Shuttle Crew

Hey, I got a little excitement yesterday... We had some fierce

AP Photo


thunderstorms here in Houston yesterday afternoon and I was planning to take to the air on an instrument lesson (at Ellington Field, formerly AFB). Well, seems Hobby Airport had to divert some flights over to Ellington due to the storms, and then the airlines just sent bus loads of people to Hobby. When I got to EFD, there were maybe 3 big jets still waiting to depart and get back on their scheduled routes. One of them was just ahead of me, a big United Airlines jet. So I'm taxiing behind this UA plane, a long distance behind him, and, of course, we're on the same frequency because we're talking to Ground. As we approach the south end for 35L, with NASA off to our immediate right, the UA captain asks Ground, "Which one of those planes has the shuttle crew in it?" Ground comes back, "The one right there closest to the door". Anthony and I look over, beyond the rows of NASA's T-38s, and see two bigger planes and then the shuttle crew, in their suits, and their families all around! That was sooooooooo cool! So, I got to taxi right past the shuttle crew! :)

And here's what the AP had to say:

Houston to Celebrate Astronauts' Return
By PAM EASTON, Associated Press Writer

HOUSTON - Discovery's astronauts spent private time with their families in Houston on Wednesday after safely landing their spacecraft in the California desert.

The celebrations that erupted after Tuesday's pre-dawn landing were scheduled to continue publicly Wednesday in Houston with an afternoon homecoming celebration for the seven space travelers.

The weary astronauts returned late Tuesday to Houston, where they were reunited with their families and then got a good night's rest, NASA' officials said.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay' planned to help welcome Discovery's crew home to the city where Mission Control is located.

Photo: AP