posted 01-04-2011 03:11 PM               

Astronaut Marsha Ivins Leaves NASA

NASA astronaut Marsha Ivins, a veteran of five space flights, has retired from the agency.

"Marsha's incredible depth of mission experience and technical expertise has been a tremendous asset to this office," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We have relied on her expertise for years in many diverse areas, including but not limited to crew provisions, optimal hardware packing, human ratings development, vehicle habitability and orbiter preflight vehicle checks. Her expertise and dedication to NASA's mission will be sorely missed."

Ivins joined NASA in 1974 as an engineer. She worked on space shuttle displays, controls, man-machine engineering and the development of the orbiter's head-up display. She served in Johnson's aircraft operations as a flight engineer for the Shuttle Training Aircraft and copilot of the Gulfstream I.

Ivins was selected as an astronaut in 1984. She spent more than 1,300 hours in space during five shuttle flights: STS-32 in 1990, STS-46 in 1992, STS-62 in 1994, STS-81 in 1997 and STS-98 in 2001.

Ivins most recently worked within the Astronaut Office supporting the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Constellation Programs.

posted 01-08-2011 01:27 AM               

Her uncle and my uncle grew up together and are life long friends. They even owned race horses at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore.

When my son was very ill in 1995 Marsha sent him a 1900 silver dollar. When ever she was out of the country she sent us postcards. She also sent me an invitation to each of her five of her missions and a crew signed photo.

She asked if I could send Sonny, "Billy Bob" Carter a signed photo of my good friend Brooks Robinson. We really became friendly, Sonny played pro soccer and loved baseball! Sonny was outstanding to us too I sure miss him!