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12:34am EST, 11/22/09

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A KYW Special Report

In this special series marking the 40th anniversary of Man's first tentative steps on the moon, KYW's Michelle Durham takes part in NASA astronaut training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Tex.

Join Michelle as she learns the finer points of how to land the space shuttle, how to dock with a space station -- even how to use the zero-gravity toilet!

And along the way she meets some Delaware Valley natives who now hold positions of prominence in the US space program.

(Top graphic by KYW's Ian Bush)

Part I: A Philadelphia Boy's Dream Come True

Chris Ferguson is a Northeast Philadelphia native who got hooked on space travel as a small boy, during the Apollo moon landing in 1969. Now, he's an astronaut himself and a space shuttle commander.

Part II: The Flight Director's Job

When astronauts are in flight, Mission Control in Houston is their lifeline. Remember Apollo 13? The flight director runs Mission Control.

Part III: A South Jersey Native With Lots of NASA ''Toys''

Sean Melody now lives miles away from South Jersey. He is now deputy chief of NASA's Space Vehicle Mock-Up Facility.

Part IV: From South Philly Auto Mechanic to NASA

Lou Carfagno's professional odyssey led him from South Philadelphia to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Now, he is one of the managers in charge of the tools that the astronauts take into space.

Part V: NASA's Virtual Reality Lab

Astronauts have to master the art of working in a zero-gravity environment, where just about everything you're familiar with is... different. NASA's Virtual Reality Lab helps them train for spacewalks.

Part VI: Flying the Space Shuttle

Astronaut Chris Ferguson, a Northeast Philadelphia native, invited me into the space shuttle simulator along with his team at the Johnson Space Center. I got to try my hand at a landing.

Part VII: Quite a Bit Harder Than Parallel Parking

Once NASA astronauts get the shuttle successfully into orbit, their next challenge often is to dock it successfully to the International Space Station.

Part VIII: The Neutral Buoyancy Lab

Astronauts have to understand how to work in zero-gravity conditions. They train underwater -- in one of the largest indoor pools in the world.

Part IX: Day-to-Day Life in Outer Space

What is daily life in space like? Especially the, uh...necessary things like eating, sleeping, and going to the bathroom?

Part X: Becoming One With the Robotics

Use of the robotic arm is a crucial skill for astronauts to learn, whether for removing a payload from the shuttle's storage area or taking a telescope out of orbit.

''Inside NASA'' -- main page

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Hear the Podcasts:

Inside NASA #1
In this report, KYW's Michelle Durham introduces us to a homegrown astronaut inspired by events that took place 40 years ago this month.

Inside NASA #2
When astronauts are in flight Mission Control in Houston is their lifeline. KYW's Michelle Durham paid a visit to the control room.

Inside NASA #3
KYW's Michelle Durham speaks to a South Jersey native who helps astronauts get ready for the weightless conditions they will experience in space.

Inside NASA #4
KYW's Michelle Durham introduces us to a man who's professional odyssey led him from South Philadelphia to Mission Control in Houston.

Inside NASA #5
One of the skills every astronaut masters is the art of space walking! KYW's Michelle Durham introduces us to NASA's Virtual Reality Lab where they are trained.

Inside NASA #6
There's a lot to learn during astronaut training, and with the help of a Philly native, KYW's Michelle Durham takes the controls of NASA's Shuttle Simulator.

Inside NASA #7
Once NASA astronauts get the shuttle successfully in orbit their next challenge is to dock it successfully to the International Space Station. KYW's Michelle Durham was taught how to do it.

Inside NASA#8
As KYW's Michelle Durham reports, training in Zero gravity conditions is a tall order on earth but NASA's "Neutral Boyancy Lab" gives astronauts the experience they need to work in space.

Inside NASA#9
What is life in space like? Astronaut and Philly native Chris Ferguson gives a FULL explanation to KYW's Michelle Durham during a tour of NASA's crew compartment simulator.

Inside NASA#10
Use of the robotic arm is a crucial skill for astronauts to learn whether its removing payload from the shuttle's storage area or taking a telescope out of orbit. KYW's Michelle Durham takes a crash course.

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