2015
Trip to San Diego and KSC
Two trips in
the Spring of 2015
In the Spring of
2015, we visited Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, CA.
View over the Rocky Mountain range covered by snow.
We arrived in San Diego and rode the ferry over to Coronado Island.
Arrival at the island.
There were all kinds of trees blooming due to the Spring season.
Once we go to the island, we took the 409 bus across the island.
The
bus took us all the way to the beach on the Pacific Ocean. We
waded into the surf and the water was super cold! There were
also
gold flecks in the sand. Probably Pyrite, but real beautiful.
We visited the Coronado Hotel on the water. One of the oldest
in America made of wood.
It is the site of the Monroe film "Some like it hot".
The beautiful lobby with wood visible and the working cast iron
elevator.
At the front of the hotel.
We then drove north the hotel and visited La Jolla Cove.
There were harbor seals very close on the beach.
Dinner with the setting Sun over the Pacific at the Brockton Villa.
We had the famous Coast Toast dessert afterwards.
The next morning, the purpoase of the trip.
We are contracting them for the next generation camera for our group.
This is how it will look like.
Malin made the cameras that work on the Mars Rovers, such as Curiosity.
That night we had dinner at Puesto's in La Jolla.
View of our last night there at Sunset. The bright star at
the top was Jupiter. Super bright.
The next day, before departure, we visited Balboa Park.
It is a beautiful place with many gardens.
It was a great trip, and we will return one day.
Hubble 25th
Anniversary
April 24, 2015
Hubble celebrates its 25th birthday in space, and we had many exciting
activities to celebrate it.
The
main event was a reception organized at the National Air &
Space
Museum (NASM). I heard later about 3000 people were invited.
PBS' NOVA program prepared a special edition to commemorate the event,
and they
had a special viewing for the Hubble team on April 22, 2015.
These
are three of the senior team members attending the preview.
From
left to right: Larry Dunham, Joe Ryan, and Uncle Art. All
together more than 100 years of combined Hubble experience.
A
few weeks before the celebrations, I was invited to speak at the
Kennedy Space
Center, that meant we would miss the big event at the NASM.
However, I thought the honor was so great that it would be
well
worth it.
We
travelled to Orlando and decided to walk around a Disney area we have
not seen before: Disney Boardwalk. This is the Boardwalk
Hotel's
lobby.
The expansive and beautiful pool side.
That night we danced at the Downtown Disney stage. It was a
lot of fun with the DJ leading the audience.
The
next day we visited the KSC Visitor's Center. The Atlantis
display is finally together, and it is really amazing and impressive.
There is also a full size Hubble Display and we brought our 25th
anniversary matching jackets for a photo op.
Agnes showing the location of the ARUBA box.
Which is prominently visible.
I had a meeting on base so I brought the program for a unique
photo at the VAB.
My talk was at the Astronaut Encounter Theater at the Kennedy Space
Center Visitor Center.
I spoke two days for one hour each, and it was well received with many
great questions.
We
ended our stay at the Cuba Libre
dance club. It is very beautiful
with three dance floors. Salsa (outside), Merengue/Bachatta
(main
floor inside), and Top40 (small upstairs dance floor).
The main dance floor at Cuba Libre is two story tall and the whole
place is decorated like a small town square.
We had a great time, and will probably be invited back to speak at KSC.
I look forward to it.
Back Home