posted 02-20-2009 06:48 PM               

He showed a video with the launch of STS-78, which included clips from his other flights.

Henricks also took questions and answers, everything from where he got his inspiration to be an astronaut (the M/G/A astronauts), whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet, and of course, "How do you go to the bathroom in space?"

He also signed afterward, though the Intrepid didn't have photos of him. (The NASA table did have that comic-book-type poster of a shuttle launch, NASA decals, Orion lithos - and a punch and make paper Orion model book from Martin Marietta, which were quickly gone.)

I was told by one volunteer (after seeing my Space Shuttle: 20 Years book and I pointed out Scott Altman's autograph, from when he was on Intrepid) that Buzz Aldrin had visited earlier that day.

Unscheduled, but a welcome bonus was "Kevin Kregel of Amityville," as Henricks called him: his pilot on the STS-70 and -78 flights.

Kregel was sitting in the audience, and as I made my way to him, he was making his way out. He was nice, though, when I and another collector asked, to sign our books.

Also of interest on the Intrepid: a mock up Gemini capsule that kids can sit in, and a mock up Mercury capsule; and an original Intrepid-Gemini recovery ship patch.

posted 02-23-2009 10:03 AM               

He forgot about 61F until I asked him. He didn't know if that training was what caused most of the 61F crew to be given the return to flight. (My theory is, both 61D and 61E were Spacelab flights, and 61F was not only the next crew, but a crew without a mission and a crew trained in flying with a large satellite, and since NASA's priority was in replacing TDRS-B....)

I also directed two people to CollectSPACE and its sightings page after a woman noticed my signed book and wanted to know how I met most of the astronauts. (I'll take my referral fee in Zimbabwean dollars, Robert....)