posted 11-05-2017 10:20 AM               

As a NASA astronaut, Mastracchio logged 228 days in space on three space shuttle missions and one long-duration stay at the International Space Station. His first flight, STS-106, came in 2000, on board space shuttle Atlantis, when he and his crewmates worked to prepare the space station for its first expedition crew. He returned aboard space shuttle Endeavour for STS-118 in 2007, when as lead spacewalker, he participated in three spacewalks to install a new truss segment, a new gyroscope and a new spare parts platform on the space station's exterior.

In 2010, Mastracchio was part of the STS-131 crew of space shuttle Discovery. He performed another three spacewalks and helped deliver 27,000 pounds of hardware, including three experiment racks and new sleeping quarters for the space station. He was then able to put the hardware to use in 2014, when he spent 188 days in space as part of the Expedition 38 and 39 crews. During that stay, he performed three more spacewalks, leaving him with a total of 53 hours spent outside the space station on nine spacewalks.

Prior to becoming an astronaut, Mastracchio worked first with Hamilton Standard and then with Rockwell Shuttle Operations Co. before coming to NASA in 1990 as an engineer. He worked in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory on space shuttle flight software, and in the Astronaut Office on ascent and abort procedures for crew members. From there, he became a Guidance and Procedures Officer flight controller, working in mission control for space shuttle ascents and entries.

Today, Mastracchio is Orbital ATK's Senior Director of Operations for the Commercial Resupply Services program, which delivers cargo to the International Space Station on Cygnus spacecraft.

Details of the event are as follows:

• Friday, 23 March 2018:
  Evening Dinner and Auction £80
  The King's Croft, Wakefield Road, Pontefract
  Photo shoot: 18.00-18.45 (£30 payable on the day)
  Dinner 19.00-21.00
  Auction and autograph session

• Saturday, 24 March 2018:
  Lecture £35
  Carleton Community High School "The Infinity Theatre"
  Doors open at 14.00
  Photo shoot: 14.45-15.45 (£30 payable on the day)
  Lecture 16.00-17.00
  Q&A session, approximately 15 to 20 minutes
  Autograph session

posted 11-16-2017 03:49 AM               

Previous events have turned up some wonderful incarnations and nobody has won more than once which should tell you we are open to designs from all quarters.

Given Rick's extensive career involving the shuttle, ISS, umpteen EVAs and of course Soyuz there is a wealth of imagery out there. I will see to it that the winner receives their own bespoke, signed portrait photo courtesy of Rick and Space Lectures.

posted 12-16-2017 05:10 PM               

Such has been the support of so many regulars at these twice yearly events we thought it appropriate that they should have "first refusal". Only after the Mastracchio event will any patches NOT sold be made available to the wider public.

We were delighted to receive this week a photo taken by Scott "Scooter" Altman, proudly displaying his Space Lectures patch.

posted 12-21-2017 02:59 AM               

And on behalf of Ken Willoughby and all of the Space Lectures team a HUGE thank you to Scooter and Bruce McCandless for making 2017 such a memorable year, and of course all of our supporters without whom the Space Lectures events would not be possible.

posted 03-27-2018 01:44 PM               

It was Rick himself who reached out to Ken and offered his services as a speaker. He had been impressed by both the Space Lectures social media experience and feedback from friends and former astronaut colleagues who have graced the Space Lectures stage.

"It's great to be here guys and I'm looking forward to having some fun," Rick exclaimed upon arrival at the hotel. It soon became evident that Rick's energy and sense of fun would permeate the entire weekend and so it proved.

At a private team function Rick became the latest astronaut recipient of the much vaunted Space Lectures patch: the first from the second batch of patches. Over the next two days they proved very popular and sold like the proverbial hot cakes... but a small number remain so anybody interested in acquiring one should act fast!

