Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Barbara Morgan!

Barbara Morgan, born November 28, 1951 in Fresno, California, went into space aboard Endeavour (STS-118) in August 2007.  She had trained as a backup to Christa McAuliffe as NASA's Teacher In Space.  She was listed as mission specialist for the mission to the International Space Station.

While in space, she participated in an education event with students at the Challenger Center for Space Education in Alexandria, Virginia (I used to live there!).  A few days later, she talked to students at a school in L Ronge, Saskatchewan. 

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Alvin Drew!

Alvin Drew, born November 5, 1962 in Washington, DC, is a veteran of two space shuttle flights and during his last shuttle mission became the 200th person to walk in space.

His first mission into space was aboard Endeavour (STS-118) as mission specialist in August 2007 to the International Space Station.  It was the first flight of the Endeavour after the Columbia disaster.  Drew and fellow astronaut Barbara Morgan participated in an education event on August 16 (Day 9) with students in Alexandria, Virginia.

His wake-up songs are two songs I really like: Outa-space by Billy Preston and Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters.

Drew's second mission into space was aboard Discovery (STS-133) in February-March 2011 to the International Space Station.  It was the 39th and final mission of Discovery.  It completed a cumulative total of 365 days in space.  Drew performed the mission's first EVA on Day 5 with fellow astronaut Steve Bowen.  That is when Drew became the 200th person to walk in space.

Endeavour (STS-118) launched 2007

STS-118 crew (L-R): Richard Mastracchio, Barbara Morgan, Charles Hobaugh, Scott Kelly,  Tracy Caldwell, Dafydd Williams, Alvin Drew.

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-118), launched August 8, 2007 to the International Space Station, was the first flight of Endeavour since the Columbia disaster in 2003.  Its crew consisted of Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, Tracy Caldwell, Richard Mastracchio, Dafydd Williams, Barbara Morgan and Alvin Drew.

Barbara Morgan had trained as a backup to Christa McAuliffe as NASA's Teacher in Space, but that ended with the Challenger disaster.  However, when Morgan flew on STS-118, she was not considered a Mission Specialist Educator, but rather a Mission Specialist who had once been a teacher.  During the mission, she spoke to school children on Earth.

Four EVAs were conducted by Rick Mastracchio, Dafydd Williams and Clayton Anderson, who had arrived on the ISS with STS-117. 

They returned to Earth August 21.