Klingon, cookies and class project arrive at space station with shuttle Discovery (STS-131 Official Flight Kit)

Klingon, cookies and class project fly with Discovery (STS-131 OFK)

April 7, 2010

— A "flat" paper doll, a freshly-baked batch of wedding cookies, a cartoon dog, and patches inscribed with a sci-fi alien language are packed among the 17,000 pounds of science experiments, equipment, and supplies that were delivered by shuttle Discovery early Wednesday to the International Space Station (ISS).

Lighting the predawn sky as it lifted off on Monday at 6:21 a.m. EDT (1021 GMT), Discovery launched the STS-131 crew on a 13-day mission to the orbiting laboratory, where they'll perform three spacewalks and move equipment into and out of a moving van module called Leonardo. Led by commander Alan Poindexter, Discovery's crew arrived at the station at 3:44 a.m. EDT (0744 GMT) Wednesday.

The seven astronauts — the shuttle's last full contingent as the fleet's remaining three planned missions are set to fly with one empty seat each — have packed on Discovery mementos and creature comforts to bring a bit of home to the station. They'll return to Earth with many of the same souvenirs to share space with those on the ground.

Sandtarts for the spaceman

One special care package, flown at the request of station resident T.J. Creamer, will be lucky if it lasts the full day let alone remain when Discovery departs for Earth.

Having just this past week marked his 100th day in space as a flight engineer for the station's 23rd expedition crew, it's understandable why Creamer might be eager a taste of home — and that is exactly what the STS-131 crew has for him.

Fulfilling a request Creamer made before he launched last December, Discovery is delivering cookies from an Italian restaurant he frequented while training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The wedding-style cookies were specially prepared for spaceflight by Bessilyn Piazza, who continues to follow her late mother's recipe while baking the sandtarts at the Italian Cafe in Seabrook for more than 20 years.

"It will be the perfect tribute to my mother," Piazza said in a press release issued before Discovery's launch. "I know how proud she would be to see her sandtarts travel into space."

Contacted by NASA to provide samples for the standard pre-flight testing that all 'space food' undergoes, Piazza ended up making just one change to the cookies at the space agency's request: reducing the amount of powdered sugar that normally coats each sandtart.

Still, the half-dollar size pastries are bound to be a sweet treat for Creamer and his crewmates. The experience has been sweet for Piazza, too.

"My feet haven't touched the ground since I received the news," said Piazza. "This is something I never dreamed would happen. I'm still on cloud nine."

Flight's fifth female and first doggie

Not all of Discovery's "sweet" deliveries are edible.

Dorothy "Dottie" Metcalf-Lindenburger, who together with fellow STS-131 mission specialists Stephanie Wilson and Naoko Yamazaki as well as Expedition 23 flight engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson have established the record for the most women astronauts in space at one time, has tucked inside her notebook the crew's honorary fifth female.

Standing just seven inches tall and less than one-tenth of a millimeter thick, "Flat Marie" is the paper doll creation of 5-year-old Marie Plowman. A pre-school student at First Presbyterian Christian School in Spokane, Washington, the real Marie created her flat self as a part of her class's "Flat Stanley" project based on the 1964 children's book by the same title. In the book, author Jeff Brown shares the story of Stanley, who's flattened and then embarks on adventures by being mailed in an envelope.

Metcalf-Lindenburger, a teacher herself who was selected with NASA's 2004 educator-astronaut class, is connected with Marie through her friendship with the child's maternal grandfather, a retired history professor at Whitman College where Metcalf-Lindenburger graduated.

Marie's mother originally e-mailed Metcalf-Lindenburger to ask if she would share some of her training experiences.

"She e-mailed right back and said that she would not only be willing to do that but that she would be happy to take 'Flat Marie' along on the mission as well," said Stephanie Plowman in an interview with The Spokesman-Review.

"Flat Marie" is not the only two-dimensional character on the shuttle.

Clayton Anderson, a fellow STS-131 mission specialist, is flying "Dogie the Doggie," the childhood comic creation of cartoonist Jeff Koterba. Anderson reached out to Koterba after seeing an editorial cartoon Koterba drew about him for The Omaha World-Herald newspaper in Nebraska.

"Last fall [Anderson] invited me to draw two cartoons that he could take on the the shuttle," Koterba explained in an interview with the Political Cartoon Index, a website about editorial cartoons, adding that one would be given to the World-Herald and the other he would keep. "The cartoon for myself has to do with Dogie the Doggie."

