Meeting Recap April 16 Joint Club Dinner Meeting
Views from Space - Joint Meeting DinnerArticle by Joe Brennan
Astronaut Karol “Bo” Bobko delivered an enthralling visual and aural presentation to the assembled members of the
Pacifica, Millbrae and Half Moon Bay Rotary Clubs at their annual joint dinner meeting.
As the evening began, we all joined in singing the
"Star Spangled Banner" and John Evans inspired
us with comments about the gift of living on this
remarkably beautiful coastside..JPG)
President Dianne Bobko then introduced DG Chris Gallagher and Assistant DG Glen Rojas and DG Elect 2016-17, Jeri Fugimoto. Next was the introduction of the Presidents of the Rotary Cubs of Pacifica and Millbrae, Linda Jonas and Carrie Chinn. They, in turn, introduced their members and guests. Dianne had all of the Rotarians and guests from Half Moon Bay stand. Linda Jonas announced that, at the suggestion of her Club Board and members, the three clubs had joined together to purchase a Shelter Box. Carrie Chinn mentioned that her Club is hoping this will become an annual joint project. Dianne explained that this Shelter Box will be deployed to a future disaster area and the Clubs will be notified when and where it is deployed and will be able to follow it to the destination.
After everyone enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Catherine and David Yaque and crew from Seville Tapas of Princeton, President Dianne introduced the program and our speaker…without notes! Bo and Dianne met in Colorado when he was in the Air Force Academy. After becoming a test pilot, he was accepted as an astronaut into our space program where he serves to this day albeit part time now. Bo was the pilot of the first Challenger mission and commander of two additional Space Shuttle missions and is the only Astronaut to have flown on the initial flights of two different Shuttles, Challenger and Atlantis.
Bo opened with a delightful video of a band (Bare Naked Ladies) playing on stage with
another musician on a video screen in the background - Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield playing
aboard the International Space Shuttle (ISS). Then Bo very effectively presented still images paired
with notable quotes from a host of international astronauts to treat us for a few minutes to the view
he enjoyed from space and a sampling of the thoughts evoked by such beauty and wonder. Bo has
served as president of the American Astronaut Group of the Association of Space Explorers
(the professional association of Astronauts, Cosmonauts, and Taikonauts from around the world),
and has been involved in international space activities and interaction most of his career, so many
of the quotes were from personal friends of his.
We were treated to views of river systems, weather systems, islands, glaciers, mountain ranges,.JPG)
cities at night etc. from the unique perspective of orbit. I nearly wrote that they were "other worldly"
but caught myself because they are in fact “our worldly”. Bo spoke to the understanding that
perspective generates - one’s appreciation, gratefulness and reverence for the planet we live upon.
After the video and slide show the lights came up for questions. He was asked to talk us through the launch process to
which he quipped "have you got five or ten minutes?” The audience of course did and hung on his every word as he launched into the events following breakfast on launch day. After getting suited up they are driven to the launch pad where it was immediately obvious that it was not just another day. Normally there are a hundred technicians, inspectors, etc. swarming
over everything to make it ready…on launch day there are only the two attendants driving them out, assisting them aboard
and buckling them in. He proceed with the riveting sequence of events preceding launch. As he got down to launch minus
10 seconds the lights of the Senior Center went out and the feeble emergency egress lights blinked on - a very dramatic
moment, like it had been planned to endorse and emphasize the gravity of the moment in his narration. Emergency
responders were soon driving by with lights and sirens blazing, Bo soldiered right on with the story despite the power failure
and it being half dark outside - taking us moment by moment right up into orbit with him. He noted in sequence the noise
and vibration levels, the g-forces they were experiencing, the duties they had to attend to and communicate to mission
control etc. It was Grand!
Bo answered a number of other questions from the audience; explaining the reentry flight strategy, what geo synchs orbits are, why they go into space (to put satellites in orbit and facilitate a hundred(s) science experiments on board etc.
The audience was most appreciative of Bo’s prepared presentation plus his gracious and generous handling of the questions of which there was no end in sight.
Word came from Cara Schmaljon, Director of the Coastal Senior Center, suggesting due to the power outage that we bring things to a close before it got too dark outside. We turned to clearing the tables and by the time that was done the power was restored. We later learned that a vehicle had knocked down a utility pole within a block of our meeting.
Bo answered a number of other questions from the audience; explaining the reentry flight strategy, what geo synchs orbits are, why they go into space (to put satellites in orbit and facilitate a hundred(s) science experiments on board etc.
The audience was most appreciative of Bo’s prepared presentation plus his gracious and generous handling of the questions of which there was no end in sight.
Word came from Cara Schmaljon, Director of the Coastal Senior Center, suggesting due to the power outage that we bring things to a close before it got too dark outside. We turned to clearing the tables and by the time that was done the power was restored. We later learned that a vehicle had knocked down a utility pole within a block of our meeting.
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