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Forum: Space Explorers & Workers
Topic: Astronaut Anna Fisher's post-NASA career

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Message to Edit: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	Originally posted by Robert Pearlman on 10-05-2017 10:37 PM Viking Cruises release <blockquote><font size="+0">[b]Viking Looks to the Stars for Debut of Fifth Ocean Ship[/b]</font> [i]Set to Debut in 2018, NASA Astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher Will be Honored as Godmother to Viking Orion[/i] Viking today announced that American chemist, emergency room physician and recently retired NASA astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher will be honored as godmother to its fifth ocean ship, which will debut in July 2018. The new ship has been named Viking Orion after the prominent constellation and in honor of Dr. Fisher's contributions to NASA's Orion exploration vehicle project. The announcement was first made by <a href="http://www.vikingcruises.com" target="AirLock">Viking</a> Chairman, Torstein Hagen, during a press conference in New York City celebrating the first call in Manhattan for the company's third ship, Viking Sky. <center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pJaCrB6mDyI?rel=0&showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center> The 930-guest Viking Orion reached a major construction milestone last week, when the ship met water for the first time during her "float out" ceremony at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard. Dr. Fisher attended the September 28 ceremony and assisted with several maritime traditions. Viking Orion will spend her maiden year sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean, before making her way to Asia, Australia and then Alaska. "Vikings were the original long-distance explorers and the first to use the stars and constellations as a way to navigate uncharted territory," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "The spirit of exploration is at the heart of everything we do, and so I am especially proud that an astronaut will be honored as godmother to our new ship. Dr. Fisher is a past Viking guest, a fellow scientist and a true explorer. As one of the first women in space, she has inspired generations of curious minds, and I look forward to welcoming guests onboard Viking Orion to learn more about her impressive career in space exploration." "The idea of exploring new territories has always appealed to me, whether through science or by traveling the world. I was 12 years old when I heard Alan Shepard's voice on the radio during his sub orbital flight, and at that moment, I knew that I also wanted to explore beyond earth's atmosphere. I knew from that young age that I wanted to be an astronaut," said Dr. Fisher. "I always wanted to be an explorer and I am proud and honored to be godmother to Viking Orion – a ship that was designed to help her guests see more of the world." A float out ceremony is significant because it denotes the first time a ship touches water and moves into its final stage of construction. Viking Orion's float out began at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time, and in keeping with maritime tradition, Dr. Fisher, as godmother to the ship, assisted with the ceremony, first "mast stepping," by welding coins under the ship mast. The commemorative coins she welded represented her birth year, as well as the birth year of Chairman Hagen. Two special coins were also welded to represent members of the Hagen family: 1911 to represent Ragnhild "Mamsen" Hagen, the mother of Chairman Hagen, and 2012 to represent Finse, the yellow Labrador of Karine Hagen, Viking's senior vice president and daughter of Torstein Hagen. Dr. Fisher then cut a cord to allow water to begin flowing into the ship's building dock. Following a two-day process that set Viking Orion afloat, the ship was then moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.</blockquote>
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