Saluting Mike Griffin

From Mike Griffin's visit to Houston January 8-9. He came down Thursday night for debrief of the STS-126 crew. At the left is Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats and Mike Griffin. At the right is STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson. Friday morning he gave an all-hands brief with Miike Coats (below) and took a long look at the Small Pressurized Rover (bottom photo). Washington DC is full of people ready to stab you in the back or spread unfounded rumours, but that is the Chicago Way. Mike seemed very relaxed among fellow scientists and engineers.

Shortly after he bacame NASA Administrator in 2005, a brash young student asked a possibly impertinent question. "Sir, I've always been inspired by NASA, but what we need from you is leadership. That goes straight down the line:

a president saying 'we choose to go to the Moon,'

Eugene Kranz in Mission Control saying 'failure is not an option,'

Alan Shepard sitting in the spacecraft saying, 'let's get off our butts and light this candle!'

Can you provide this?'

The student is happy to say that Dr. Griffin has provided leadership and direction for several critical years. Let us hope we keep on course to where no one has gone before.

One small step for a woman!