The Big Picture

by Jill Michaels

All the World's a Stage

I’ve never cared much for Shakespeare. But when the curtain closed on a media event starring the STS-135 Atlantis crew, I remembered that:

All the world’s a stage. And all 

the men and women merely players.

Last March, NASA invited reporters to view a rendezvous simulation. During the 15-minute sim at JSC, three of the four STS-135 astronauts—Chris Ferguson (“Fergy”), Doug Hurley and Sandy Magnus—flew a virtual rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station, approaching from 30 feet. 

Also swimming with me in the press pool, I discovered to my chagrin when I arrived, were some 50 other reporters. Half an hour later, the astronauts arrived. I didn’t realize it then, but the stage was set for a performance of global proportions.

I became acquainted with Fergy and his dry, cerebral humor back in 2005. I had written an article about Max Q, the astronaut rock-and-roll band, for an airline’s in-flight magazine. My astronaut point of contact had forwarded my story to his fellow band members for fact-checking before publication. Fergy, the band’s primary drummer, responded to me directly.

In late 2008, I met Fergy and Sandy after the STS-126 pre-flight news conference. I got preoccupied with shooting the breeze with Fergy and nearly missed shooting a photo of Steve Bowen for Steve’s hometown newspaper in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Doug and I crossed paths when I interviewed the STS-127 crew in 2009 for my hometown article about Tom Marshburn.

As the STS-135 astronauts arrived at the Avionics Systems Laboratory at JSC, I happened to catch Fergy’s eye. He waved back in recognition. The sheer number of reporters naturally meant that each of us would receive only a few minutes to watch the crew perform their rendezvous in the darkened Alpha Dome of the Systems Engineering Simulator. The SES reminded me of a planetarium theater, but with moving scenes of full-sized ISS modules over a simulated Earth instead of the traditional starry sky with constellations. Fergy, Doug and Sandy stood at the mockup of the space shuttle’s flight deck. In the darkened room, the viewing angles of 180 degrees horizontal and -30 degrees to 105 degrees vertical proved spectacular. 

Surrounded by other groundlings, I switched myself from reporting mode into audience mode. I made my way up the stairs to the second-story observation gantry, the balcony of this virtual theater. After the sim, Fergy offered the reporters their choice of another run or Q&As. My silent preference for an encore performance of operating in a real-time environment was vetoed by those in the audience clamoring for more lines from the players on stage. It dawned on me that most of these reporters had not met these particular astronauts. So the rare chance for virtual-flying with an astronaut took a solid back seat. Alas!

During the Q&A exchange, Fergy explained that according to Doug’s research, STS-6 was the last time that NASA has flown a four-person shuttle crew. “We’re relearning how to fly,” Fergy announced. One reporter asked: “How do you feel about being the last space shuttle crew?” Dramatic pause. Fergy replied: “Honored.”

A NASA stagehand asked me to leave the balcony, temporarily, to allow another reporter the opportunity to shoot photos. Near the end of the Q&A bartering, I flew back to my second-story pigeonhole next to the spotlights, hoping that I could get a photo of Fergy, Doug and Sandy standing on the flight deck looking up at my camera. Just as NASA lowered the curtain on the day’s event, I got my wish. I called out to get the crew’s attention and asked them to look up. They graciously complied. 

As I was taking the photo, out of the blue Fergy called up to me: “How’s life in Cohasset?” The line caught me off-guard, as I was not expecting an interactive theater performance. I stammered back: “I don’t know. I live down the road in Seabrook.” Without losing a beat, Fergy responded: “But you still write for Cohasset, don’t you?” I replied: “Yes. I made sure to take care of Steve Bowen last month,” writing two STS-133 articles for his hometown newspaper.

I left the Alpha Dome that day in a reflective mood. Most theatrical plays are good, due to countless hours of rehearsal. But the most meaningful ones are those you savor because offstage you’re acquainted with the key players.

Chris Ferguson departed from NASA on December 9.