, artists, big game hunter, marathon runners,  seamstress, NASCAR fans, sailors, auto mechanics, gardeners, cooks, mountain climbers, musicians, golfers, photographers, astronomers…..

So it seems it really does take all kinds.  One of the main things that is reinforced through all of our AsCan training, and then continues through our mission specific training, is the importance of teamwork.  Your crew is your team.  Everyone has particular strengths and weaknesses, and you have to learn to take advantage of these in order to successfully complete your mission.  Many times the interests that we have and the skills we’ve developed outside of work are the things that not only make us the people that we are, but also help us add the most value to our team. 

13 thoughts on “The Bugz — It Takes All Kinds”

  1. Hi!!! just another fan of astronaut’s and the vast universe…
    and now your’s mam….. have wonderfull time out there…will u blog from ISS?!?!?!!

  2. I love this inside glimpse of the ‘real’ people behind the awesome status of astronaut. It is a wonderful bridge that connects to us ordinary people who are huge fans.

  3. Greetings from Germany Nicole!

    It is astonishing that you find the peace and time to write about the Bugz when you are probably doing a mental roller-coaster ride in and out the Space Shuttle for the past three days. Perhaps writing helps as some kind of distraction because the unclear situation must be really exciting and psychologically demanding?!

    Good luck for Friday

    Uli B.

  4. My kids are students at Clearwater High, and both, like their parents, are huge fans of NASA and the space program. We made a total of five trips to the space coast to see the launch of STS-127. 🙂 We also hope to see STS-128 lift off…especially excited to see a night launch, as they even look spectacular from our neighborhood. Good luck!

  5. Diversity is the common element that we all share together. Its funny that all of you have one thing in common, Trusting in each other, commitment, dedication, and sharing the precious moments that are to follow. Every one of you are inspirational to so many people in the world. I thank you for your service.

    Sincerely

    Kevin Joubert

  6. Thank you for sharing. This was really nice.

    Watched your interview on Nasa tv. Really enjoyed it. Feel inspired, one can move from citizen with dreams to AsCan to Astronaut. And the cool thing, of all the many areas of interest which each Astronaut in the Bugz have, a few are shared we me too.

    Enjoy your flight and stay @ ISS. Take lots of pictures. Live each moment!

    Way to go Nicole !!! 🙂

    Amature Astronomer

  7. Nicole,

    Congratulations on a great liftoff! We’ll be watching from down here. My seven year old daughter loves the picture and is excited there’s some “girl power” up there!

    God Speed,

    Derek

  8. Nicole, tell Kevin a fellow HOOSIER wants to know how he feels about “ARYGLLS”. He should know want it it means. You have a great flight. Let Kevin know the State fair was great.

    A jealous observer
    ptj4403

  9. Gday from Australia. My two sons (Zhak,12 and Ky,7) and I spent a lot of time today watching and listening with interest to the current mission via NASA TV.Both were amazed that the shuttle was literally passing overhead 180 miles or so above us with “real” people on board. Your blog helped me reinforce the idea that anything is possible if you’re willing to work at something.That ordinary everyday people get accepted and become astronauts. The boys were fascinated to know that you’re a mum as well as an astronaut. Thanks for making space flight “real” for us. I/we look forward to following your blog and more importantly your adventure, Nicole. The best of luck to you and to the rest of the team up there..M.S

  10. keeping you and the rest of the STS-128 team in my thoughts. that was some beautiful liftoff. 🙂

  11. Hi Nicole. I want to say “how are you” before talk to you through you blog on Nasa web site. I have read 3 letters of your blog in here and just make me happy and smile. So I want to be an astronaut as well when i have been an succesful ( wish so ) astronomer in NASA. And i feel interest the lifes of astonauts who has gone into space before. But ISS’s re-entry at 2015 make me sad so people make spaceship what is greatest spaceship in space made ever ( spent so many shuttle mission, spent so many cash to make and people workings to build )and then people burn it in atmosphere due budget. I would want to carry it to upper earth orbit even we don’t use it. Because we made it and it is our work in space made by us,humans and spent 17 years to build what is made better thing in space. ( I want to say you should know that i was writing this comment to you when you was making your first flight in STS-128 mission )
    Also when the ISS was passing over me today, i thought that “people is passing over me who i know ” and said “it is amazing”. And I stopped just a moment and thought again: ” People are passing over us and there are people that living in space. And i might be in space and i might pass over people right now”
    We humans have got 6 people in space for everytime. And We live in space anymore. This is big development. We live like do in old movies. We have gone another rock in space besides Earth. And Now We are going to go another one planet what is like our home…
    Anyway wish you read my comment when you are in space if you can do and wish you leave a comment when i went space in future time 😀
    Good Lucks!

  12. This picture is great!
    Shows that pride in what you are doing and a good dose of humor!

    God Speed to all that reach for the stars.

    Gunny Scott
    USMC Ret.

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