Discovery A Space Shuttle Prayer

Back in 1988 NASA finally got to go back into space after the Challenger had blown up over 2 years earlier.  The Space Shuttle Discovery took us back into to space.  After this big success, the Space Coast held a parade and a great celebration.  I was privileged, at the time, to be the Air Force Chaplain assigned to Cape Canaveral, and I also had the privilege of praying a prayer of thanksgiving at this great event.

I do not remember the exact words of the prayer, but a part of the prayer went like this: Dear Lord, as we have now overcome many of our past  Challenges,  may we continue to move, as we have this day, to new Discovery's for the future and for the good of humankind.

No one recorded this, and I am not sure with all the hoopla that anyone human,  but Dick Hauck the Discovery Commander took note.  He said, "That is a right on prayer Chaplain."  That made me think.  "What is a right on prayer?"  Well this was part of a short prayer. It was simple. It was simple and it was specific.  So I guess it was in line with how Jesus teaches us to pray.  But I also think it is a prayer that got answered. 

Check out the things accomplished by Discovery and decide for yourself.

1	01984-08-30August 30, 1984	STS-41-D	First Discovery mission: Launched two communications satellites, including LEASAT F2.	6 days, 00 hours, 56 minutes, 04 seconds
2	01984-11-08November 8, 1984	STS-51-A	Launched two and rescued two communications satellites including LEASAT F1.	7 days, 23 hours, 44 minutes, 56 seconds
3	01985-01-24January 24, 1985	STS-51-C	Launched DOD Magnum ELINT satellite.	3 days, 01 hours, 33 minutes, 23 seconds-
4	01985-04-12April 12, 1985	STS-51-D	Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F3.	6 days, 23 hours, 55 minutes, 23 seconds
5	01985-06-17June 17, 1985	STS-51-G	Launched two communications satellites, Sultan Salman al-Saud becomes first Saudi Arabian in space.	7 days, 01 hours, 38 minutes, 52 seconds
6	01985-08-27August 27, 1985	STS-51-I	Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F4. Recovered, repaired, and redeployed LEASAT F3.	7 days, 02 hours, 17 minutes, 42 seconds
7	01988-09-29September 29, 1988	STS-26	Return to flight after Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, launched TDRS.	4 days, 01 hours, 00 minutes, 11 seconds
8	01989-03-13March 13, 1989	STS-29	Launched TDRS.	4 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 52 seconds
9	01989-11-22November 22, 1989	STS-33	Launched DOD Magnum ELINT satellite.	5 days, 00 hours, 06 minutes, 49 seconds
10	01990-04-24April 24, 1990	STS-31	Launch of Hubble Space Telescope (HST).	5 days, 01 hours, 16 minutes, 06 seconds
11	01990-10-06October 6, 1990	STS-41	Launch of Ulysses.	4 days, 02 hours, 10 minutes, 04 seconds
12	01991-04-28April 28, 1991	STS-39	Launched DOD Air Force Program-675 (AFP-675) satellite.	8 days, 07 hours, 22 minutes, 23 seconds
13	01991-09-12September 12, 1991	STS-48	Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).	5 days, 08 hours, 27 minutes, 38 seconds
14	01992-01-22January 22, 1992	STS-42	International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1).	8 days, 01 hours, 14 minutes, 44 seconds
15	01992-12-02December 2, 1992	STS-53	Department of Defense payload.	7 days, 07 hours, 19 minutes, 47 seconds
16	01993-04-08April 8, 1993	STS-56	Atmospheric Laboratory (ATLAS-2).	9 days, 06 hours, 08 minutes, 24 seconds
17	01993-09-12September 12, 1993	STS-51	Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS).	9 days, 20 hours, 11 minutes, 11 seconds
18	01994-02-03February 3, 1994	STS-60	First Shuttle-Mir mission; Wake Shield Facility (WSF).	8 days, 07 hours, 09 minutes, 22 seconds
19	01994-09-09September 9, 1994	STS-64	LIDAR In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE).	10 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes, 57 seconds
20	01995-02-03February 3, 1995	STS-63	Rendezvous with Mir space station.	8 days, 06 hours, 29 minutes, 36 seconds
21	01995-07-13July 13, 1995	STS-70	7th Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS).	8 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 05 seconds
