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  ESA - JAXA - China - International
  Yang Liwei visits with Sen. Nelson, Buzz Aldrin

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Author Topic:   Yang Liwei visits with Sen. Nelson, Buzz Aldrin
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-21-2004 10:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yesterday, Col. Yang Liwei visited Senator Bill Nelson's Washington, DC office to share their space flight experiences and thank Nelson for his congratulations sent following Yang's October 2003 flight. A few moments after the meeting had begun, Buzz Aldrin made a surprise visit and the three space explorers, along with members of the Chinese delegation that accompanied Yang (including China's ambassador to the United States) toured Nelson's office and in particular used the space art and photographs on his walls to further compare stories of their individual flights.

The following three photographs were taken during the meeting (two additional photos can be seen under "Recent Sightings" elsewhere on the site).


Col. Yang meets with Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL, STS-61C).


Buzz Aldrin discusses his ideas for the future of space flight with Yang and Nelson.


Looking at a large photo of Florida from space, Nelson shows Yang from where he launched in 1986.

Wehaveliftoff
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posted 05-21-2004 01:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Who took these photos, how'd you get them so fast? Good Job.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-21-2004 01:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I took these photographs at the meeting yesterday.

You can also read about the meeting in an article by Brian Berger on Space.com.

Wehaveliftoff
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posted 05-21-2004 03:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert, I forgot you were from that neck of the woods. How was Mr. Yang on signing for you? Did you get him on anything else other than your book? I like it when popular people are excited to meet and greet other popular people, I like it when they act humane towards people and not snobbish, as this appears to have been.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-21-2004 04:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yang and his delegation were warm to everyone who greeted them, but this wasn't a leisure trip. They were here with an agenda, that just so happened to include a visit with Senator Nelson (to thank him for the well wishes that he conveyed after Col. Yang's flight).

That said, Yang was scheduled to meet with the local Chinese community during his visit to the U.S.

The meeting at Sen. Nelson's office was not the type of venue to ask for a multitude of items signed and though I had my book with me (those familiar can attest I carry it everywhere), if it wasn't for the introduction by a Chinese reporter who interviewed me in October and the suggestion of a colleague also present at the meeting, then it very well could have gone unsigned. I am grateful to them both.

(On the subject of autographs, members of Col. Yang's delegation were obviously excited to meet Aldrin and he did sign at least one item for them during the visit.)

FFrench
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Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 05-21-2004 04:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FFrench     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks so much for posting those photos, Robert - very interesting to see. As you met Al Shepard many years ago, this will make you one of the few people to have met the first US and Chinese spacefarers. I wonder if anyone has met all 3? In any event, you have joined a very exclusive club...

FF

Wehaveliftoff
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posted 05-21-2004 11:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert, I KNEW you'd have your book with you, glad to hear someone got Yang, and knew Buzz would sign as he shall forever be known as the best Apollo 11 astronaut ever. Glad also to hear the Chinese reps were nice, though we had hoped they would be.

General Lee
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posted 05-21-2004 11:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for General Lee   Click Here to Email General Lee     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert,

Congratulations on getting your book signed. Did you use your press credentials to help you get the AUTOGRAPH? I am sure that not every Joe Schmo was able to get the autograph. Please explain how you were able to get it? I am curious.

Lee

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-22-2004 12:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Lee, my press credentials were used to cover the meeting, not obtain an autograph.

The conditions under which my book were signed are described above.

MarylandSpace
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Registered: Aug 2002

posted 05-22-2004 10:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MarylandSpace   Click Here to Email MarylandSpace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Tremendous images and thread. Totally awesome.

Garry (MarylandSpace)

Wehaveliftoff
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posted 05-22-2004 03:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Robert, could you post somewhere on the cS site a scan of your Yang signature so cS members can distinguish what a real one looks like?

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-22-2004 06:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wehaveliftoff:
Could you post somewhere on the cS site a scan of your Yang signature so cS members can distinguish what a real one looks like?

Sure, here.

ejectr
Member

Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 05-22-2004 07:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If you could post to this thread in color....I think the color would be green.....with envy.

Rodina
Member

Posts: 836
From: Lafayette, CA
Registered: Oct 2001

posted 05-22-2004 11:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rodina     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Cool.

All times are CT (US)

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