Member Login
Register

Civil Air Patrol Visits Goddard Space Flight Center

By 2d Lt Michael Zabetakis
Deputy Commander for Cadets
Posted January 16, 2003

On Thursday, Jan 16th, six members of the Carroll Squadron along with other CAP members from the Maryland Wing viewed the launch of shuttle Columbia and toured other facilities of the Space Flight Center. C/1st Lt Jason Zabetakis, C/MSgt Nichole Zabetakis, C/Amn Keith Wickstrom and C/Amn Victoria Karolenko accompanied by 2d Lt Michael Zabetakis and SM Donald Zabel were guests of 1st Lt Doug Barth, commander of the Fort McHenry Composite Squadron.

The group was able to view the launch from the control room at Goddard. Columbia is the oldest and heaviest Shuttle, this is Columbia’s 28th flight and the 113th Shuttle flight for NASA. This mission, STS-107, is a scientific one, the first in approximately 3 years. It is scheduled to last 16 days performing some 80 experiments in microgravity and Earth sciences. Of further distinction, this flight carries the first Israeli astronaut, Payload Specialist IIan Ramon.

After the launch the CAP members were taken to the facility where work on the Hubble Space Telescope is prepared. This building contains the largest clean room in the Western Hemisphere. It is used to test components for the Hubble and prepare other satellites for launch.

Saturday, February 1, 2003:
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the crew of Shuttle Columbia, their families, and co-workers.