Science Time on the ISS Part 1

To answer the age old question of what do you do in space once you get up there?  SCIENCE!!!

I will try my best to keep you up to date with what science is going on at the ISS.  I am not personally involved with the science going, I am a little busy keeping the crew alive, but I hear all the call-downs to Huntsville (Where Marshal Space Flight Center is located, the payloads operations center for NASA) about science. 

Here is a cool study going on the ISS.  It involves saliva from the University of North Dakota's own NASA astronaut  Dr. Karen Nyberg and  European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.  It is called the Microbiome investigation. Microbiome investigates the impact of space travel on the human immune system and on an individual's microbiome (the collection of microbes that live in and on the human body) to help predict how long-term space travel may impact human health. It is known that factors such as stress, diet and an impaired immune system can trigger changes in the human microbiota, increasing the risk of contracting a disease. The product of this study will be an assessment of the likelihood and consequences of alterations in the microbiome due to extreme environments, and the related human health risk. Findings could be used to benefit people on Earth that live and work in extreme environments. Other potential applications of this study could be to further research in preliminary detection of diseases, alterations in metabolic function and immune system deficiency.

This is really interesting because of something else I have seen.  At CHOP, Children's Hospital of  Philadelphia there are some researchers using modified HIV vaires to change the human immune system to attack cancer cells.  One of the issues thet talk about is that they do not understand how the humman immune system will respond to that level of stress.  And here on the ISS now, they are studying the effects of extreme stress on the human immune system.  Here is the video #firewithfire

 So when someone asks you what science NASA does on the ISS to help people on Earth, just remind them that one of the keys to finding a cure for cancer might come from current studies going on 250 some miles above the Earth.

Major Andrew R. Morgan, M.D. U.S. Army

Major Andrew R. Morgan, M.D. U.S. Army

Major Morgan's specialty is Emergency Medicine where he is Board Certified and licensed in Nebraska and Virginia.  He went to medical school at the Uniformed Services University of The Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD and graduated in 2002.   He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy.   He has experience as an emergency physician and flight surgeon for the Army special operations community, and currently is completing a sports medicine fellowship.

To round out the astronaut class is a flight surgeon.

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D

She has a PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California, San Diego) in Marine Biology and her dissertation was titled Blood oxygen transport and depletion: they key of consummate divers.  She also has a MS from the International Space University in Space Studies as well as a BA in Biology from Brown University.  She her  Post doc research at in comparative physiology at the University of British Columbia where she studied the diving physiology and behavior of emperor penguins in Antarctica and the physiology of bar-headed geese, which are able to migrate over the Himalayas.

Current Job: Assistant Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital

 The most interesting I think Dr. Meir has been involved in is NEEMO 4, which she was a member of the NASA Aquanaut Crew. 

As for guessing the civilian astronaut's call signs' I am going to go with Penguin for Dr. Meir.

Major Anne C. McClain U.S. Army

 Major Anne C. McClain U.S. Army

"Major Anne C. McClain, 34, from Spokane, WA, is a graduate of Gonzaga Preparatory School. She also attended Saint George’s School.

McClain said she fell in love with flying at a young age and grew up attending air shows at Fairchild Air Force Base.

She eventually left Spokane and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, both in the United Kingdom.

McClain is an OH-58 helicopter pilot, and she recently graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River.

“I love the international cooperation,” said McClain. “And really to me just being part of team human. And exploring beyond our earth is just intrinsically satisfying. And when you couple that with engineering and flight and really just being on the cutting edge of everything that humans have done is just so exciting and there's nothing that compares.”

From http://www.krem.com

Major Nicole Mann (USMC)

Major Nicole Mann (USMC) is a Mann is an F/A 18 pilot, currently serving as an Integrated Product Team Lead at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River.  She is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a graduate degree from Stanford.

