Well, where do I start? From the beginning I suppose.

K, well we arrived Wed 2 weeks ago and we had till the next Monday to lounge
around, soak up the sun, get to know each other and the locals etc.

On Monday we had the official opening of the program – met 3 astronauts, now on
a first name basis with one (Winston Scott – 2 time shuttle astronaut, 2 time
EVA (spacewalk)) and managed to persuade him to give me a go in his fighter
jet! Also met the head of NASA – James Kennedy (no relation) who wants to get
to know us all individually. He is having lunch with us next week. Such a nice
man!

On Tuesday of last week we had a lecture on adaptation to zero gravity and
reproduction in space (tee hee) and had a tour of the NASA life sciences labs.
Was pretty cool!

Wed was supposed to be Shuttle Launch day. We had a place on the causeway 2
miles from the launch pad! You literally can’t get closer! The families and
everything were at the same distance but a little further down he causeway down
from us. Needless to say wwe were very disappointed wen it was scrubbed.

Thursday we spent all day building robots and had to program to follow a line
using colour sensors. Was brilliant! Thought it would be boring but was sooo
much fun.
Friday we had a NASA Up Close tour with the former director of the Kennedy Space
Centre (our Daddy over here 0 Tony Gannon). Saw Mercury, Gemini, Delta and
Apollo launch pads. Also got less than a mile from Discovery on its launch pad!
We went to the International Space Station processing facility where the prep
all the parts to be launched. We only saw it from a viewing booth but we have a
lecture with a guy called Higgenbottom who is the director if the ISS and he is
taking us on a tour of the floor of the facility. It’ll involve the clean room
and monkey suits and everything!

We went to Universal Studios in Orlando at the weekend. Was a great laugh –
plenty of rollercoasters!

Monday we had a lecture on non destructive testing – a new was of making sure
the shuttle tiles are attached properly to the shuttle to prevent another
Columbia. Then we had a magnetic levitation class mon evening and this morning.
We went to see a NASA maglev launch prototype which was deadly! It was about 30
ft long and had about 300 figure of 8 magnetic coils – each with about 15
cables attached – very impressive! This evening we had a class on composites
used in space flight – what are the best materials to use etc. Was very
interesting. Tomorrow we have more composites and then in the afternoon we have
an introduction to flight and have flying lessons on Thursday morning!!! I
cannot wait!!!!!

The group here are pretty sound. Cocoa Beach is a nice town, based entirely around the space program. Nearly everyone who lives
here has something to do with it. Lots of astronauts live here too. Kinda quiet
though. Out apartment looks right out onto the beach which is beautiful – white
sand, clear sea…

The weather here is fantastic! It is 90 – 92 farenheit (~35 degrees) every day
and never goes below 30 – even during the hurricane! That was just a bit of
rain and some wind, though we didn’t get the brunt of it . We were supposed to
get Emily full on but she spun off a few days ago. Don’t know if it’s a good
thing – would love to see one but would be scared silly!