Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 05-24-2009 07:30 PM
For anyone wishing to relive the mission, here are all of the Flight Day Highlights:
StarDome New Member
Posts: From: Registered:
posted 05-31-2009 07:01 PM
I wanted to say a big thank you to Jimmy, Eamon, Siobhan, what wonderful people! Along with Rick, we had a wonderful time at Durango's! Shame you weren't there Robert!
The meal was awesome, and lovely company.
I cant wait for the next one.
Was good to see you Robert in the press office, you looked like a rabbit with his eyes in the lights though! Thanks for pointing me in the direction of Ken, it was nice to meet up with him at his house at last.
This was a life changing experience and something I will remember always.
Jimmy I will be in touch re: the article!
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 06-01-2009 07:40 AM
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 06-01-2009 07:47 AM
quote:Originally posted by StarDome: Shame you weren't there Robert!
And I would have greatly enjoyed being there! Unfortunately, I didn't leave the press site until they closed, and then I still had a few hours worth of work to do back at the hotel...
irish guy Member
Posts: 287 From: Kerry Ireland Registered: Dec 2001
posted 06-01-2009 11:02 AM
Arrived back to Ireland on Saturday and went to work almost immediately, so apologies for the delay. We are still amazed and in awe at the experience of a launch at the press site. It was all the better for sharing this with some old and new friends.
Rick and Andy and Jimmy, it was great meeting up and dinner was a memorable occasion. Thanks for all the help Jimmy and Ben for pointing us in all the right directions, to using the camera and explaining procedures. It was great meeting you Stefan, our fellow European. Hope to see you again. On entering the press office, it was great to see you Robert. A friendly face in the midst of all the chaos.
So many highlights of the trip, so many to mention but here is just a little few to share with you. The launch of course was great. Being introduced to Hugh Harris and Toni Myers in the canteen was very interesting and Hugh kindly gave us a lift back to the press site afterwards.
It was brilliant to see Rick Lennehan pin the Irish/American flag we gave him to his suit. A moment shared with Jimmy and his friend from Sandford. Admittedly Siobhan and I had escaped to the conference room for the super air conditioning as the Florida temperatures had us under pressure!
Meeting and chatting with Sean O'Keefe, Bruce McCandless, Stan Love, and Dottie Meltcalf-Lindenberger.
A memorable moment was a combination of a T-38 flying overhead, a manatee and her calf near the bank of the river and the countdown clock close by all tied together by the magnificent shuttle across the river.
Getting to the pad at sunset was magical. The sun coupled with the glow of the shuttle is something we will never forget. This was also shared by the families and children of the astronauts, it brought it home to us just how serious and real this all is.
Siobhan's favorite moment was standing just a few feet waving bon voyage to the crew van as they made their way to the pad and liftoff. We didn't make the walk out but this was just as incredible. The building of the momentum with helicopters, escort and at last the van with the blacked out windows. Don't know if they saw a small Irish lady waving her hands off and bidding them good luck!
The grand finale of our special time was dinner in Durango's with Rick, Andy and Jimmy and the sneak preview of Jimmy's special photos taken from the remote cameras. Seeing a remote camera hood covered in mud and debris from the blast and looking at the truly magnificent photos from that camera ranks high up there in our list of keepsake moments.
We were thrilled the mission went so successfully and we look forward to the images from Hubble.
Will write to each of our launch buddies in the next few days, as soon as work permits!
Again thanks for all the help , the tips and the lots of laughs and memorable time.
Already we are casting an eye on November's mission. Who knows?
All the best from Ireland Eamonn & Siobhan
ilbasso Member
Posts: 1522 From: Greensboro, NC USA Registered: Feb 2006
posted 06-04-2009 02:43 PM
I wanted to give a big Shout Out to my nephew, Bob Scheid, who supported STS-125 via writing some of the protocols for the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System in capturing Hubble and bringing it into the cargo bay. Bob graduated from Embry-Riddle last year, and this was the first "flown" mission he has supported. Bob's in this photo of the STS-125 Orbit Team in Mission Control.
Way to go, Bob! We're proud of you! I'm living vicariously through your exploits!
posted 05-24-2009 07:30 PM
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