posted 06-05-2004 05:47 PM
Just a short post before I have to get ready for work....Despite the on-again, off-again, rain, it was an enjoyable day with Musgrave at Princeton University. He signed multiples (much to one of the organizer's dismay - more later), and brought crew lithos from his six flights, his LES litho (from KSC's visitor center), a litho of the STS-6 spacewalk, and interestingly enough, a litho of the first landing at KSC - which happened on STS-11, not one of his flights.
He signed with his last name when asked, as well as personalized items. I didn't ask for his last name for my "Shuttle" book (he signs big enough already, and he added his six mission numbers, taking up a good chunk of a quarter page....) The only interesting items I saw signed aside from the usual books and photos was a 1/100 shuttle already signed by Weitz and (I believe) one other shuttle astro and an ASE Congress poster (couldn't tell which one.)
I couldn't get the slide processed in time, but I did pull one of the stills from the Mission to Mars press kit which has a photo of him and got that signed as well.
Just before the lecture (where he showed slides from the STS-61 mission), one of the organizers expressed rather loudly her opinion over the number of autographs people asked, including one, which she said, brought "20 books." They were under the impression that people were selling the extras.
Her companion noticed me, and asked about whether I intended to sell my Shuttle book, I told him no, and told them _if_ I got any extras (which I wasn't able to, except for a set of unsigned lithos less his STS-80 crew shot and KSC LES), they would be used for one of two purposes: trading for someone I didn't have, or giveways for people who weren't able to go. I'm not sure whether or not they believed me.
Never mind that Musgrave will sign just about everything and asks if you want him to sign one of his photos in addition to what you may have brought.
He didn't do a question and answer period following the lecture/slide show, but rather set up a third signing session. (The first was outside at the track; then it got moved to a tent where it was drier.)
Starship 2040 was, quite frankly, boring. It supposed to represent a commercial starliner 40 years from now, but since there are no interactive displays (it's housed in a semitrailer) and all people do is walk from one end to the other, I found it lacking. (I also found it amazing that 40 years from now, we're still not on the metric system. There's a vidphone display showing "current weather" in Florida with temperatures still in degF....)
posted 06-05-2004 05:47 PM
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