December 10, 2008
U.S. Rep. Giffords’ gift to Empire School from out of this world
Thelma Grimes
Empire High School got a special gift from U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on Friday, as she presented students with a shirt that had traveled to space with her husband, Mark E. Kelly, a NASA astronaut.
Giffords gave the school the Empire t-shirt that was still in the air-safe bag after orbiting the earth with Cpt. Kelly, who launched into space on May 31 on his way to the space station. The orbiter was the Discovery, and the mission number was STS-124.
It was the biggest payload ever taken to the space station, which included a Japanese pressurized module for research known as Kibo.
Besides the Kibo, a pressurized module weighing in at 32,000 pounds, the mission also carried a Japanese remote manipulator system.
Kelly’s third mission to space included three spacewalks. They flew at the speed of more than 17,000 miles per hour, and it took 13 days, 18 hours and seven seconds.
Besides the shirt that had traveled space, Giffords presented the school with a signed photo from Kelly of the actual launching.
Empire was selected after Cpt. Kelly and Giffords spoke to the students about the NASA program via satellite last year. At that time, it was decided that Kelly would take a t-shirt from Empire on his next mission.
Besides bringing the school a souvenir from the historical mission, Giffords took the time to talk to the students about science and its future.
“Science is everywhere,” she said. “It’s in everything we touch and breathe. It’s in everything we do. America is the only country to send a man to the moon.”
Giffords told the students that the space shuttle program will expire in 2010, with only 10 more missions scheduled.
Giffords, who will soon be serving in her second term, said scholarships are out there for students interested in science, space and technology.
“We have not yet had an astronaut from Arizona,” she said. “I would like to change that. We have an incredible country, but it will only stay incredible if you stay active.”
Empire Principal Matt Donaldson and students thanked Giffords for her gift.
Donaldson said it was an example of how important science education is, and how great the Vail School District is in being active in the community.
Cpt. Kelly first went into space as the pilot for STS-108 Endeavor December 5-17, 2001. He returned to space as the pilot of STS-121 Discovery July 4-17, 2006. On Kelly’s third mission, he served as commander of STS-124 Discovery May 31 to June 14, 2008. Kelly is the first NASA astronaut to fly in space while married to a member of the U.S. Congress.
Giffords will be sworn in for her second term in January.
