mission control

Purdue grad.  Hoosier by birth.  NASA ISS Flight Controller.  Father.  Husband.

Identity

Last Name: 

Mike

First Name: 

Allyn

Occupation: 

NASA Flight Controller

It's almost 1 am. I have an STS-131 sim tomorrow. I need to get to sleep. But I can't stop thinking about everything that happened today and the rumors from last week. I don't post often. I wanted to post last week when the rumors started but I had a bad dream that someone from work saw it and I got in trouble.

No seriously, I didn't make that up. I really had that dream. We'll see how it plays out.

I've had more than a few people ask me how I feel about everything. I feel awful. Maybe it's selfish because I'm worried about my job....maybe this is the best thing for human spaceflight and I just don't know it yet. I acknowledge that may be true. And I'm 100% behind the more people in space, the better. But what will this do for me personally?  I have no idea.

Hi everyone. I've got to commend you on what a great job you're doing, especially @flyingjenny.  You've all made STS grow into what it is today, and it's absolutely amazing.

If you've been following me via Twitter, then you know that my Dad passed away recently.  I'm saying this because he's the reason that I am where I am today - and he followed STS from the beginning.

Just a few months ago, before STS, I had my own blog on another website.  Without getting into details, I was "discouraged" from continuing to post on that site (don't ask because I won't tell), but I always sent my Dad the link and he would pass it along to other family members.  It was a way for them to keep up with what I was doing.

Once I'd started the blog, Dad would always ask - "When are you going to have a new blog! We love to read them!" 

I'm happy now that I saved those emails - him saying how neat he thought the idea was, how he was proud, etc - yet sad that he won't ever get to see what eventually became of it.

Rocket Scientist? (tehcnically speaking, yes), Aerospace Consultant, Pilot, Instructor, Flight Engineer, Former Crew Chief & Mechanic, Former Space Shuttle Training Instuctor, Space Media Analyst, Amatuer Astronomer about to turn Pro, Aerospace Historian, Photographer, Musician, Atlanta Braves Fan, Georgia Bulldogs Football Fanatic, Complete SPACE GEEK

Identity

Last Name: 

Kirkman

First Name: 

Mark

@absolutspacegrl currently works at Johnson Space Center as a Flight Controller for the Space Shuttle. She enjoys travelling, science fiction books and movies, video games, and spoiling her cat.