Sunday, April 11, 2010

3-2-1..... BLAST OFF

Throughout the past few weeks I have been presented with some amazing opportunities. One of which allowed me to travel to Florida to watch the space shuttle Discovery launch into space. Mission STS-131 launched from the Kennedy Space Center at 6:21a.m. on April 5, 2010 and I was 3 miles away (as close as you can be) to see and hear the incredible BOOM.

                                   Shuttle  Discovery in the Sky                          


My teammate, Curt, who was on the Gold Medal winning four man team, was asked by his fellow Nebraskan, Mission Specialist Clayton Anderson, to bring a piece of his victory into space. Curt gave Clayton the push gloves he was wearing on his Gold Medal run. His gloves are now orbiting in space approximately 17,000 mph, which makes our Olympic Bobsled speeds of 90-95mph look pathetic.

As I watched the Astronauts board the shuttle I thought about my teammates and I as we were preparing for the Olympics and boarding the plane to Vancouver. I am not saying our accomplishments are in the same realm as these incredible people risking their lives to help educate mankind, but there are some parallels. We have spent our lives preparing for minutes every four years, just as these astronauts have spent their lives working towards this launch. For these men and women this is a dream come true and that is something I can definitely relate to. And so, for two weeks, until Discovery lands safely back on the earth, Astronauts of Mission STS-131 will be experiencing their Olympics. Good Luck and come home safe!

0 comments: