In The Know: Stem cell therapy

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Philippine Daily Inquirer

Former President and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was suffering from a mineral deficiency in her bones arising from two corrective surgeries last September, wanted to seek alternative stem cell therapy abroad.

However, she was barred from leaving the country last November after Justice Secretary Leila de Lima refused to honor the temporary restraining order issued by the high court on the inclusion of Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Mike Arroyo in the immigration bureaus watch list.

In the wake of Arroyos supposed plan to try the radical technology at stem cell centers abroad to cure what her doctors here described as a rare bone disease, a province mate and a colleague of the former President filed a bill to put up a stem cell center in the country.

Pampanga Rep. Carmelo F. Lazatin, a member of the minority bloc in Congress, has filed House Bill No. 5287 mandating the establishment of a research facility to explore the benefits of stem cell technology as a potential cure for incurable diseases.

Blank cells

Stem cells, the foundation of every organ, tissue and cell within the human body, are like blank cells that do not yet have a specific physiological function, according to Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI).

But when proper conditions in the body or in the laboratory occur, stem cells develop into specialized tissues and organs, HSCI explains in its website, adding that there are two sources of stem cells used in research: the adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.

Adult stem cells are found in differentiated tissues and organs throughout the body while embryonic stem cells are obtained from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, the ball of cells formed when the fertilized egg or zygote divides and forms two cells, then again to form four and so on, HSCI said.

In 2008, the Vatican issued a sweeping document on bioethical issues titled Dignitas Personae or The Dignity of the Person, taking into account recent developments in biomedical technology and reinforcing the Churchs opposition to embryonic stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, human cloning and genetic testing on embryos before implantation.

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In The Know: Stem cell therapy

Indian books on spirituality a big draw

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Calcutta News.Net Saturday 12th May, 2012 (IANS)

Books on Indian spiritualism are in great demand in foreign countries, and even the Chinese are impressed, National Book Trust (NBT) director M.A. Sikander said Saturday.

'Books on spiritualism have become the USP (unique selling proposition) of Indian publishing houses. These books are selling like hot cakes in foreign countries,' he said here.

Sikander, here for a six-day book fair that began Saturday, said visitors evinced keen interest in spirituality at the recent Abu Dhabi book fair.

'Even the Chinese are finding linkages between Indian lifestyle and spiritualism. They are keen to know what makes the Indians happy beings.'

Sikander said France had shown interest in translating Hindi books into French. 'NBT will have special focus on France in the next international book fair in Delhi (in 2013).'

India is the third largest publisher of English books after Britain and the US.

'With sufficient manpower and good command over English, publishing houses across the world are outsourcing work to India,' he said.

He said the habit of reading had grown more in rural and semi-urban areas. 'There has been a 20 percent growth in the sale of NBT publications in the country in the past few years.'

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Waltham Voices: Spirituality and same-sex marriage

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This week, as same-sex marriage has been much in the news, Ive been considering the way that people of faith have, and havent, been part of the national conversation. I was, with many friends from the fine state of North Carolina, disappointed by the decision of the voters to amend their constitution with the discriminatory Amendment One prohibiting any relationships outside of heterosexual marriage from having any legal standing. Hours later, I was delighted by President Obamas declaration of support for same sex marriage, even more so thankful for the fact that he shared that his Christian faith was behind his change.

My Christian faith is the reason I support same sex marriage as well: not only because of the golden rule and not only because all people are equally children of God and deserve the same legal privileges. I support it for a bit more of a personal reason: because it enables me to do my job as a priest in the Church. Some people may say that the separation of church and state means that Christians cant practice their faith. In this case, it means that I can.

When I was ordained, I promised to love and serve the people among whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor. I promised to administer the sacraments, to teach, to preach. Those promises are made without qualification. There are no exceptions to the love of God.

I am in support of same-sex marriage because as a pastor, I believe it is my duty to bless and honor the relationships of all people who might come through the doors of my church seeking that blessing. I regret that the clergy of North Carolina do not have that ability as I do in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.

This past Sunday at my church, we heard the words of the first Epistle of John: Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (4:7). I recently had the honor of officiating at a burial of someone who died at age 84. A World War II veteran, at the burial the honor guard gave the flag to the man with whom he had shared his life for more than 50 years: On behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful nation, thank you for your sacrifice. Their sacrifice was not only in that he risked death on behalf of this country. Their sacrifice was not only decades of care and concern for each other. They offered another sacrifice: a partnership that was, for much of its duration, legally invisible. Fifty years before, as young men not much younger than I, would they have anticipated the power of that moment, one receiving the flag at the others graveside? I wonder.

