My First Trip to Moscow

My first trip to Moscow was in February 1995. I went there with four other people from Ames Research Center to prepare the flight hardware to be used in the first joint U.S./Russian Incubator II experiment. The hardware was to be launched aboard a Russian Progress launch vehicle, where it would be transported to the Russian space station Mir, and returned aboard the shuttle Atlantis (Space Transportation System-71), after the first shuttle/Mir docking.

There was snow on the ground when we arrived, but according to Muscovites, it had been a warm winter. One thing that surprised me was that the people were actually very friendly, helpful and extremely generous. I had been told to expect serious and reserved people, but this was not the case at all.

When we weren't working at the Institute for Biomedical Problems, we were able to visit places such as Red Square, the Kremlin and the centuries old monastery at Zgorsk. It was easy to get around because of Moscow's excellent Metro system. This underground subway can take you just about anywhere in the city.

Since my first trip, I've been back to Moscow two more times and hope to go again before the year is over. I really enjoy working with the Russian scientists and look forward to seeing more of the beautiful Russian country.