Major Nicole Mann USMC

 From the United States Naval Academy Foundation, 2011 Issue 1, "Major Nicole Anuapu Mann ’99, USMC, who starred on the women’s soccer team and was Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1999, still draws on her playing days for coach Carin Gabarra. Mann is a Marine Corps test pilot with well over 1,000 flight hours. “Playing sports at the Academy forced you into situations where you had to learn leadership skills,” Mann said. “Getting ready to play a game equals the same kind of feeling I get before I fly.You’re strapped into a 40,000-pound jet, headed for a mission over Iraq or Afghanistan. You’re nervous and excited and it’s game time. It’s time to perform. Then, you take off and you’re playing in the moment.”

Sounds like she was a pretty good athlete in college, similar to Lt. Com. Glover who was a two sport D-1 athlete.
 

Lt. Commander (USN) Victor J. Glover

Lt. Commander (USN) Victor J. Glover

Current Job: Navy Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Congress and Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy

"Victor is a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy and Naval Aviator currently serving as a Legislative Fellow. He has flown over 40 aircraft accumulating over 2000 flight hours, 400 carrier landings, and 24 combat missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Victor was most recently stationed in Japan, deploying to various locations in the Western Pacific. Previously serving as a test pilot he was awarded the 2009 Black Engineer of the Year Awards, Modern Day Technology Leaders Award. Victor was commissioned in the Navy via Officer’s Candidate School, where he served as the Regimental Commander.

As an undergraduate at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo he was a NCAA Division-I Wrestler & Football player, led efforts to establish the first student-funded outreach and retention center in the California Public University system, and was awarded the College of Engineering Service to the Community Award. Victor earned graduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School, Air University, and the Air Command and Staff College with distinction.

He is an advocate for youth traditionally underrepresented in higher education, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, a life-member of the Tailhook Association, serves on the Cal Poly College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council, is a mentor for Ever Forward (Siempre Adelante), and dreams of becoming a master Djembe drummer." From his Linkedin page. 

I think his summery in his own words describes this guy enough.  The one thing I have to point out is that he wants to become a master Djembe drummer. 

This is a Djembe Drum

Maybe he can join Max Q the all astronaut band.

Lt. Colonel (USAF) Tyler N. Hague

Lt. Colonel (USAF) Tyler N. Hague

Current Job: Deputy Chief of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization

The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization is a joint ly operated organization of the U.S. Department of Defense to reduce or eliminate the effects of all forms of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used against U.S. and allied forces.  You can read its wiki page HERE. 

He flew with the 416th Test Squadron and developed technology to discover IEDs and used it real time while deployed in at  Balad Air Base, Iraq.  More can be read HERE.

He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a BS in astronautical engineering. 

He also graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif.

Christina M. Hammock

Christina M. Hammock

 

Current Job: Station Chief at
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in American Samoa

Her Past Jobs include:

• Electronics and Instrument Technician at Polar Field Services, Raytheon Polar Services, NOAA
• Electrical Engineer at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab
• Research Associate at Raytheon Polar Services

• Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

She has a BS in Electrical Engineering, Physics and a MS in Electrical Engineering all from North Carolina State University.  She has spent time in Summit Station Greenland, Palmer Station Antarctica and, Barrow, Alaska while working for NOAA and Raytheon Polar Services.
 Station Chief in American Samoa. 

All ASCANs get flight signs, my guess will be something to due with ice, maybe Ice Woman.

Josh A. Cassada, Ph.D

Josh Cassada, PhD. from nasa.gov

His current job is being the Chief Technology Officer at Quantum Opus, LLC.

 "Quantum Opus is a small, privately held Limited Liability Company (LLC) based in Albion, Michigan that is committed to the goal of providing novel products and services to enable researchers to make single-photon measurements with unmatched sensitivity, speed, and precision."  More about it HERE

His past jobs have been:

• Chief of Flight Operations/P-8A Acceptance Pilot at DCMA Boeing Seattle
• Instructor Pilot at U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
• Test Pilot at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO ZERO

• P-3C Patrol Plane Commander/Mission Commander/Instructor Pilot at Patrol Squadron EIGHT
• Research Assistant/Postdoctoral Fellow at the Collider Detector Facility (CDF) at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Graduate Teaching Assistant in Undergraduate Physics at University of Rochester

• Space Physics Research Intern at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

 You can check out his Linkedin profile HERE

From what I can see is that Dr. Cassada is a research physicist that was a test pilot for the Navy and Boeing.  No wonder he stood out to the Astronaut selection board.