In the ministry of Jesus Christ, the circle of inclusion is cast ever wider. This was not easy for the early church, those early disciples who sought to follow God in Christ. Did new believers have to convert to Judaism first? Did they have to follow the dietary laws? Did they have to be circumcised? Again and again, the barriers were lowered. Would my daughters transgender godfather have been included? Yes. Would my high school friend and her wife and son be included? Yes. Would someone who was unsure about what they believed be included? Yes. Would two 80-something vets be included? Yes, yes, yes.

So, President Obama, thank you. Thank you for taking the stand that supports my church in our work. I know that not everyone in our pews agrees with my stance. I know that not everyone in our state agrees with our law, and that not everyone will appreciate your evolution. But I also believe that the God who animates love can also animate respect, and journeying together, persons of all faiths and no faith, can continue to work for our more perfect union.

The Rev. Sara Irwin is the rector at Christ Church Episcopal in Waltham. Send feedback to Waltham@wickedlocal.com.

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Waltham Voices: Spirituality and same-sex marriage

Spirituality as Parody

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May 12, 2012|10:33 am

What's true of New York is true of large cities all around the country. The number of Americans practicing yoga quintupled between 2001 and 2011: from four to twenty million.

Yoga has become so commonplace that the "U.K. Telegraph" recently ran a story that, only a few years ago, would have only run in the satirical publication "The Onion." The link to the story read "How yoga with snakes cured my phobia." In it, a woman told readers about a "Kumara Serpent Healing Class," which she summed up as being "a bit like traditional yoga but . . . you get to handle real snakes at the end of the class."

As the "Weekly Standard" likes to say: "not a parody."

Between stories like this one and a recent "New York Times" article about the rising number of yoga-related emergency room visits, there's plenty of comic fodder in the West's love affair with Yoga.

But you know who isn't smiling: the Hindu American Foundation. A year or so ago, the group launched a "Take Yoga Back" campaign. Its leaders got tired of seeing advertisers and business use words like "yoga," "Vedic," and other Hindu words in yoga publications without any acknowledgement that they were, well, Hindu.

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One of the publications justified the omission by saying that the word "Hindu" has "a lot of baggage." The understandable reply was "Excuse me?"

It is isn't only Hindus: Many Buddhists are also fed up with the way their religion is being "dumbed down" and marketed as a lifestyle. They are especially annoyed at the way the word "Zen" has been transformed into an interior decorating concept.

While I sympathize with their complaints, it's not hard to understand why this is happening. First of all, contrary to what some noisy atheists would have you believe, America is not becoming a more "disbelieving" society, at least not as many define "disbelieving."

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Mitt Romney speaks to students about spirituality

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Mitt Romney tried to win over thousands of far-right voters who could sweep him into the White House by appealing directly to 6,000 graduates at Liberty University today in Lynchburg, Va.

The likely Republican presidential candidate a Mormon delivered a deeply spiritual, respectful commencement speech at the staunchly conservative school founded on Baptist values.

Culture what you believe, what you value, how you live matters, Romney said, according to the Washington Post. As fundamental as these principles are, they may become topics of democratic debate from time to time. So it is today with the enduring institution of marriage. Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman.

Romneys appearance at Liberty was a calculated move.

Until todays speech, he tried to keep his focus on the economy to avoid hot-button social issues that featured prominently in election campaigning this week.

More from GlobalPost: Romney attempts to shift focus back on economy

First, President Barack Obama came out in support of gay marriage.

Then, Romney had to deflect criticism he bullied a supposedly gay classmate in high school.

Furthermore, many students expressed dismay when the school announced his appearance.

According to Reuters, Liberty teaches that Mormonism is a cult and had to remove a Facebook page littered with hundreds of angry comments about Romney.

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Mitt Romney speaks to students about spirituality

All Saints Parish in Brookline presents annual Spirituality and Justice Award

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The 15th annual All Saints Parish Spirituality and Justice Award was presented to Bishop Roy F. Cederholm on Sunday, April 22, during the 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist. The award was presented to Cederholm, recent Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, in recognition of his leadership in environmental stewardship.

He was instrumental in establishing the Green Grants program of the diocese that provides start-up funds for congregations to conserve energy and lessen their carbon footprint. He was tireless in organizing the diocesan commitment to relief and development work in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and made numerous mission work trips to Mississippi and Louisiana. His example inspired parish and student groups to similar service. His 2006 holiday radio campaign appealing for volunteers and donations to help hurricane-affected families was recognized by the national Religion Communicators Council with a DeRose-Hinkhouse Award of Merit.

