Despite my lingering tendancy to be directionally challenged, what I've decided to call "Space Shuttle Pilot School" is going well. On Wednesday I had my first session in the dome. The dome consists of the shuttle's aft cockpit, with aft and overhead windows, and all the switches and controls just like the real shuttle. Surrounding the cockpit is a dome-shaped screen. There are projectors that show computerized views of whatever you'd expect to see out the window for the particular situation you're simulating -- a satellite, the earth, the space station, etc.

Let me just say that it is way cool to get to fly the fancy simulator. I almost feel like an astronaut! In our first session we practiced approaching a satellite on the Vbar (i.e. approaching from the front), stationkeeping on the Rbar (i.e. sitting stationary above it), and maneuvering to get the satellite in the end effector of the robot arm (i.e. seeing the satellite with the camera in the end of the arm and lining up to grab it).

Very fun. Those are the days when I love my job.

No running, biking, or swimming last night, but I did play softball. After going basically hitless for what seemed like weeks, I can now cautiously say that I may have turned a corner. Last week I went 3-for-4 and last night I went 2-for-3. After getting some advice from Matt, I have stepped a bit farther back in the batter's box and have stopped choking up on the bat. Seems to be working so far, and I find softball much more enjoyable when I'm not an automatic out.

Mom's flight arrived early, though the website hadn't indicated that and therefore I was 20 minutes late picking her up. We didn't get home until 11:30, so it was 12:45 before I got to bed. I'm sleepy!