Word: astronauts
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...time for Discovery to head home, and every nook and cranny of the shuttle is stuffed with souvenirs of its last hook-up with Mir. Astronaut Andrew Thomas -- who spent 130 days on the Russian station and brought back a bundle of posters, certificates and even a guitar -- seems to have the perennial tourist's problem of packing in zero gravity: "We've got stuff floating everywhere," he said after rejoining his colleagues Thursday...
...case of life imitating Arthur C. Clarke: A skittish computer malfunctions aboard a manned space station, putting a bid to retrieve a U.S. astronaut in jeopardy. Mir's main computer may not be a HAL 9000, but it has spent the last three days succesfully resisting all puny human attempts to restart it. The malfunctioning mainframe may prevent space shuttle Discovery from picking up the Australian-born Andrew Thomas this Friday, since NASA flight regs prohibit docking without an operational steering system on the other end. Now shuttle managers are meeting to decide whether to abandon Tuesday's launch altogether...
...Nevertheless, the mission has made one great new discovery: "It turns out you can actually snore in space," announced astronaut-physician Dave Williams. How do we know? Because, Williams admitted sheepishly, "I managed to make those noises myself." Never mind the squeaking -- in space, everyone can hear you snore...
...have to worry about down-time: the Disney theme parks are only a little more than 50 miles away (but save enough energy for the nonstop pace at Space Camp). Other local points of interest include the Brevard Community College Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory (planetarium shows, a rooftop telescope, space museum and hands-on exhibit hall), the Piper Aircraft factory (where those interested in aviation on a smaller scale can tour the assembly plant) and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (for living proof that nature and technology can coexist peacefully). Finally, you'll want to reserve time...
...moon. Upon arrival, a maximum of 72 participants are broken up into six teams of 12. From that moment on, the activities are nonstop. You'll build and launch your own rockets, participate in very realistic space simulations, and tour the Kennedy Space Center and the Astronaut Hall of Fame. You'll also visit at least two shuttle launching pads and perhaps, if your timing is right, even catch one of three shuttle launches scheduled for this summer. Not only will you know what it feels like to walk on the moon, but you'll also learn a lot about...