Soyuz TMA-12 launches 2008

Soyuz TMA-12 crew (L-R): Yi So-Yeon, Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko

Soyuz TMA-12, launched April 8, 2008, carried two crew members and a Korean woman, as a Spaceflight Participant to the International Space Station.  The crew consisted of Commander Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko, and Yi So-Yeon (Korean Astronaut Program). 

Volkov and Kononenko participated in Expedition 17 and they returned to Earth in October 2008. Richard Garriott, who had arrived on Soyuz TMA-13 eleven days earlier, returned with them.  

Yi So-Yeon remained on the ISS for almost eleven days and returned on Soyuz TMA-11.

Maroon 5 and "Ratatouille" win Grammys 2008

Maroon 5, which had three Grammy nominations, won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for their single, Makes Me Wonder at the 50th annual ceremony held February 10, 2008. Their album It Won't Be Soon Before Long was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album.  The album's producer Mike Elizondo was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non Classical.

Pixar Animation's Ratatouille won Best Score Soundtrack Album for composer Michael Giacchino.  It was his third nomination and first Grammy win.

Christina Aguilera's single Candyman was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, but lost to Amy Winehouse.

"WALL-E" released 2008

Pixar's classic animated film about a lonely robot left with the monumental task of cleaning up Earth after being completely trashed and abandoned, WALL-E was released into US theaters June 27, 2008.  It's science fiction, action, and romance all rolled into one.

It is widely considered one of the best animated movies of all time.  It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film, Boston Society of Film Critics Best Animated Film, BAFTA's Best Animated Film, a Saturn for Best Animated Film, two Grammys, and one Scream Award.

In 2021, WALL-E became the second Pixar film to be selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

SpaceX, Falcon 1 launched 2008

Falcon 1, constructed by SpaceX, successfully launched September 28, 2008, after three previous attempts had failed. It became the first, privately-developed, liquid-fueled rocket to achieve orbit around Earth.  The fourth flight carried a mass simulator (RatSat) as its payload.

RatSat and the second stage are still in orbit.

Zhai Zhigang performs China's first spacewalk 2008

Launched on Shenzhou 7 just two days before, Zhai Zhigang stepped outside the spacecraft and conducted the first spacewalk by a Chinese astronaut on September 27, 2008. It only lasted about twenty minutes and was limited in scope.  Liu Boming waited in the airlock of the orbital module, in a Russian spacesuit, ready to provide help to Zhigang if necessary.

Jing Haipeng, the third astronaut, stayed in the re-entry module and monitored the situation of the spacecraft.

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Roger Tsien, awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2008

Dr. Roger Tsien, born February 1, 1952 in New York City, New York, was awarded the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 2008.  A Chinese-American, Tsien suffered from asthma growing up and spent much time indoors, conducting chemistry experiments in his family's basement.

He won the Westinghouse Talent Search at 16.  He received his PhD in physiology in 1977 from Churchill College in Cambridge, England.

He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Osamu Shimomura and Martin Chalfie in 2008 for their wok for "the green fluorescent protein; discovery, expression and development".

He passed away in August 2016.

"Ratatouille" wins Golden Globe for Best Animated Film 2008

Disney's and Pixar's culinary computer-animated comedy, Ratatouille, won a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film at the 65th annual awards ceremony, January 13, 2008.  It has been voted one of the greatest motion pictures of the 21st century.

It was the second Golden Globe for director/producer/screenplay writer Brad Bird.

Endeavour (STS-123) launched 2008

STS-123 crew:

Front row (L-R): Gregory H. Johnson, Dominic Gorie

Back row (L-R): Richard Linnehan, Robert Behnken, Garrett Reisman, Michael Foreman, Takao Doi

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-123), launched March 11, 2008, delivered the first module of the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo).  Its crew consisted of Commander Dominic Gorie, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, Robert Behnken, Michael Foreman, Richard Linnehan, Takao Doi (JAXA), and Garrett Reisman.

