For the last seven years I have kept this picture in a frame on my desk. It is a picture I took of the Astronaut memorial wall in Florida. I’m sure my family isn’t going to appreciate the fact that there are no pictures of them :)
After nearly two and a half years NASA will be launching a shuttle back into space (scheduled for Wednesday). Anna emailed me the fact that the shuttle will be carrying symbolic mementos of the seven astronauts that perished aboard Columbia in February of 2003. The Hindu reports:
Countdown began today for the launch of Discovery, the first shuttle to be launched since the Columbia crash two years ago, which will carry a photograph of India-born astrologer Kalpana Chawla, and mementos from her colleagues who perished in the tragedy.
Jean P Harrison, widower of Chawla said he was sending a photograph of his wife aboard Discovery, which is poised for liftoff day with five-man, two-woman crew on Wednesday.
The picture of Kalpana is from her college days in India, where she is sitting in her dorm room surrounded by photographs of aircraft and one of a space shuttle.
Wow. I never even knew she was an astrologer as well.
When I walked into the small room a doctor was waiting with a short Indian woman.
“Hello, you must be the human test subject here for crew training?”
“Why yes,” I replied. “Hello, my name is Abhi.”
“This is KC,” the doctor said pointing to the Indian woman.
“Hi, I’m KC.”
“What’s your name again?” I asked while leaning in to read her badge. I knew her name was Kalpana. In fact, I had met and spoken with her a few years earlier. I just wanted her to say “Kalpana,” and not “KC.”
“Kalpana here is part of the crew for the science mission on the STS-107. The mission includes biology experiments. Each of the astronauts will need to learn how to draw blood and insert and IV in a zero-g environment (accomplished by sticking all the equipment to velcro). Let’s get started. Could you roll up your sleeves please?”
I don’t like blood or needles. I dislike phobias even more though, which is the only reason I had agreed to this. After lying flat on my back, I stretched out my right arm. I looked away and went to my “happy place.” Seconds later a sharp pain flooded up my right arm. I flinched.
“Ooohh, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, sorry, sorry…”
“I think you hit his nerve,” observed the doctor calmly. Several people have mentioned that I have exceptionally lovely and easy to spot veins so I wasn’t sure how she missed them. Her confidence was visibly shaken in response to the look of pain on my face, which included still clenched teeth.
“Okay, just turn around and extend your other arm instead please,” requested the doctor.
“Are you okay?” Kalpana asked me.
I regret that I had but two arms to give that day. :)
