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Posted: Monday, 06 July 2009 1:33AM
Part I: A Philadelphia Boy's Dream Come True
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by KYW's Michelle Durham
On the night of July 20th, 1969, the Ferguson family of Northeast Philadelphia was up late to witness an historic event -- the first humans walking on the surface of the moon.
And little did they know, watching the Apollo 11 mission unfold, that the seven-year-old parked in front of their black-and-white TV set would one day become an astronaut, too.
Chris Ferguson was that boy, and he remembers:
"There was no doubt in my mind, even at the ripe old age of seven, that something significant had just taken place. I do remember for all the Apollo missions that followed I would draw all of these little rockets. You know, it was obvious I was hooked. I don't know if I ever got unhooked, because I'm here!"
 Here is Mission Control, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where as an astronaut with two spaceflights already on his résumé, Chris continues to train for future missions.
But the former Navy pilot says it's his Philadelphia roots that keep him grounded:
"I grew up listening to the Phillies on AM radio. My Dad took me to the Eagles games on Sundays."
How does he balance his family life with his rocket-fueled career?
"It's tough on the families. My wife has put up with a lot -- she's patient."
Ferguson has been patient, too. NASA didn't accept him the first time he applied for the astronaut program, but he didn't give up.
In this video installment of "Inside NASA," astronaut Chris Ferguson takes KYW's Michelle Durham through the space shuttle training facility -- from the flight deck to the "space potty" !
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