November 19, 2011 by mkintner

Welcome to the Challenger Learning Center Second Annual Celebration Dinner.

What a privilage it was to attend this years dinner and meet NASA’s Astronaut Dr. Scott Parazynski.  In 1992 he was selected to join NASA’s Astronaut Corps and eventually flew five Space Shuttle Missions and conducted seven spacewalks (EVAs or Extravehicular Activities). In his 17 years as an astronaut, he served in numerous senior leadership roles, including EVA Branch Chief and the Lead Astronaut for Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System Inspection & Repair (in the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy).

In October 2007, Parazynski led the EVA team on STS-120, a highly complex space station assembly flight, during which he performed four EVAs. The fourth and final EVA is regarded by many as one of the most challenging and dangerous ever performed. All told, Parazynski has spent over eight weeks in space with more than 47 hours outside on spacewalks. While he has traveled over 23 million miles in orbit he has yet to earn a single frequent flyer mile.

Click HERE for more details on Challenger Learning Center in Allegany, NY

Click HERE for more details about NASA’s Dr. Scott Parazynski

On a personal note, my dream was to fly into outer space yet this evening I believe I was very content on meeting Dr. Parazynski who’s been in space.  A man after my own heart in that there is no limits to what one can do in life.  He reminds me of a quote from Mark Twain, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  Based upon what I learned from Scott this evening, he’s a man thast not afraid to not only leave the shoreline but also the security of the earth’s atmosphere.  It was a great pleasure to have met him.

If you have a iPad or iPhone you can use the accelorometer within to also look around as well.

If you want to learn more about our Dresser-Rand Challenger Learning Center go to http://www.drclc.org/

Enjoy!