Thread: Landed a big one

wow, that is a big one.

I can't see the pics.

I’m home, tired to the bone after a whirlwind two days of travel to watch history being made. What was so special was to see family help make it.
In Thursdays Arkansas Democrat, page 2A they printed a story about today’s Landing and the last task before returning home. The Flight Director Tony Ceccacci stated “ you must know that we do have a motto in the Mission Control Center that flight controllers Don’t cry” He told the reporter “So we’re going to make sure we keep that. Last night while he and I were cooking on the grill we talked about his speech that he was going to make after the landing, he conceded he didn’t know if he would make it thru it with straight face or not. I asked him if it had hit him yet that he was going to make history, in about eight hours ending an era in space flight. I asked because for Tony, after being at NASA for thirty-one years he sees his job like you and I see our jobs. It’s I go to work, I do my job, I work hard, I get the job done, I come home, play with the kids, mow the yard, pick up toys go to bed. The only difference is he works with cool stuff like rockets, and shuttles, and space stations. I guess my point is, talking to him about his job its like talking to someone who could be working for any company but NASA. He sees his job as normal a job as I see mine. I know for sure he has those moments where he stops in the middle of having an epiphany…. Holy crap I’m a flight controller at NASA.

yesterday morning after Atlantis landed for the last time, and completing the long shutdown checklist for the last time as Flight Controller for a shuttle Mission, Tony made a wonderful closing speech honoring all who made the Shuttle Program successful over the past 30 years. He did keep the flight controller’s motto in tact. But just barely… now time to go fishing

I can see now he landed a real big one.

Sweet

I know you had a great experience. Thanks for the post and the pics!

That is nice, and also sad that the mission is ended