The one-frame comic, which depicts the spacesuited dog "Dogie" thinking "I finally made it..." while spacewalking outside the shuttle, features Koterba's version of another famous comic strip dog.

"Dogie the Doggie was my childhood answer to Snoopy," Koterba told interviewer Rob Tornoe, "created in response to my father who didn't believe I should just be copying characters out of the comics pages."

Window ~~cling-on~~ Klingon

'Copying characters' is exactly what Tony Boatright did to design part of NASA's patch for the Window Observational Research Facility, a science equipment rack flying aboard Discovery that once installed on the station's Destiny lab science window will enable astronaut-tended and remote- controlled Earth-observation experiments.

Recognizing that the rack's acronym — WORF — was the name given to a character, Lt. Commander Worf, on the sci-fi television series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," Boatright had the idea to use the fictional security officer's native alien language, Klingon, on the emblem.

He contacted Star Trek executive producer Rick Berman's office to make certain that he "wouldn't violate any Star Trek canon."

"We agreed on the Klingon Klinshai, or Mandel, script that had appeared in 'The U.S.S. Enterprise Officer's Manual'... to spell out the name W-O-R-F," Boatright explained in a discussion forum post he made on collectSPACE.com.

Boatright, who was a member of the WORF development team when he designed the patch in 2001, is proud of the final result.

"[By] late next week, I'll have my art (via a WORF sticker on the front of the rack) on permanent display in a fairly exclusive orbital gallery," he wrote.

More of Boatright's WORF patches are stowed inside the STS-131 Official Flight Kit (OFK), a stash of souvenirs to be distributed to team members and other organizations after Discovery returns to Earth.

Among those other items in the OFK are hundreds of the STS-131 mission patch as designed by NASA artist Cindy Busch under the lead of Metcalf-Lindenburger, as well as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) patch for crew member Yamazaki.

The latter, a tear-drop shape patch, features multi-colored four-leaf clovers and a rainbow stretching from the space station to Mars.

"For me it represents that space holds a lot of possibilities for the future. I hope we'll continue dreaming about space, and it is that hope that is [symbolized] in the patch," said Yamazaki in an interview with collectSPACE.

The space shuttle Discovery, as seen from the International Space Station, with the Leonardo module in its payload bay. (NASA)

To prepare her sandtarts for spaceflight, Bessilyn Piazza had to go lighter on the powdered sugar coating. (The Italian Cafe)

Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger poses with a "Flat Stanley" doll like the "Flat Marie" that launched with her into space. (NASA)

Cartoonist Jeff Koterba's "Dogie the Doggie" features in one of two, one-frame cartoons flying with Discovery. (Jeff Koterba)

Tony Boatright's WORF artwork is shown affixed to the front of the Window Operational Research Facility. (NASA/Boatright)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) patch for STS-131 mission specialist Naoko Yamazaki. (JAXA)

The STS-131 Official Flight Kit Manifest

The following is the STS-131 Official Flight Kit manifest, as provided by NASA. Inventory numbers that are missing indicate items that were removed prior to launch.

No.	Description	Sponsor/Purpose

1.	625 STS-131 crew patches 75 Expedition 23 patches 75 Expedition 24 patches	Agency Presentation
2.	800 Small United States Flags	Agency Presentation
3.	5 Sets U.S. States & Territories Flags	Agency Presentation
4.	5 Sets United Nations Members Flags	Agency Presentation
5.	20 Small Texas Flags 5 Small NASA Flags 5 NASA Patches 1 Large (3") JSC Medallion 6 Small (2") JSC Medallions 2 Bronze NASA Seal Medallion 1 Silver Shuttle Pendant	Agency Presentation
6.	5 Small (4"x6") State Flags: Maryland Florida California Oregon Washington Massachusetts South Carolina Georgia	Agency Presentation
7.	10 Small (4"x6") State Flags: Nebraska Connecticut Colorado	Agency Presentation
8.	2 Small Flags of the Following Countries: Slovenia Zambia United Kingdom Tunisia	Agency Presentation
9.	25 Small (4"x6") Flags of Japan 5 Small (4"x6") JAXA Flags	Agency Presentation
10.	Small (4"x6") Military Flags: 10 U.S. Air Force 10 U.S. Army 10 U.S. Coast Guard 10 U.S. Marine Corps 10 U.S. Navy	Agency Presentation
11.	10 Small United States Flags 10 Small Alabama State Flags	Marshall Space Flight Center Presentation
12.	10 Small Louisiana State Flags 10 Small Mississippi State Flags 5 Small NASA Flags 5 Small United States Flags	Stennis Space Center Presentation
13.	5 Small United States Flags 5 Small Florida State Flags	Kennedy Space Center Presentation
14.	200 Silver Snoopy Pins	Space Flight Awareness Presentation

