The 112th US Space Shuttle Mission has just left the launch pad with a Spanish astronaut.
Space Shuttle takes Spain to Space.

Slight correction, folks, the astronaut is a Spanish born US astronaut. I had been under the impression he was representing Spain (can't always trust CNN, can you?) . Nevertheless, a potentially worthy discussion for this board.

Thanks MadridMan ... for cleaning up my correction.

This may not surprise some of you (the Spaniards), but I certainly found it interesting. Zaragoza serves as the primary emergency landing strip for the US Space Shuttle, and for this reason the weather in Spain is a major factor in its launch. Hope you all find this interesting!

Zaragoza, Spain facilitates US Shuttle program.

Still Migue Angel López-Alegría is somewhat spaniard He has a strong american accent while speaking in spanish and he represents NASA.

We have, as far as I know, only one astronaut (I can't recall his name now) who goes representing Spain and ESA (European Aerospace Agency). He has flight in some important missions and has stayed in the Alpha Station.

Fernando

So THAT'S where the emergency launching pad is! They kept saying Spain and I thought hey, cool! But WHERE?!?!??!

Zaragoza, that's neat to know!

When I was in Sevilla this October I met a bunch of good ol' Texans from NASA in an Irish pub and they were builing a landing strip around Sevilla because they believe Atlantis was going to land there. They also said Sevilla served some other importance but they wouldn't go into details.

HMMMM

Somehow I don't think that Spain (or Nasa) would be building a launching pad a few months before it would be used... or that there would be several pads built all over the place... NASA's webpage says Zaragoza, so I'll have to go with what NASA says...

interesting though...

His name is Pedro Duque.

...sounds like they're trying to get him up to the International Space Station.

Our Spanish astronaut's space-suited body has front page coverage on the Boston Globe today! There's a shot of him taking a "spacewalk" to repair a railcar for the space station.

Just thought I'd share the news!

Sarita

They're back safe and sound.
Touchdown.

The next Shuttle launch is set for February 2003 , and will carry Israel's first man into space...hope security is tight.

My admiration is deep for the seven astronauts recently lost when the Columbia broke up over California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Their families have shown tremendous grace, and it's impressive they all have said the Shuttle Program must go on.
The lost crew of STS-107

Everyone is heartbroken at the news of the disaster with Columbia. Space flight is still an extremely risky endevor, and the brave women and men who choose to put their lives on the line so that we might move forward in great leaps instead of crawl on the ground in timid steps should have our greatest admiration and respect.

My thoughts are with their families, and the extended NASA family. Being from the US and always proud of our space program, I was deeply saddened by the news.

Vijae con Dios Amigos,
Martin