22	01997-02-11February 11, 1997	STS-82	Servicing Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (HSM-2).	9 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 09 seconds
23	01997-08-07August 7, 1997	STS-85	Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes (CRISTA).	11 days, 20 hours, 28 minutes, 07 seconds
24	01998-06-02June 2, 1998	STS-91	Final Shuttle/Mir Docking Mission.	9 days, 19 hours, 55 minutes, 01 seconds
25	01998-10-29October 29, 1998	STS-95	SPACEHAB, second flight of John Glenn, Pedro Duque becomes first Spaniard in space.	8 days, 21 hours, 44 minutes, 56 seconds
26	01999-05-27May 27, 1999	STS-96	Resupply mission for the International Space Station.	9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, 57 seconds
27	01999-12-19December 19, 1999	STS-103	Servicing Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (HSM-3A).	7 days, 23 hours, 11 minutes, 34 seconds
28	02000-10-11October 11, 2000	STS-92	International Space Station Assembly Flight (carried and assembled the Z1 truss); 100th Shuttle mission.	12 days, 21 hours, 43 minutes, 47 seconds
29	02001-03-08March 8, 2001	STS-102	International Space Station crew rotation flight (Expedition 1 and Expedition 2)	12 days, 19 hours, 51 minutes, 57 seconds
30	02001-08-10August 10, 2001	STS-105	International Space Station crew and supplies delivery (Expedition 2 and Expedition 3)	11 days 21 hours, 13 minutes, 52 seconds
31	02005-07-26July 26, 2005	STS-114	"Return To Flight" mission since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster; International Space Station (ISS) supplies delivery, new safety procedures testing and evaluation, Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Raffaello.	13 days, 21 hours, 33 minutes, 00 seconds
32	02006-07-04July 4, 2006	STS-121	Second "Return To Flight" mission since the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster; International Space Station (ISS) supplies delivery, test new safety and repair techniques.	12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes, 54 seconds
33	02006-12-09December 9, 2006	STS-116	ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the P5 truss segment); Last flight to launch on pad 39-B; First night launch since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.	12 days, 20 hours, 44 minutes, 16 seconds
34	02007-10-23October 23, 2007	STS-120	ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Harmony module).	15 days, 02 hours, 23 minutes, 55 seconds
35	02008-05-31May 31, 2008	STS-124	ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Kibō JEM PM module).	13 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes, 07 seconds
36	02009-03-15March 15, 2009	STS-119	International Space Station crew rotation and assembly of a fourth starboard truss segment (ITS S6) and a fourth set of solar arrays and batteries. Also replaced a failed unit for a system that converts urine to drinking water.	12 days, 19 hours, 29 minutes, 33 seconds
37	02009-08-28August 28, 2009	STS-128	International Space Station crew rotation and ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Also carried the C.O.L.B.E.R.T treadmill named after Stephen Colbert	13 days 20 hours, 54 minutes, 40 seconds
38	02010-04-05April 5, 2010	STS-131	ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The mission also marked the 1st time that 4 women were in space & the 1st time that 2 Japanese astronauts were together in space station[27]	15 days 2 hours, 47 minutes 11 seconds‡
39	02011-02-24February 24, 2011	STS-133	The mission launched at 4:53 pm EST on February 24, was carrying the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) Leonardo, the ELC-4 and Robonaut 2 to the ISS.[28] This was the final mission for the Space Shuttle Discovery.	12 days 19 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds

‡ Longest shuttle mission for Discovery
– shortest shuttle mission for Discovery

I guess this was a "Right On" Prayer after all Commander Hauck.  Right ON Indeed.

My prayer 2day for all the folks at

NASA

And

For

You...

Be Blessed 2day

Especially 2day.

SoJourner