THE GREATEST THINGS WE ACCOMPLISH
AS HUMAN BEINGS,
WE DO AS TEAMS.
MY NAME IS STEVE BOWEN,
I AM THE SPACECRAFT
COMMANDER OF NASA'S SPACEX
CREW-6 MISSION
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I WAS BORN IN COHASSET, MASSACHUSETTS.
IT'S A SMALL TOWN ON THE COAST
JUST SOUTH OF BOSTON.
I HAD FIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I WAS THE FIFTH OF SIX,
AND IT WAS
REALLY SORT OF AN IDYLLIC CHILDHOOD.
WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO CHOOSE,
YOU KNOW, WHERE- APPLYING FOR COLLEGES.
I HAD GOOD ENOUGH GRADES
AND I GOT AN APPOINTMENT TO THE U.S.
NAVAL ACADEMY.
SO I STUDIED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.
I'D DONE A SUMMER CRUISE.
AND THE REASON I ENDED UP DOING
THE SUMMER CRUISE ON SUBMARINES
WAS BECAUSE THE IDEAS INTERESTED ME.
THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF
RUNNING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT UNDERWATER
AND OPERATING AT SEA.
AND SO AFTER GRADUATION,
I SPENT 14 YEARS IN THE SUBMARINE FORCE
BEFORE I APPLIED TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT.
I NEVER HAD,
YOU KNOW,
GRAND PLANS OF GROWING UP
AND BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT,
BUT I NEVER DID ANYTHING
TO PRECLUDE THAT EITHER, BASED ON
WHAT I
HOW I MANAGED TO GET HERE
AND IT WAS JUST CURIOSITY AND
ENTHUSIASM.
“ROGER ROLL, ATLANTIS”
I REMEMBER ON STS-132, I THINK IT WAS ON
MY FIRST SPACEWALK ON THAT MISSION.
AND THERE I WAS OVERLOOKING
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, AS WE’RE CIRCLING THE EARTH,
THE WHOLE WORLD SPREAD OUT BELOW ME.
AND ALL I COULD THINK OF IS
“WHAT KIND OF CIVILIZATION IS THIS?”
YOU KNOW,
I GREW UP CARRYING BUCKETS OF CEMENT,
AND HERE I AM ON
TOP OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, CIRCLING
THE EARTH
AS WE'RE DOING RESEARCH,
YOU KNOW, REALLY TO MAKE THE WORLD
A BETTER PLACE.
AND WE'RE DOING IT AS A TEAM.
WE'RE DOING IT AS AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS EYE OPENING.
I MEAN, IT'S
NOT SOMETHING I DIDN'T
NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND,
BUT IT REALLY BECOMES OBVIOUS
IN A MOMENT LIKE THAT.
AND THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TO ME.
I VIEW MYSELF REALLY AS A ROOKIE
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS THERE
BASICALLY AS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER.
THIS TIME OF ACTUALLY
GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE
AND TO BE A PART OF THE SCIENCE
AND BE A PART
OF THE ISS OPERATIONS.
THAT'S ALL NEW TO ME,
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO BEING A PART OF ALL OF THAT.
AND HOPEFULLY
MY BIT OF SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE
THAT I BROUGHT ALONG WITH ME,
I CAN HELP EVERYBODY ELSE SETTLE IN
AND STEP INTO THESE OPERATIONS.
I HAVE THE MOST AMAZING CREW.
I'LL SAY THIS
FOR ALL THREE OF MY CREW MEMBERS,
BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
ALL PRETTY AMAZING INDIVIDUALS.
THEY EACH HAVE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES
THAT ADD SO MUCH TO THE CREW.
THAT ABILITY TO FUNCTION
AS A GROUP IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
AND WHEN YOU ACCOMPLISH
SOMETHING AS A TEAM,
THERE IS NO GREATER FEELING.