"Neat! Cool! That's pretty good" - Mae Jemison, on seeing some of the astronauts who have signed. The inside front page to Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years, "the astronauts' experiences in their own words." There were at least a few ways to get this book signed by some of the astronaut contributors: One was through a National Air and Space Museum in-person signing with six astronauts: Charlie Walker, Pierre Thuot, Gary Payton, Roger Crouch, Rich Hauck, and Tom Jones, as well as editor Tony Reichhardt. (I tried to get NASM to send me a copy but was unsuccessful.) Mike Mullane was offering a copy signed by him through his website. The Space Mall was selling copies signed by Dan Brandenstein and Rick Hieb. The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation was in 2006 selling a lot of 18 astronaut books, including "Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years" signed by Brandenstein. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences was selling copies at an event with William Thornton, so Thornton could have signed it, even though he was not a contributor. In June 2011, R. R. Auction in their montly auction had for sale a first edition, first printing of this book, signed on the title page by 17 space shuttle astronauts including Jack Lousma, Paul Weitz, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Karol "Bo" Bobko, Story Musgrave, Jay Apt, Dave Hilmers, Jim Voss, Ed Lu, and Bonnie Dunbar, all of whom added their respective missions. (Lousma, Gibson, Musgrave and Voss are all contributors.) It had a minimum bid of $100 and sold for $300. A reproduction of this autographed title page was available on eBay for $14.99 and free shipping. Wotta bahgain. My copy was to have been signed by "Hoot" Gibson and Taylor Wang, both Tennessee residents through a Nashville (?) bookstore whose name escapes me. Only Wang was available to sign. (After eight years, I got an opportunity to meet Gibson and get his signature.) (Later, in 2009, Hoot Gibson and Rhea Seddon, his wife, donated a copy signed by them for a fundraising auction at a Tennessee school their children attend.) Of the Shuttle-era astronauts I've met prior to getting this book, I have yet to again encounter George "Pinky" Nelson for his signature here. (Deke Slayton was with NASA when the Shuttle began testing but died years before the book's publication.) Some have tried to get just the 77 astronaut contributors to sign, two of which - Rick Husband and Kalpana Chawla - died within a year of the book's release. I've brought this now-edgeworn volume to astronauts who were active during the shuttle program, to sign this book, whether or not they flew. There were three occasions where I've mailed this book to fellow space enthusiasts in order to get it signed. From left to right, top to bottom, who signed and some (not all) of their achievements: Robert Cenker. Last commercial Payload Specialist, Mission 61C. Terry Hart. Mission Specialist, Mission 41C. Bruce McCandless. Made the first untethered spacewalk, using the manned maneuvering unit on STS-11/Mission 41B. Jack Lousma. STS-3 (and added his Skylab flight.) STS-3 was the only mission to land at White Sands, NM, instead of Edwards AFB, Calif., or Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Story Musgrave. Flew all five flight orbiters, the only astronaut to do so. Paul Weitz. Flew first flight of Challenger, STS-6. Bob Crippen. Flew first flight of Columbia, and of the shuttle, STS-1. Also was selected to command the first Vandenberg flight STS-1V/Mission 62A, which was canceled. Yury Usachev. Russian cosmonaut who not only flew on the shuttle, but also commanded the second International Space Station expedition. Total for this page: Eight signatures, four of which are contributors: Cenker, Lousma, Musgrave and Crippen.

44:100 - 12/20/2009 Eeyore wanted to wear the antlers that he saw in my bedroom. Pooh has been wearing them so he thought they should fit him ok... well, it has taken both him and Yummy to try to figure it out... don't know how well it's gonna work... LOL!