I will continue to publish short bios of each of the ASCANs in the class for the information of them that I can find.

NASA Selects Astronaut Class of 2013, Group 21

The astronaut candidates are:

Josh A. Cassada, Ph.D., 39, is originally from White Bear Lake, Minn.
Cassada is a former naval aviator who holds an undergraduate degree
from Albion College, and advanced degrees from the University of
Rochester, N.Y. Cassada is a physicist by training and currently is
serving as co-founder and Chief Technology Officer for Quantum Opus.

Victor J. Glover, 37, Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy, hails from Pomona,
Calif., and Prosper, Texas. He is an F/A-18 pilot and graduate of the
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif. Glover holds
degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo, Calif.; Air University and the Naval Postgraduate School,
Monterey, Calif. He currently is serving as a Navy Legislative Fellow
in the U.S. Congress.

Tyler N. (Nick) Hague, 37, Lt. Colonel, U.S. Air Force, calls Hoxie,
Kan., home. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado
Springs, Colo.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,
Mass., and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards, Calif.
Hague currently is supporting the Department of Defense as Deputy
Chief of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.

Christina M. Hammock, 34, calls Jacksonville, N.C., home. Hammock
holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, N.C. She currently is serving as National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Station Chief in
American Samoa.

Nicole Aunapu Mann, 35, Major, U.S. Marine Corps, originally is from
Penngrove, Calif. She is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy,
Stanford University and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent
River, Md. Mann is an F/A 18 pilot, currently serving as an
Integrated Product Team Lead at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Patuxent
River.

Anne C. McClain, 34, Major, U.S. Army, lists her hometown as Spokane,
Wash. She is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point,
Va.; the University of Bath and the University of Bristol, both in
the United Kingdom. McClain is an OH-58 helicopter pilot, and a
recent graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air
Station, Patuxent River.

Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D., 35, is from Caribou, Maine. She is a graduate
of Brown University, has an advanced degree from the International
Space University, and earned her doctorate from Scripps Institution
of Oceanography. Meir currently is an Assistant Professor of
Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Boston.

Andrew R. Morgan, M.D., 37, Major, U.S. Army, considers New Castle,
Pa., home. Morgan is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West
Point, and earned a doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. He has experience as
an emergency physician and flight surgeon for the Army special
operations community, and currently is completing a sports medicine
fellowship.




The new astronaut candidates will begin training at NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston in August. 

A detail look in the ASCANs (astronaut candidates) will be coming later today.  You can also check out: Astronaut Class 2013 

EVA #22 Training Exercise

In July there will be two EVAs (Extra-vehicular activity) where the astronauts will go out outside the International Space Station (ISS) to preform a number of maintenance tasks on the Station.  I am scheduled to work the first of the two EVAs, EVA # 22.   Two astronauts Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), an US Navy SEAL, and Major Luca Parmitano of ESA (European Space Agency), an Italian Air Force Test Pilot will perform the EVA.  Major Parmitano is going to be the first Italian to perform a spacewalk or EVA.

Commander Chris Cassidy                            Major Luca Parmitano

EVAs are a very complex task, first the crew has to re-size the on-board spacesuits so they can fit somewhat comfortably in the spacesuits. While on the ground they plan the EVA down to every handhold that the spacewalking crew members will use.  This is a planned EVA so before these astronauts where even in space they wer training in the NBL (Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory), a giant people at Johnson Space Center that is 40 feet deep, 100 feet wide and 200 ft long.  It is used to simulate the weightless environment of space, and it has a mockup of the exterior of the space station in it.

