Yesterday afternoon I was able to sit in the crew cabin of Atlantis. I entered through the mid-deck where the astronauts spend a majority of their time before they get to the ISS as there is a little more space.
During a launch, the flight deck seats the commander (where I happen to be sitting for this picture) and pilot, with two mission specialists behind them. The mid-deck, which is below the flight deck, has three more seats for the rest of the crew members. The galley (or kitchen area), toilet, sleep locations, storage lockers, and the side hatch for entering/exiting the vehicle are also located on the mid-deck, as is the airlock hatch. The airlock has another hatch into the payload bay (bottom picture). It allows two astronauts, wearing their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suits, to depressurize before a space walk.
I had never been in the orbiter's crew cabin, and after I got out, I couldn't wipe the ear-to-ear grin off my face. It was amazing!!! (Thanks for the tour Theo)
10 comments:
How fun Damaris! I was going to say get used to it, your time will come, but when your time comes it wont be in a shuttle will it?
I think if I were sitting at the controls like that, I would be hard pressed not to make rocket noises and pretend to speak to mission control. Hehehe!
Nice post and good luck to you!
The big smile on your face says it all! I'm wondering how roomy it is inside the shuttle in person as opposed to seeing it on TV.
Hope to see a picture of you in the new Constellation CM someday!
You're living our dreams! Good for you, yaaaaaayyyy!!!!!!!!
Lucky you!! Just like what the person above me said, hopefully that day will come where you can take pics from inside the Orion spacecraft...preferably with the blackness of space and Earth's (or the Moon's?) horizon outside the window.
Sorry for the patronizing. :p
Hi Damaris,
Just read your blog. felt happy for you. All the best!
I need a favour from you. I have a dream of becoming an astronaut too. I want to know the basic eligiblity criteria and fitness levels required. I also need information on the required skill set etc. Can you please provide me with these informations.
Thanks and Regards,
Manju
Hi Damaris - You are getting closer and closer...We are following STS-119 and your blog is always a good update.
BTW - my students are working on multiplication facts and Free Rice has a great practice for them. Thanks for the links, and all the other good info you help us with!
Penny
hey
i have a dream to be an astronaut also.
i am soo jelous of you your soo lucky.
good luck with this when your on the moon one day write you name on the ground and hopefully ill see it when i get there :)
Amy
Hello Damaris! I am an avid reader of your blog. It inspires me a lot cause even i want to become an astronaut like you when i grow up. Your blog helps me to understand the field and what it takes to become an astronaut. Last year i had even participated in Space Camp and been to Hunstville Space Centre. There we did the virtual astronaut training programme under simulated environments. It was a great great experience. In fact i have told all my friends who are interested in space to enroll themselves for the Space Camp at http://spacecampindia.com/ and also read your blog regularly! Please keep posting!
Great blog... just found the news
that after postponing the launch of space shuttle Discovery until no earlier than Feb. 19, NASA and contractor engineers are evaluating concerns about possible flow control valve damage that could be experienced during liftoff.
http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Ffeeds2.feedburner.com%2Fgoogle%2FzQek?source=email
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