I was thankful to Monty for three important reasons: for the shared friendship and shared regret of missing out on the summit together, and for a ride back to Kathmandu in his Medivac helicopter (instead of a 36 mile trek with a crippled back). I always assumed he’d eventually make his way back to Everest [...]

Soyuz TMA-19/Expedition 24 Crew: Wheels, Fyodor & Shannon suited up   I was at work this afternoon when my very good friend and STS-120 EVA partner, Doug “Wheels” Wheelock (a.k.a. “Tike”), hightailed it off the planet from the Baikonur launch complex in Kazakhstan.  The replays on NASA TV show him grinning ear to ear, hamming for [...]

  I was asked to give the opening keynote to a very large group of young scientists, and never have I seen so much enthusiasm to learn — every single kid in the auditorium had his or her hand up to ask a question. When it was announced that I could only take 10 more [...]