Even an astronaut that does not go outside the station still has to help out with the EVA.  Dr. Karen Nyberg of NASA gets to be involved.  She helps the two EVA crew members get in and out of their suits and she gets to control the giant robotic arm of the space station to assist in the EVA.

Dr. Karen Nyberg

The Flight Control Team (FCT) also undergoes  lots of training on the ground.  One of these training exercises is a full dress rehearsal of the EVA with the FCT that is on console during that EVA.  The FCT including both shifts that will be on-console are in the SIM, that means that there is a handover in the middle of the SIM, which is very rare in the SIM world.   

NBL at JSC

The FCT runs through all the procedures and look for issues to fine tune their calls to the crew to make sure things will run smoothly on the ground side.  Even in the dress rehearsal the training team still throws in a number of things that go wrong, but nothing that will stop the EVA early to make it run like on a real day.  At the end the FCT team undergoes a in-depth debrief to talk about what each flight control position did well and what they did not do well.

All this training will prepare the FCT to respond to any problems that will arise during EVA # 22.

Chinese Launch 5th Manned Spacecraft

Shenzhou 10, China's 5th Manned space mission, was launched from Jiupuan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert at 0938 GMT on June 11th 2013.  This is to be a 16 day mission to dock with China's space station Tiangong-1 (which means Heavenly Palace 1).  It will be the third mission to Tiangong-1.  While the three yuhangyuans (China National Space Administration astronauts), commander Major General Niè Hǎishèng, Flight Engineer Zhang Xiaoguang, and Flight Engineer Captain Wang Yaping (second female CNSA astronaut) are in space they conduct scienfitic experiments and give a science lecture to Chinese students.

This is a great accomplishment for the Chinese space program, but for everyone who is worried about NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, JAXA, and CSA falling behind in a space "race" to Chine let me point out some facts.

This is a 16 day mission.
The ISS has been manned for 4606 days on June 11th 2013.  That is about 13 years, and everyday the crew conducts science experiments, and just about every other day, some times two times a day, the crew talks to school children or in a public event.
The Tiangong-1 has 15 cubic meters of pressurized space for the crew of 3 to live in.
The ISS has 837 cubic meters of pressurized space for the crew of 6 to live in.

This is a big accomplishment for the Chinese space program, but they still have a long way to be even in the same category as the American or Russian space programs.

Canandian Astroanut Chris Hadfield Retires

 

 Canadian Space Agency employees welcomed astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield as he walked in the building. Credit: Canadian Space Agency.

Canadian Astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to perfrom an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or spacewalk, first Canadian to control the Canadian arm on the ISS, first Canadian Commander of the ISS announced this retirement from being an active duty astronaut will start on July 3rd, 2013 in Longueuil, Que., Monday, June 10, 2013.  

The news media is calling this a surprise but the space community knew this was coming. Colonel Hadfield has had a great 21-year career as an astronaut, two shuttle missions (STS-74, STS-100), a number of EVAs, a full stay at the ISS (Expedition 34/35) and being Commander of the ISS for Expedition 35.  There was just not another chance he would get another flight at the age of 53.  

There are also two younger Canadian astronaut candidates Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques waiting in the wings for their first trip into space.  The CSA (Canadian Space Agency) does not have any spots for their astronauts to head up to the ISS anytime soon.  There are no seats for CSA astronauts in the assigned Expeditions 36-45.

To end this post I have to quote Canadian Parliamentary Secretary Chris Alexander, "I would like to personally thank Chris for his commitment to bringing the spirit of discovery not only to all Canadians, but to the world."

For those who know Colonel Hadfield, I have only talked to him about 3 times (but all 3 while he was in space), or follow his youtube, twitter, or facebook this seems approate way to sign off:

 Space Oddity

Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/102813/chris-hadfield-hangs-up-his-astronaut-suit/#ixzz2Vv22Nrwt

Update to 2013 Astronaut Class Selection

All the phone calls have gone out, now its just waiting for NASA to pick the time they will announce who they selected. 

