Friendswood takes pride in having 3 residents at once in space

NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan, left, is one of three Friendswood residents traveling in the International Space Station. Another is Luca Parmitano from Italy, right, a member of the European Space Agency who has been living in Friendswood while training at Johnson Space Center. The third city resident, not shown, is Nick Hague, was already on the space station when Morgan, Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, center, traveled in a spacecraft to the ISS on July 20. less NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan, left, is one of three Friendswood residents traveling in the International Space Station. Another is Luca Parmitano from Italy, right, a member of the European Space Agency who has ... more Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, Contributor / AFP/Getty Images Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, Contributor / AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Friendswood takes pride in having 3 residents at once in space 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Just as the nation was observing the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 on July 20, another crew was headed toward the International Space Station to create an outer-space event that will be remembered as a highlight in Friendswood history.

At approximately 12:28 p.m. that day, Friendswood astronaut Andrew Morgan, as well as Luca Parmitano , a member of the European Space Agency who has been living in the city while training at Johnson Space Center, joined Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, in a space flight launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

On the space station waiting for them to arrive was a third Friendswood resident, Nick Hague, who came to the ISS in March.

Like everyone else, Friendswood Mayor Mike Foreman was reflecting back on the 1969 lunar landing, but he was also celebrating his city’s current contribution to space exploration.

And as a former astronaut, you could say Foreman has been there and back and knows what it means to have support from neighbors. It’s also important, he said, that the community understands its role.

“We sometimes forget the sacrifices that the families of astronauts make,” he said. “Since Friendswood is such a family oriented community, we have a history of recognizing that and being ready to support the families of those who are involved in space missions. I know, firsthand, what it meant to me and my family.”

Hague, Morgan, Parmitano and Skvortsov are part of the multinational crew of Expedition 60, which includes Christina Koch and expedition commander, Alexey Ovchinin, who arrived earlier in the year.

Before becoming mayor, Foreman, who is also a former U.S. Navy pilot, was a member of the crew during the STS-123 mission that delivered the Japanese Experiment Module and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator to the space station.

The current mission, Expedition 60, Foreman said, is a continuation of President John F. Kennedy’s original vow.

“It underscores themes that we can all be proud of. First, the amazing response by the nation and specifically the space exploration industry to President Kennedy’s ‘We choose to go to the moon’ challenge at Rice University in 1962, and the accomplishment of that goal by Apollo 11 in 1969,” he said.

The multinational crew will spend an accumulated six months at the ISS, conducting approximately 250 experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, human science and technological developments, including how make it possible for humans and robots to endure extended stays to further explore Mars and the moon.

Clifton Duncan, 50, who works the front desk at the Friendswood Public Library, knows how important NASA is to residents, many of whom thanked the library for hosting recent presentations keyed to space exploration and that first lunar landing.

Duncan feels a close connection to NASA, having served in the late 1990s as a tour guide manager for the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, a nonprofit company that runs the visitor center at Space Center Houston.

“It makes me feel proud,” Duncan said of the three city residents traveling together in space. “I think it is a testament to this town and the people who come to live here.”

One of those was his father, a technical illustrator who worked in the space program in the 1970s and was the artist who hand-painted the American flag on the large shuttle orbiter mockup in Building 9 at Johnson Space Center.

Bob Mitchell, president of Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, has an extensive history working with NASA and the aerospace/aviation industry, sees Expedition 60 as playing an important role.

“Each expedition is unique and advances technology and innovation due to the experiments worked on the ISS,” he said. “During Expedition 60, researchers will 3D-print organ-like tissues, which has been very difficult to achieve on Earth. This, alone, is so important to our future, long-term, deep space exploration while it also advances health care for us all.”

From the ground, Foreman still watches with a sense of wonder at the impact of space exploration.

“It also shows that we are still exploring,” Foreman said. “The International Space Station continues to be a laboratory for learning about many things, including how our bodies adapt to the microgravity environment in Earth orbit, the behavior of other living things in space, such as plants and animals, and the ability to sustain life off the planet for many years, and it is preparing us for future travels. NASA’s plan to go back to the moon and beyond depends on many of the things we have learned over the last 50-plus years and are now learning on the ISS.”

Foreman, originally from Columbus, Ohio, was elected mayor of Friendswood in 2018. He admits he would like to “un-retire and be in orbit with them,” but as he watches from the sidelines, he is still active in spirit.

“I still get excited for the men and women who fly and the supporting team,” he said.

At a time when much space exploration occurs without national fanfare, Foreman said, “Having three Friendswood residents in orbit simultaneously gives us an opportunity to transcend our earthly schedules and marvel at their dedication to exploration. I like to encourage people to ‘dream big.’” These three Friendswood residents, and the thousands of women and men all over the world who are supporting these space missions have dreamed big and reached a special level of achievement. That so many of them are our neighbors is a source of great pride, but also motivation to continue to dream big.”

Back at home in Friendswood, it’s a reminder of what it means to be a community.

“In our churches, on youth sports teams, in our classrooms in Friendswood, our families interact with these families,” he said. “We recognize and honor the key role that family members play in the lives of our current explorers. It is our hope that we can support them in the best way possible.”

Hague is scheduled to return to earth in October while Morgan, Parmitano and Skvortsov are scheduled to return in February 2020.

Greg May contributed to this article.

yorozco@hcnonline.com