It was an emotional good-bye as the shuttle Discovery prepares to undock:

“CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Still on “a major high” from their successful solar wing repair, the 10 astronauts aboard the linked shuttle Discovery and international space station cried as they hugged goodbye Sunday and closed the door between them.”

link: Teary farewell for shuttle, station astronauts

One wonders if there was an openness of emotions and the expressions of those feelings because there were two women in command. Both the shuttle commander, Pamela Melroy, and the space station commander, Peggy Whitson, were moved by this part of the mission. The people seem to work and to live well with each other. Colonel Melroy stated it simply and eloquently: “We’re family now”. - I, for one, would like to think that is, in part, a credit to the two commanders, leaders who set the tone.

Catherine Forsythe

Tags: discovery, nasa, undocking, pamela melroy, peggy whitson, leadership, space station