Five spacewalks were conducted during the mission, by Linnehan, Reisman, Foreman and Behnken. 

The crew returned to Earth March 27., the longest space shuttle flight.  Reisman stayed on board the ISS, and astronaut Leopold Eyharts (ESA) returned with the rest of the crew.

Atlantis (STS-122) launched 2008

STS-122 crew

Front row (L-R): Stephen Frick, Leopold Eyharts, Alan Poindexter

Back row (L-R): Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Stanely Love, Hans Schlegel

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-122), launched February 7, 2008, delivered the ESA's Columbus science laboratory to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Stephen Frick, Pilot Alan Poindexter, Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Hans Schlegel (ESA), Stanley Love and Leopold Eyharts (ESA).

Walheim and Love conducted 3 EVAs during the mission, totaling 22 hours, 8 minutes.  Eyharts remained on the ISS and Daniel Tani returned with the rest of the crew February 20.

"Murdoch Mysteries" debuts 2008

Murdoch Mysteries aired its first television episode January 24, 2008.  It stars gorgeous actor Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch and Helene Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden, the medical examiner and Murdoch's main love interest.

The series is set in the late 1890s in Toronto and Murdoch uses the latest forensic techniques such as fingerprinting to solve crimes.

It is now in its 13th season.

Soyuz TMA-13 launched 2008

Soyuz TMA-13 crew (L-R): Richard Garriott, Yury Lonchakov, Michael Fincke

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-13, launched October 12, 2008 to the International Space Station, was the 100th manned Soyuz spacecraft.  Its crew consisted of Yury Lonchakov (Roscosmos), Michael Fincke (NASA) and Richard Garriott (space tourist).

Lonchakov and Fincke were the crew of Expedition 18 and remained on the ISS until April 2009.

Richard Garriott is the son of Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott.  Space tourist Charles Simonyi returned with Lonchakov and Fincke in April 2009.

Shenzhou 7 launched 2008

Shenzhou 7 crew

Mission patch

Shenzhou 7, launched September 25, 2008, was the third manned spaceflight for the China National Space Administration.  Its crew consisted of Commander Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng.  It was the first flight for all three crew members. 

Zhigang and Boming conducted the first EVA by Chinese astronauts.  During the mission, China launched its first ever data relay satellite, Tianlian I.  On a controversial note, Shenzhou 7 passed within 45 km (27 miles) of the International Space Station.  Despite inquiries from the international community, China never did offer an explanation for why it flew so close to the ISS.

The crew returned to Earth on September 28.

"The Incredible Hulk" released 2008

The Incredible Hulk (version 2?) was released June 13, 2008 and starred Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and William Hurt.  Eric Bana was asked to recreate his role as Bruce Banner but he turned it down.  Sam Elliott wanted to reprise his role as General Ross but it was given to William Hurt instead.  I prefer Sam Elliott but I don't like it when he plays a bad guy, so I guess I was okay with it.

This movie pitted the big, green guy up against a new adversary, Abomination.  Played by Tim Roth, Emil Blonsky is infected with some of Banner's radioactive blood and turns him into a very, ugly version of the Hulk.  Lots of Hulk smashing stuff, and Abomination smashing Hulk.

Spoiler Alert:

At the end, Hulk defeats Abomination but the baddie is still alive.  How are they going to continue restraining him?  Will Bruce have to remain Hulk forever to keep Abomination under control?

Discovery (STS-124) launched 2008

STS-124 crew (L-R): Gregory Chamitoff, Michael Fossum, Kenneth Ham, Mark Kelly, Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan and Akihiko Hoshide

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124), launched May 31, 2008, delivered the Japanese Experiment Module called Kibo to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Kenneth Ham, Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan, Michael Fossum, Akihiko Hoshide (JAXA) and Gregory Chamitoff.

The crew also delivered replacement parts for a malfunctioning toilet on the ISS.

They returned to Earth on June 14.

