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End of an Era: Sheppard pilot celebrates space milestone

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lieutenant Sara Harper
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Forty-two years to the day after Neil Armstrong took his "one small step" and became the first person to walk on the moon, the family of a Sheppard T-38 instructor pilot is celebrating its own space milestone.

Retired Col. Michael Fossum, the father of 1st Lt. Mitchell Fossum of the 90th Flying Training Squadron, is currently 220 miles about the earth's surface serving a six-month tour of duty aboard the International Space Station. The international team is made up of two Americans, three Russians and one Japanese spaceflyer.

Watching his father lift in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from Kazakhstan was exciting, but Lieutenant Fossum said his family is also aware of the present dangers and put their faith in a higher power.

"My family and I understand the fundamental risks involved and we understand the measures in place to mitigate that risk. We had to make a decision of if the goals and the mission were worth the risk, and as a family we have decided they are" said Fossum. "We try not to worry and are along to enjoy the ride."

Even though Lieutenant Fossum's father is literally out of this world, communication has not been difficult.

"We communicate through weekly emails and every once and a while I'll get an unknown number calling from the mission control center in Houston... I always try to answer that one," said Fossum.

As a T-38 instructor pilot, Lieutenant Fossum enjoys talking with his father about the T-38 since NASA's astronauts all have to stay current on the T-38.

"We enjoy lots of cross talk, and it's cool to talk about the same jet," said Fossum."Some of the changes on the NASA T-38 have been reflected in the Air Force including an engine modification adopted within the last few years."

Colonel Fossum started his career in the Air Force as a Flight Test Engineer. He resigned from active duty in 1992 but still served and began work at NASA in 1993. He recently retired from the Air Force Reserve. This is his third time in space and he just conducted the last space walk in the space shuttle era.