15.	25 EVA Patches	Agency Presentation
16.	10 STS-131 Crew Patches 14 Small U.S. flags 10 DoD Space Test Program Patches 10 Space Development & Test Wing Coins 16 Military Insignia 3 USAF Retired Lapel Pins 1 Master Space Operations Badge 1 160th Special Ops Aviation Regiment Patch	DoD Presentation
17.	Hold	Johnson Space Center Presentation

18.	25 COD Patches	Center Operations Directorate Presentation

19.	25 Mission Operations Patches	Mission Operation Directorate Presentation

20.	100 Small Metal Shuttle Tokens	Agency Presentation

Items 21 through 95 are manifested at the request of the STS-131 crewmembers.

21.	Gold College Seal with Ribbons	Pensacola Junior College, Pensacola, FL

22.	Navy, White and Gold Centennial Medallion	Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA

23.	Gold, Navy and Yellow Squadron Medallion	Blue Angels, Pensacola, FL

24.	Pewter Medallion on Blue Display Card	Wootten High School, Rockville, MD

25.	5"x8" White and Green School Flag	Coronado High School, Coronado, CA

26.	White T-Shirt	The Laura Ingraham Show, Washington, DC

27.	10.5"x14.5" Car Pennant	Georgia Tech Aerospace and Engineering, Atlanta, GA

28.	3'x5' White, Red and Black Flag	VFA-211 Navy Squadron, Virginia Beach, VA

29.	Black T-Shirt	British Broadcasting Company, London, UK

30.	Squadron Patch	493rd Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK

31.	4.5"x6.5" Red, White and Blue Country Flag	Trencin Cultural Center, Trencin, Slovakia

32.	3.5"x8" Wood Shingle	F-22nd Combined Test Force, Edwards, CA

33.	Gold Ring	University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

34.	2'x4' White Cloth Banner	Meadowlark Elementary School, Eugene, OR

35.	Squadron Patch	114th Fighter Squadron, Klamath Falls, OR

36.	Purple and Yellow Mascot Costume	411th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards, CA

37.	Squadron Patch	40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin, AFB, FL

38.	Squadron Patch	Edwards AFB, CA

39.	2'x4' White and Green Flag	Sheldon High School, Eugene, OR

40.	2'x3' Black and White Fabric Banner	University of Connecticut School of Engineering, Storrs, CT

41.	2'x3' Blue and White Banner	University of Connecticut Athletic Dept., Storrs, CT