"Iron Man" released 2008

Iron Man, the first in the Iron Man trilogy movies, was released May 2, 2008 in the U.S.  Starring Robert Downey, Jr. as the title role, it chronicled the Marvel super-hero's beginnings, downfalls and resurrection.  Originally, Iron Man was created during the Vietnam War but director Jon Favreau didn't want to do a "period piece" so he updated the setting to Afghanistan.

Favreau also appeared in the film as Tony Stark's chaffeur.  Gwyneth Paltrow starred as Pepper Potts and Jeff Bridges appeared in a rare bad-guy role as Obadiah Stane.

American Film Institute selected Iron Man as one of the best films of the year.  Empire Magazine ranked it as one of the best 500 movies of all time.


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Def Leppard releases "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge" 2008

Def Leppard released their 10th studio album, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, April 25, 2008 in Europe, and four days later in the U.S.  The title refers to a backstage tuning room at shows where Def Leppard would work on new material.

The first single from the album was Nine Lives which featured country mega-star Tim McGraw, and it was released on April 27.

Songs from the Sparkle Lounge debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200.  All the songs were written or co-written by Joe Elliott, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen, except for Nine Lives, which McGraw helped write.

Endeavour (STS-126) launched 2008

L-R: Magnus, Bowen, Pettit, Ferguson, Boe, Kimbrough and Stefanyshyn-Piper 

STS-126 Mission Patch

Endeavour took off on its 22nd flight and the 124th mission (STS-126) of the space shuttle program November 14, 2008.  Her crew consisted of Commander Christopher Ferguson, Pilot Eric Boe, Mission Specialist Donald Pettit, Mission Specialist Stephen Bowen, Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Mission Specialist Robert Kimbrough and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus.

It was the 27th shuttle mission to the International Space Station to conduct repairs. It was the first time cow and pig embryos were carried into space by NASA to see how weightlessness affected embryonic growth.

Stefanyshyn-Piper and Bowen each conducted three EVAs, and Kimbrough performed two during the 16-day mission.

Stefanyshyn-Piper requested Hold On Tight by Electric Light Orchestra as her wake-up song.  Awesome!

Endeavour returned to Earth November 30.

India reaches the moon! Chandrayaan I launched 2008

India's first lunar probe, Chandrayaan 1, was launched October 22, 2008 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center north of Chennai.  The spacecraft consisted of an orbiter and a lander.  Chandrayaan 1 entered lunar orbit on November 8 and the Moon Impact Probe separated from the orbiter on November 14. 

The Moon Impact Probe landed near the Shackleton crater on the south pole, making India the fourth country to reach the moon.

Two months shy of its first anniversary, the orbiter stopped sending signals on August 28, 2009.  Indian Space Research Organization expected it to crash onto the lunar surface in 2012 but as of 2016, it is still in orbit.

Shenzhou 7, first Chinese EVA, launched 2008

Shenzhou 7, launched September 25, 2008, was the first mission of the Chinese Space Program to include an EVA.  Just 5 years previous, China successfully sent a man into space aboard their Shenzhou 5, Yang Liwei, in October 2003, making them the third country to enter the space race.

Shenzhou 7 launched with three crew, Commander Zhai Zhigang, Orbital Module Astronaut Liu Boming, and Descent module monitor astronaut Jing Haipeng.

On September 27,  Zhai Zhigang slipped out of the orbital module and into space.  A few minutes later Liu Boming joined him.  Their total space walk lasted about 20 minutes.

The crew returned to Earth landing safely in Inner Mongolia, September 28.

Celebrating Black History Month: Eugene Sutton, first African-American bishop of Diocese of Maryland

Eugene Sutton, DC native, became the first black bishop of the Diocese of Maryland June 28, 2008 at the Washington National Cathedral where he was consecrated.  He visited our humble little church, Church of the Holy Apostles in Arbutus, last year.  He stated that he was now welcome in churches that a generation ago would not have let him through the front door.