Someone asked me what my favorite moment of working at NASA was, and it seemed like such an obvious question.

My favorite moment was that first one right after we launched the satellite, when we realized that our fear of the rapidly closing launch window would prove to be completely unfounded and the frenetic worry about failure dissipated into the night sky like the white rocket fade we had just set off.

Do you remember when the gravity of what we had just accomplished set in? How we could look where the rocket no longer was when we looked toward the place it had just been?

I may never be a part of something so big again, and I am grateful for the experience. If I can only do it once, once will have been enough.

It was the only moment I’ve ever been so proud that it felt more like a terminal diagnosis rather than a feeling. It was a triumph at a time when I really needed a triumph.

I’ll be here for a few more hours today and briefly tomorrow to drop off my keys. I do hope you’ll stop by my office to say goodbye; it’s been a pleasure working with you, old friends.

Until then, I’ll see you at the GOES-S launch.
-TK