Columbia made it safely to orbit, albeit a lower-than-planned one, and the flight was cut short. Post-flight inspection showed that a loose repair pin in the engine had damaged the coolant lines, causing the hydrogen leak. The controller problem was due to some chafed wires, and the entire shuttle fleet was grounded and thoroughly inspected as a result.

I also interviewed Bill Anders for a piece on the Air Force’s Heritage Flight, in which WWII-era aircraft fly in formation with modern fighters at air shows. Anders is the astronaut who took the famous “Earthrise” photo from the moon on Apollo 8, the flight that marked the first time humans left Earth orbit. He couldn’t have been more gracious, and filled me in on the flight museum he’d like to establish where he lives in Washington state.

Right from the beginning, it’s been a fascinating ride, and I’m looking forward to what the next few years will bring. Through it all, I’ve been fortunate to have my lovely wife Maryanne by my side, and her encouragement and support have meant everything to me. In fact, I couldn’t have done it without her.

So that’s more than you ever wanted to know about me. You can probably tell that I feel very fortunate to be able to make a living doing something I really enjoy. Again, thanks for stopping by – I hope you’ve at least been engaged by my misadventures. If you’re an editor and need a writer, know that I enjoy a good challenge and love to learn new things – and jumping right into them is often the best way to do it.