Christopher W. Luhar-Trice (80)

Christopher W. Luhar-Trice (USA)
Space Shuttle Mission: STS - 134

I look forward to the last two shuttle missions with some degree of sadness - the shuttle program has been a constant throughout most of my life. I remember both the consuming excitement that accompanied the first few years of launches, and the terrible tragedies of the Challenger and Columbia. I’ve seen shuttle launches transition from major media events to something that scarcely rates a passing mention on the evening news. As the shuttle program ends, I wonder what will be the future of manned space exploration. My piece for this exhibition is a reflection of my long-time fascination with space travel, and with the less remembered contributors to our exploration of that great frontier. Laika the dog, a humble stray from Moscow’s streets, was the Soviet Union’s first Cosmonaut. She gave her life in service of our pursuit of the stars, likely dying within the first four orbits due to a cooling system malfunction. It warms my heart to think that I have, in a way, helped her fly again on the final mission of the space shuttle.