The Spirituality and Justice Award is given to persons whose notable commitment to justice for all of Gods people is grounded in a deep spiritual life. Nominees are persons from all faith traditions who have significantly contributed to the furtherance of justice and whose work has been informed by their own deep spirituality.

In past years the award was presented to Bishop Barbara C. Harris (1998); Bishop Simon E. Chiwanga (1999); Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE (2000); Bishop Steven Charleston (2001); Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu (2002); Dr. Yang Jianli and Christina Fu (2003); The Rev. Dr. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas (2004); Bishop V. Gene Robinson (2005); The Honorable Byron Rushing (2006); Peter Stringham, M.D. (2007); Paul Farmer, M.D. (2008); Marian Wright Edelman (2009); the Rev. Dr. Deborah Little Wyman (2010); and James Carroll (2011).

At a reception following the worship service, Cederholm and his wife, Ruth Ann, greeted the congregation. For the rectors sermon at the worship service honoring Cederholm, go to the parishs website, http://www.allsaintsbrookline.org.

All Saints Parish is at 1773 Beacon St. (at Dean Road) in Brookline.

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All Saints Parish in Brookline presents annual Spirituality and Justice Award

Dances with Dragons Climax DC-Area Creation Spirituality Gathering

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R/Evolutionary Theologian Matthew Fox (http://www.matthewfox.org) will keynote, teach at a July weekend of leading-edge spiritual experience, learning, growth and Cosmic Celebration, announce co-hosts Evolve Chesapeake (http://www.evolvechesapeake.com) and Creation Spirituality Communities (http://originalblessing.ning.com). ...

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Experience the Power of Divine Healing Hands in Life-Changing Workshops with Master Roger Givens

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Working at the Opening To Life Studio in Portland, Oregon, Master Roger teaches individuals to achieve balance in their lives, cleanse their karma, be of service to others, and lift the soul to a higher standing in heaven.Portland, OR (PRWEB) May 12, 2012 Open a path to harmony by learning life-transforming practices with Master Roger Givens, Worldwide Representative of Dr. and Master Zhi Gang ...

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Experience the Power of Divine Healing Hands in Life-Changing Workshops with Master Roger Givens

In Italy, a spiritual search for the essence of espresso

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For the espresso obsessed (like me), visiting Italy is like journeying to Mecca: Caffeine-loving crusaders seek answers by crossing time, language and cultural barriers to visit the drinks motherland. And although its not a sip from an Islamic holy well, this potent secular beverage does transport devotees to a higher plane if only until the jitters wear off.

Sacred spots are scattered across Italy: Each major city has its own coffee tradition, and limiting myself to one or two would feel as incomplete as sticking to decaf. As a barbecue fanatic must bounce not only between the Carolinas but also through Missouri, Tennessee and Texas for meaty enlightenment, I wont fulfill my pilgrimage simply by slugging a few espresso shots in Rome.

Italy coffee tour: Where to go and what to know

So I select stops that will give me the widest range of coffee and culture: Starting near the rippled canals of Venice, Ill move south to the piazzas of Florence to the bustling streets of Rome and finally to Napless craggy coastline, attempting to parse the cultural code of the cappuccino in its birthplace. Can overcaffeination lead to illumination? Im determined to find out, one ounce at a time.

Coffee and canals

Venices pin-drop silence at sunrise is interrupted only by singing gondoliers, and the mostly pensive calm that settles on the car-free city reminds me that Im on a fanatical quest. I try to imagine wandering these narrow alleyways 400 years ago, when coffee first arrived at the ports, along with spices from Arabia and Africa. Venices first cafe reportedly opened in the 17th century, although the details of where and when vary.

One of its most venerable, however, remains. Caffe Florian on the Piazza San Marco has been an ornate and extravagant shrine to espresso and liqueur-drenched desserts since 1720. Gold glints from every indoor surface and is reflected in the crema, the aromatic foam atop the coffee. This is my first sip of the trip, presented without fanfare, and I half expect it to be something of a life-changing revelation.

A revelation it is, though not exactly of the type Im seeking. The bitterness in this cup implies old beans carelessly brewed; a rubbery aftertaste betrays the robusta, or lower-grade commercial coffee, that infuses the otherwise light, bright espresso. (The latter disappointment proves to be recurring: Italian blends often feature robusta to boost the crema, unfortunately at the expense of flavor.) But the sheer nonchalance of the service, contrasted with the opulence of the setting, makes this feel like a secular tourists visit to the church of coffee.

