Russian Spacecraft

Last Wednesday, December 21st a spacecraft took off from Russia on its way to the International Space Station. Among the three astronauts inside of the shuttle was Oregon grown Don Pettit. Don was raised in Silverton, Oregon and received a Chemical Engineering degree from Oregon State University. This is not Don’s first time in space; he has been part of several space missions throughout his career. His last mission was aboard the Endeavour shuttle in 2008. This current mission will include working on the International Space Station until March. If you want to track Pettit’s venture into space, he will be in constant contact with NASA, and will be updating his Twitter and Facebook after the new year. NASA will be filtering questions to Pettit and posting the answers on his social media pages!

-KT

Quick hitter from KGW News about OSU Alumnus, Don Pettit. Don has already been to space once. He represents the second OSU alumnus in three years to make the journey out of Earth’s atmosphere.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An astronaut from Oregon has been scheduled to make his second trip into space.

Don Pettit, a native of Silverton, will be aboard the next space shuttle mission to the International Space Station.

The shuttle Endeavour is set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on November 14.

Pettit is one of seven astronauts who will fly on the shuttle mission to deliver equipment and supplies needed to double the station crew size from three to six in May 2009.

Pettit graduated from Silverton Union High School and earned a degree in chemical engineering at Oregon State University.

-jm