NASA Astronaut Group 21, the class of 2013 is rumored to only be about 8 people strong.

As I said in my earlier post, I do not know anyone selected but I will keep asking around.

2013 Astronaut Class Will be announced on Monday

Yesterday and today phone calls have been made across the country to people selected for the 2013 Astronaut class.  The number selected is between 8-10, but I have heard rumors that the class size is exactly 8.  No one that I know has been selected keep post, once I learn something on Monday I will post it here.

ATV-004 Albert Einstein

Yesterday during handover, when flight control teams switch, there was a new call sign on AFD (Alternate Flight Control Loop).  AFD is where flight controllers brief each other on the current state of their respective systems before the start of the shift.  This call sign was ATV-FLIGHT, the flight director of ATV-004 (Automated Transfer Vehicle) Albert Einstein.

ATV-004 Albert Einstein was launched at 21:53:11 GMT on June 5th 2013.  I was on console this day but it was during the swing shift, and I was on the night shift.  By the time I came into work at 04:00:00 GMT June 6th 2013 it was already on its way to the ISS.  ATV-004 Albert Einstein is on a course over the next 10 days to reach the ISS and dock on June 15th 2013.  A video of the launch can be seen here: ATV-004 Albert Einstein Launch Video


The ATVs are launched from the Guiana Space Centre also known as the Centre spatial guyanais (CSG) which is a French launch complex in French New Guiana.  ESA (European Space Agency) is the main costumer of the launch center.

The ESA Ariane 5 rocket is used to launch the ATVs into space.

ATV-004 Albert Einstein has set a number of records for ATVs and the Ariane 5:

1. Most dry cargo launched in any European spacecraft - 2,480 kilograms (5,500 lb)
2.  Most diverse cargo mix - 1400 different items
3. Largest quantity of late cargo (cargo added only 2 weeks before launch while Albert Einstein is already mated to the top of the Ariane 5 rocket) - 620 kilograms (1,400 lb)

A full cargo breakdown is provided in the following table

Cargo	Mass
ISS reboost/attitude control propellant	2,580 kilograms (5,700 lb)
ISS refuel propellant	860 kilograms (1,900 lb)
Water (for Russian Segment)	570 kilograms (1,300 lb)
Gas (1 tank O2, 2 tanks air)	100 kilograms (220 lb)
Dry cargo (food, clothes, equipment)	2,480 kilograms (5,500 lb)
Total	6,590 kilograms (14,500 lb)

This information and more can be found at :  ATV-4 Fact Sheet

Baltimore Orioles Visit JSC MCC

Yesterday the Baltimore Orioles visited mission control at Johnston Space Center.  The Orioles were in town for a series versus the hometown Astros.

The picture is from the JSC Facebook Page more pictures can be seen at Photos of Orioles Visit.  Astronauts Ricky Arnold (in the blue on the left) and Terry Virts (in the blue on the right).  Ricky Arnold is a Baltimore Orioles fan being from Maryland.  Terry Virts is also from Maryland.   Missing from the tour group is astronaut Greg Wiseman who is from Baltimore, MD (To round out the trio of astronauts from MD).  Wiseman is assigned to be part of Expedition 40/41 to the ISS, so he is most likely in the thick of training for his stay on ISS which is scheduled to be launched in March of 2014.

I missed the visit myself because I was working the night shift but I heard it during handover from the Public Affairs Officer (call sign PAO).

The Red Sox come to town August 5-7 to play the Astros.  I am looking at astronauts Sunita Williams, Commander of Expedition 33 (Needham, MA) and Chris Cassidy, currently on the ISS, (York, ME)  both avid Red Sox fans to get those guys to visit MCC.

Optical Health Testing on the ISS

One of the fun parts of being a biomedical flight controller (BME) is that BMEs get to work with the rest of the medical community at Johnson Space Center (JSC).   On days like this when optical health testing takes place the BME MPSR or Multi-Purpose Support Room is full of Flight Surgeons, remote guiders, and hardware specialists. This makes the BME MPSR a pretty happening place to be at 2:00 AM.

