Have you ever been so ecstatically happy about something that you just couldn’t contain your excitement? I sure have. And on that occasion, the legendary comic and actor, Robin Williams, helped me express my joy.

The year was 1988, and the source of my glee was the impending launch of the space shuttle mission STS-26. The seventh flight of the orbiter Discovery was an event that would mark the end of two of the darkest and hardest years for every astronaut and their families.

In this episode, I share how Robin Williams helped me create a clever wake-up call for the Discovery crew. You’ll learn about the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and why the STS-26 mission is considered a “Return to Flight” mission. I reveal what a NASA CapCom does and why it’s one of the most fun jobs ever. You’ll also hear me discuss how I tapped my network to work with Robin Williams, recordings of the wake-up call for Discovery, and the aftermath of the event.

“After two and a half painful years, American astronauts would finally be in orbit again. I knew how I’d feel when they launched, and was sure that people in the US would feel the same. What tune would convey that feeling?” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

• The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986
• What it took to enable the “Return to Flight” STS-26 mission
• My direct role in the STS-26 mission
• What a CapCom is and what makes it a fun job
• Planning clever ways to wake up the Discovery crew
• How I tapped my network to reach Robin Williams and Mike Cahill
• Recordings of Robin Williams’ wake-up call for the Discovery crew
• How the music industry and Willie Nelson caught wind of the Robin Williams wake-up call

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Having a real crew raised peoples’ hopes and put human faces on that still distant goal of getting back to space.” - Kathy Sullivan
• “Being a CapCom is a fun job. You’re so tightly connected to the crew and the mission events that you’re essentially living the mission with them—well, minus the view and zero gravity, of course.” - Kathy Sullivan

Resources Mentioned:

• YouTube: Robin Williams STS-26 “Good Morning Discovery” wake-up call

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website atkathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

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