One could be forgiven for thinking that Rick was a product of the NASA "mill." A honed (aka trained) and polished public speaker who knows exactly what to say and which buttons to press. In truth he simply loves meeting people. Whether it was high fiving school children or mixing with the dinner guests Rick has an innate natural talent for engaging with people that endeared him to everybody who came within his orbit.

As part of Space Lectures' outreach program Cundall Manor School of York invited Rick to speak to some 360 pupils. With ages ranging from 6 to 16, Rick skilfully managed to pitch what was essentially the same talk to two distinctly different groups of children.

Fast paced and packed with detail the excitement of his personal spaceflight experience was perfectly blended within the context of the space program as a whole. What has been done to date, what is going on now and what will happen in the future. And all this from a guy who applied to be a NASA astronaut no less than nine times: that's right... NINE times!!

His advice to the students was to excel at their studies, naturally, but also to stretch themselves and acquire a variety of skills. Whether it is playing a musical instrument, playing sports or being good with their hands, his experiences particularly on the astronaut selection board later in his career taught him that being an astronaut is not all about academia. Not surprisingly Rick's message of perseverance coupled with a can do attitude was the overriding message the pupils took away from their astronaut encounter.

Before both the dinner and public lecture the audience was invited to stand for a one minute silence as a mark of respect for heroes who have spoken previously at Space Lectures and who have sadly recently left us. RIP Dick Gordon and Bruce McCandless: we miss you both.

Friday's dinner and auction at the Kings Croft hotel was well attended and from the outset Rick mingled. He studied the goodies on offer from our resident dealers and it was at times difficult to spot him amongst the other diners before and after the photo shoot. Prior to the auction Rick offered to pitch in with descriptions and anecdotes for many of the signed lots including a flown patch from his personal collection. Not surprisingly the bidding that followed contributed to a good return, all of which will go to fund the next Space Lectures' event and chosen charities.

Many of the dinners are Space Lectures stalwarts that bring multi-signed pieces with them from previous astronaut encounters. One such Space Lectures encounter was with Rick's friend and one time crewmate Scott "Scooter" Altman, but this proved to be a source of faux irritation.

Time and again Rick would exclaim "Darn it. I'm underneath Scott Altman again." Before adding, "Don't believe a word that Altman says. He pays me money every year so that I can go around telling folks that he is a proper astronaut!!" It was evident from the twinkle in Rick's eye that the joshing was good natured and that he and Scooter are close.

320 people turned out to hear Rick at Saturday's lecture, some travelling from as far as France and Russia. Once again the audience was treated to an all-encompassing presentation: a beefed up "full fat" version of that given to the school. In his own inimitable style Rick packed in so much detail that even the most mundane of tasks seemed interesting, neigh exciting. Who would have known that taking the trash out of the ISS could be so riveting?

His insight as an Orbital ATK executive coupled with his experiences as a NASA astronaut left the audience with arguably the most comprehensive feeling of what it is like to not only live and work in the ISS but how to keep it operational and viable.

At the autograph session that followed the appreciation from the audience was overwhelming and Rick was continually thanking folks, shaking hands and on one occasion even offering advice to a young aerospace engineer currently working for Lockheed Martin.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and Rick had to catch a 5.30am flight the next morning in order to be back at work on the Monday, so he beat a hasty retreat to the airport. But next morning, once settled in to his seat mid Atlantic he took time out to tweet "Thanks for everything. You have Great folks doing great work. Keep it going."

Ken would like to thank everybody for attending. Without their support none of this would be possible. And while the announcement for October's event was not as slick as we would have liked, the response to Robert "Hoot" Gibson and Dr. Rhea Seddon proved VERY popular with the audience many of whom ordered tickets there and then.

posted 03-28-2018 03:02 AM               

My wife accompanies me to the Space Lectures events, and thanks to Rick's clear, enthusiastic delivery, she came away from this one with a renewed appreciation, and understanding, of spaceflight ops including the past, present and future of the manned space program. I found him to be really friendly and approachable (even commenting he really like my jacket!).