Former NASA astronaut to meet Space Centre visitors
THE National Space Centre in Leicester, in collaboration with Space Boosters, will be welcoming a former NASA astronaut and veteran of four space missions.
Selected by NASA in January 1990, Don Thomas became an astronaut in July 1991. Don has served in the Safety, Operations Development, and Payloads Branches of the Astronaut Office. He was CAPCOM (spacecraft communicator) for Shuttle missions STS-47, 52 and 53. From July 1999 to June 2000 he was Director of Operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.
A veteran of four space flights, he has logged over 1,040 hours in space. He was a mission specialist on STS-65 (July 8-23, 1994), STS-70 (July 13-22, 1995), STS-83 (April 4-8, 1997) and STS-94 (July 1-17, 1997).
Visitors on March 25 can meet Don over a number of sessions throughout the day, which include the opportunity to have breakfast with him, have a photograph, join him for a Q&A in the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium and even a very special Gala Dinner set in the heart of the galleries in the evening.
To find out more, or to book, please visit the National Space Centre website at http://spacecentre.co.uk/ Here is the menu: • STARTER - Ham Hock Terrine served with a Spicy Peach Chutney, Rocket and Aged Balsamic glaze - First food eaten on the moon – bacon cubes, coated with gelatine to combat crumb. In the daily rations were rehydrated peaches. Cream of Potato Soup with Crispy Leeks and an Apple Crumble - Meal C on Apollo 11 included a potato soup, which was eaten in by Michael Collins; “I am alone now, truly alone, and absolutely isolated from any known life.”
• MAIN - Braised Blade of Beef served with Apple and Horseradish Fondant Potato, Roast Seasonal Vegetables and a Red Wine Jus - John Glenn was the first American to eat in space aboard Friendship 7 in 1962. He had a tube of applesauce, followed by a tube of beef and vegetables, consumed on his first orbit over North Africa. Grilled Romaine Lettuce with Spiced Mexican Beans, Queso Fresco and toasted Tortilla Crisps - Red Romaine lettuce was grown in space on Expedition 40 which were harvested when mature, frozen and tested back on Earth. Expedition 44 members became the first American astronauts to eat plants grown in space on August 10, 2015 when their crop of Red Romaine was harvested.
• DESSERTS - Dark Chocolate and M&M Peanut Tart served with a Raspberry Sorbet - M&M’S® have been a part of every space shuttle mission since Columbia first launched on April 12, 1981. M&M’S are included in NASA’s space food system, as well as featured on the International Space Station (ISS) menu. Lavazza Coffee - On 3 May 2015, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti became the first person to drink freshly brewed coffee in space.