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Exploration

That's Many Small Steps For Scott

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
May 16, 2008

Astronaut Scott Parazynski: Many Small Steps to the Summit of Mt. Everest

“For Scott, the plan is to get to the summit, take some photos, and then head back down. Too much dawdling can be life threatening. Low on oxygen, sapped of strength, he will have only moments to savor the experience.

I first met Scott darn near 20 years ago when I was working at NASA Life Sciences and he was about to graduate from medical school. I have to tell you, NASA could have no better representative in this place – at this time – than Scott.

Although, in the important moments, this climb is a test of one’s personal physical skill and endurance, knowing Scott as I do, when he stands atop Everest he will be standing there for all of the comrades lost in the exploration of space. You can see it by the patches he has on his summit jacket and the banners he will leave behind.

He’ll be thinking of his family and all of the events that somehow led to his presence in this most improbable place.

And he will also be standing there thinking about every person at NASA – and elsewhere – who pursues this passion for exploration of space – no matter how or why they do so.

We’ll all stand atop Everest with Scott. Dig it.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.