42.	1.5'x2' White and BLue Vinyl Banner	Tyrrell Middle School, Wolcott, CT

43.	White and Orange T-Shirt	New Hartford School, New Hartford, CT

44.	Blue and White T-Shirt	Noah Wallace Middle School, Farmington, CT

45.	Red Bandana	EVA Group, Houston, TX

46.	1'x5' White, Navy and Green Vinyl Banner	Bentley Group, Houston, TX

47.	Black Metal Bracelet	336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

48.	Squadron Patch	557th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, CA

49.	Black Lapel Pin	Manned Rocket Project, Chiba, Japan

50.	1'x2' Navy and Orange Pennant	Evanston Township High School, IL

51.	Blue and White T-Shirt	Creekside Intermediate School, League City, TX

52.	Gray School T-Shirt	Stansberry Elementary School, Loveland, CO

53.	13"x19" Class Photo on Canvas	Armand Bayou Montesson School, Houston, TX

54.	14"x14" Tan Cloth Quilting Square	Autism Research Institute, San Diego, CA

55.	Black T-Shirt	Boltz Junior High School, Fort Collins, CO

56.	2"x7" Wood "Peace Pole"	Bennett World School, Fort Collins, CO

57.	Gray and Red T-Shirt	McLoughlin Middle School, Vancouver, WA

58.	Blue and White T-Shirt	Shepardson Elementary School, Fort Collins, CO

59.	9"x18" Gold and Black Pennant	Hudson's Bay High School, Vancouver, WA

60.	1'x1.5' Black and Gold Cloth	Ambassadors Preparatory Academy, Galveston, TX

61.	1.5'x2' White and Navy Flag	Shorter University, Rome, GA

62.	Red, Black and Gold T-Shirt	Pietzsch-MacArthur Elementary, Beaumont, TX

63.	Yellow and Navy T-Shirt	Missouri City Middle School, Missouri City, TX

64.	White T-Shirt	Boys and Girls Club, Pittsfield, MA

65.	3'x5' Navy and Gold Flag	Dearborn Middle School, Roxbury, MA

66.	White and Purple T-Shirt	Paul Quinn College, Dallas, TX

67.	8.5"x11" Blue Paper	Reedy Chapel AME Church, Houston, TX

68.	2'x3' Blue Flag	All Nippon Kuutei Doushikai, Tokyo, Japan

69.	Packet of Seeds	Matsudo City, Chiba, Japan

70.	1'x1.5' Purple Flag	Ochanomizu University Senior High School, Tokyo, Japan

71.	8"x8" White, Blue and Brown Cloth	The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

72.	Packet of Seeds	Young Astronauts Club, Kanagawa, Japan

73.	2'x3' Beige and Black Flag	Kamakura City, Kanagawa, Japan

74.	15" Blue, Gold and Black Patch	Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan

75.	Packet of Seeds	Elementary School at Kamaura, Kanagawa, Japan

76.	1'x5' Black Cloth	Montessori School of Downtown, Clear Lake, TX

77.	1.5x2' White and Red Flag	Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, Tokyo, Japan

78.	4"x6"x3" Deflated Blue Globe	Secretariat of Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy, Tokyo, Japan

79.	Patch	U.S. Navy, Bangor, Washington

80.	Red, White and Blue Tie	Nebraska Press Association, Lincoln, NE

81.	Gold Ornament	Willow Point Museum, Ashland, NE

82.	5"x7" Photo	Nebraska Education TV, Lincoln, NE

83.	2'x3' Red and White Flag	Hastings College, Hastings, NE

84.	Tan Baseball Cap	National Collegiate Athletic Assoc., Kansas City, MO

85.	White T-Shirt	Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE

86.	Gold, Red and White Medallion	Strategic Air and Space Museum, Ashland, NE

87.	3'x5' Gold and Red State Flag	Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

88.	8.5"x11" Watercolor Cartoon	Omaha World Herald, Omaha, NE

89.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

90.	Silver Astronaut Wings	Agency Presentation

91.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

92.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

93.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

94.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

95.	Gold Astronaut Pin	Agency Presentation

Items 96 through 118 are manifested at the request of the Space Shuttle Program Office and Payload Customers.

96.	366 Sheets of Bookmarks	Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Presentation

97.	10 Space Test Program (STP) Pins ~~10 STP Patches~~ DELETE 3 STP Patches 50 STP Space Tissue Loss (STL) Payload Patches 170 STP STL Payload Decals	DoD Presentation
98.	4 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Patches	International Space Station Program Presentation

99.	140 Small (4"x6") Flags of Japan 140 Small (4"x6") JAXA Flags ~~70 JAXA Expedition 22/23 Patches~~ DELETE 70 JAXA STS-131 Mission Patches ~~70 JAXA Expedition 22/23 Pins~~ DELETE	ISSP/JAXA Presentation
100.	100 Multi-Purpose Logistics Mission Pins	ISSP Presentation

101.	100 Launch Package Manager Patches	ISSP Presentation

102.	50 Capillary Flow Experiments Patches	ISSP Presentation

103.	~~25 LADA VPU Payload Patches~~ DELETE	ISSP Presentation

104.	100 STS-131 Mission Patches	ISSP Presentation

105.	20 WORF Patches	ISS Presentation

106.	7 Kentucky Flag Patches	ISS Presentation

107.	30 Nanoracks Decals	ISS Presentation

108.	24 MERLIN Patches	ISS Presentation

109.	12 Cardiovascular Patches	ISS Presentation

110.	50 Cardiovascular Decals	ISS Presentation

111.	50 Capillary Flow Experiments Decals	ISS Presentation

112.	50 POIC Decals	ISS Presentation

113.	10 CSA Patches	ISS Presentation

114.	30 Apex-Cambium Decals	ISS Presentation

115.	16 CSA Pins	ISS Presentation

116.	100 CUCU Patches	ISS Presentation

117.	49 TriDAR Patches	ISS Presentation

118.	1250 ISS Pins 682 ISS Flags	ISS Presentation