Congressional NASA Supporters Say Hello to Discovery

If you were listening to shuttle radio communications Friday morning around 11 a.m. you didn't hear the usual tech-filled jargon between the space shuttle Discovery crew and Johnson Space Center in Texas. It's not surprising as the people on the line weren't the usual technicians or mission managers but visitors from Washington, D.C.

NASA supporters Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) stopped in Friday morning for a tour of Johnson Space Center, which they both help represent on Capitol Hill, and spoke for a few minutes just after 11 a.m. EDT with Eileen Collins, commander of the Discovery.

"I want to thank you for taking part in something bigger than all of us," said DeLay, House Majority Leader and one of the strongest supporters the space agency has in Washington. He noted the flight is the beginning of "the fulfillment of the president's vision" to return to the Moon by 2020 and travel on to Mars. "The space program is up and flying now and we are looking to the future."

DeLay made a point of pointing out the mission demonstrated what could be done by United States in space "with our international partners." Those partners have been warily watching NASA deliberations about how many shuttle flights there will be to finish the space station. NASA Administrator Mike Griffin has pledged to shelve the shuttle by 2010.

Collins, on behalf of the crew, thanked DeLay, telling him they were looking down on at "the beautiful earth" as the shuttle and International Space Station sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Hutchison, chairman of the Senate Commerce subcommittee on science and space, took a more personal approach, telling the commander she had visited that morning with Collins' husband, who the senator said was struggling with the aftermath of having had to buy school supplies for the couple's children for the first time.

Hutchison told the crew that "everybody on earth is so excited about everything you are doing" and praised the crew for "a great return to flight."

DeLay, who watched the shuttle's launch on Capitol Hill with a group of fellow congressional space supporters, told the crew several times he looked forward to their safe return, planned for Monday morning, Aug. 8.

At present, the only major concern, aside from the typical risks associated with flying the shuttle back to Earth, is weather at Kennedy Space Center where the orbiter will land at 4:46 a.m. EDT ( 0746 GMT).

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