The station runs on GMT or Greenwich Mean Time which is about 5 hours ahead of Houston time, so the first shift of the day called Orbit 1 (11 PM- 8 AM Houston Time) covers the station's morning, the second shift Orbit 2 ( 7 AM - 4 PM Houston Time) covers the afternoon into the evening, and the third shift Orbit 3 (3 PM - 12 AM Houston Time) covers the nighttime on the station.  This means when the optical health testing that takes place in the crew's morning is in the middle of the night in Houston.

The optical testing is pretty cool, it is similar to seeing an eye doctor expect for the crew on the station, expect the eye doc is 250 some miles away and drinking coffee to wake up.  There are a lot of great medical gains to these tests but I am going to let someone much more famous then me, and who has had first hand experience tell you all about the optical health testing that is performed on the International Space Station explain it to you:  Astronaut Chris Hadfield on how eyesight is affected in space

Astronaut Dr. Karen Nyberg

Also you can track Dr. Nyberg activities by her Facebook page, I don't think she sings, but I heard that she will be doing some quilting  https://www.facebook.com/AstronautKarenNyberg?ref=stream&hc_location=stream

Astronaut Karen Nyberg

Astronaut by day. Aspiring quilter, crafter, artist, runner by night. Wife and Mommy 24/7. Launched to the International Space Station 28 May 2013

Page: 1,400 like this

UND In SPACE

At the University of North Dakota the Graduate School Office in Twamley Hall where I had to deliver numerous pages of paper work to allow me to graduate.  In the hallway of the 4th floor where the Graduate School Office is, are pictures of notable alumni of UND.   Right across from the door was a picture of Dr. Karen Nyberg, the first and only astronaut to graduate from UND.  Dr. Nyberg is a member of Expedition 36 and currently on-board the ISS.  I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Nyberg when she was training for her mission.  And of course I wore my UND swimming polo and had a nice conversion with her about UND.

About a month and a half before I was attending Expedition 35's 100 day party.  A celebration of an astronaut's breaking of 100 days in space.  This was for Commander Chris Hadifield and Dr. Tom Marshburn.  I was happening to be wearing my UND swimming polo (its on my nominal rotation of polos I wear to work) and Commander Hadifield being a Canadian who had been to Grand Forks, ND struck up a conversation about Grand Forks and UND.  He also told me that he was unpacking Expedition 36's exercise equipment, including Dr. Nyberg's cycling shoes.  He told me he hid a surprise for her in her shoe.  I have no idea what it was, but it might end up being a debrief question.

To bring this story full circle I was on console to support Dr. Nyberg's first workday after she arrived on the ISS.  And of course I was wearing my UND swimming polo that day.

Roughly one year ago I was walking by her picture in the Graduate School Office, now I am watching her on Downlinked Video from ISS at Mission Control.

Year Between Posts

It has been one year to the day since I last posted on this blog.  For the some 50 people who has visited this blog over the year and 2 months it has been up and running I apologize.  Let me make it up to you.  It was been a busy year.  I finished up my internship with the National Space Biomedical Research Institute at the Johnson Space Center.  I worked in Dr. Robert Howard's Habitability Design Center.


On my way down for the internship I got offered a job in NASA's Mission Control Center for the International Space Station as a Biomedical Flight Control call sign "BME".  Not a bad gig for my first career building job out of college.  A BME monitors and maintains all the health medical equipment, environmental monitoring equipment, and the countermeasure equipment on the ISS.  In short I keep the hardware that keeps the crew alive and healthy in working order.


I raced in the  Memorial Hermann IRONMAN 70.3 and finished in 6 hours and 15 minutes, 45 minutes under my goal time.


I watched Syracuse play in the Final Four in Basketball, skied in Vail, CO for a week and read some good books.

I has been a good year.  Now its summer again and I have a lot of adventures planned.