The training kicked in and we quickly went through our emergency procedures, I took manual control and I got the spacecraft under control and stopped about 50 meters from the space station. So, the net effect of the failure was that we were actually turning and speeding up towards the space station when we should have been slowing down, so it was quite a dangerous situation. But we got manual control, performed the first manual docking to the station at night. The training pays off. It was just automatic. We had our books out already, we went right to the right procedures and executed them.
Space is very unforgiving business - Leroy Chiao
Space is very unforgiving business
- Leroy Chiao
I had done everything I could do as an astronaut, and we have a long line of inexperienced astronauts waiting for their first missions, and so my rol… - Leroy Chiao
I had done everything I could do as an astronaut, and we have a long line of inexperienced astronauts waiting for their first missions, and so my rol…
Qian Xuesen, the father of the Chinese Space Program, studied in the United States, and he was a protégé of Theodore Von Carmen's at Cal Tech and hel… - Leroy Chiao
Qian Xuesen, the father of the Chinese Space Program, studied in the United States, and he was a protégé of Theodore Von Carmen's at Cal Tech and hel…
One of my challenges was to try to photograph the Great Wall of China. And I did actually take some photos, but it was hard to discern the wall with … - Leroy Chiao
One of my challenges was to try to photograph the Great Wall of China. And I did actually take some photos, but it was hard to discern the wall with …
I remember getting advice like, "Oh, do what interests you. Don't worry about tomorrow, live for today," kind of thing. And to a degree, you've got t… - Leroy Chiao
I remember getting advice like, "Oh, do what interests you. Don't worry about tomorrow, live for today," kind of thing. And to a degree, you've got t…
Tinkering is something we need to know how to do in order to keep something like the space station running. I am a tinkerer by nature. - Leroy Chiao
Tinkering is something we need to know how to do in order to keep something like the space station running. I am a tinkerer by nature.
I think it's good to have competition. Now we have a third country that can launch astronauts, so it's good for all of us. It makes us a little bit m… - Leroy Chiao
I think it's good to have competition. Now we have a third country that can launch astronauts, so it's good for all of us. It makes us a little bit m…
There is no one area of chemical engineering that specifically helped me in my career as an astronaut, it was more the general education in engineeri… - Leroy Chiao
There is no one area of chemical engineering that specifically helped me in my career as an astronaut, it was more the general education in engineeri…
As commander I was responsible for the overall success of the mission, and so I had to know at least a little bit about everything. - Leroy Chiao
As commander I was responsible for the overall success of the mission, and so I had to know at least a little bit about everything.
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