If nothing else, I know that Im on the right track.

Thankfully, Venice redeems itself in a less ostentatious locale. Not far from the Jewish ghetto is cafe-cum-roastery Torrefazione Marchi. Snuggled among busy butcher shops and pizzerias, this warm little spot is perpetually crowded with neighbors and shopkeepers on the move, downing espresso and biscotti before grunting a quick farewell. A small roasting machine in the back room keeps the baristas in a steady supply of single-origin coffees and custom blends, such as the semi-secret Caffe della Sposa, a mix of beans from eight growing regions. The shot I order (a citrusy Colombian) is speckled with chestnut and mahogany browns, and its sharp fruitiness makes my mouth water. Three sips later and Im out the door in a flash like the Venetians around me, ready for the next espresso, the next cafe, the next stop on my quest.

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Songwriting workshop attracts all

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Some retreats involve hot stone therapy and beauty mud baths.

Others offer spiritual enlightenment or just peace and quiet.

Acclaimed Texas singer-songwriters Kevin Welch and Jimmie Dale Gilmore hold out a different promise - a chance to share (and grapple with) the elusive art of song with a makeshift family of about a dozen student songwriters under the expanse of the West Texas sky.

"Music Is a Family: A Songwriting Retreat" takes place May 17-20 at El Cosmico, Austin developer Liz Lambert's vintage trailer, safari tent and teepee hotel and campground on Texas 67 just outside Marfa.

"It's gonna be really cool out there," Welch said. "It's nice to get out in that atmosphere of creativity."

Both men have experience conducting songwriting workshops across the country.

But this is the first time that Welch, who lives in Wimberley, and special guest and Austin resident Gilmore have done one together and in Marfa.

Registration costs $1,250 per person and includes meals and accommodations. For more information, call 432-729-1950; online at http://www.elcosmico.com.

Welch, who holds songwriting workshops nearly monthly in Wimberley, calls the Marfa excursion "a grand experiment." The locale may be new, but he expects the mix of participants to be wide ranging.

"I've had people that are total beginners to seasoned, touring professionals come from Australia, England, Canada, all over the United States," he said. "I've had people as young as 14 and people in their 70s, just anybody who is interested in the whole process and kind of tweaking their awareness when they're writing, whatever kind of song they're wanting to write."

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Songwriting workshop attracts all

Vihangam Yoga Nigeria Conducting Free Spiritual and Meditation Workshop on Every Sunday

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Free Meditation and Spiritual WorkshopIlupeju Lagos, Nigeria (PRWEB) May 12, 2012 Vihangam Yoga Nigeria conducting free Spiritual and Meditation workshop on every Sunday. Vihangam Yoga- A way to Enlightenment & Ultimate Realization to God.Enlighten your Soul, attain Almighty with wonder of Vihangam Yoga practice of minimum 10 minutes each Morning, evening & enjoy eternal Peace, Happiness & Bliss ...

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Vihangam Yoga Nigeria Conducting Free Spiritual and Meditation Workshop on Every Sunday

EarthKAM Lets School Children Interact With The International Space Station

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May 11, 2012

Image Credit: NASA

EarthKAM, a camera onboard the International Space Station (ISS), used for remote Earth sensing and observations, also has another more popular use, giving school children the opportunity to interact with the high-flying (or orbiting) space lab.

The Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM) system has allowed thousands of students across the country to use the Internet to control a digital camera mounted on the space station, enabling them to photograph the Earth like they have never before, taking pictures of coastlines, mountains, cities and other geographical interests around the world.

This new video explains how EarthKAM works.

The system may offer students a powerful and innovative way to explore the planet from a unique perspective, but it is also an inspirational tool for the next generation of flight controllers for space programs allowing university and college students to take control of the camera as well.

EarthKAM is a payload by students, for students. They are in charge. This system provides a viewpoint that the astronauts haveits just awe-inspiring! said Brion Au, an investigation developer at NASAs Johnson Space Center.

So far, students have captured more than 40,000 photos of the Earth from the ISS, orbiting 225 miles above us. The EarthKAM team posted photographs online for the public and participating school classrooms around the world to view.

EarthKAM is the brainchild of Dr. Sally Ride, an ex-shuttle astronaut, and the first American woman to go into space, paving the way for other women to follow suit. The camera is located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF), one of the many research facilities aboard the ISS.

Source: RedOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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EarthKAM Lets School Children Interact With The International Space Station

SpaceX sets May 19 as date for space station mission

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Originally scheduled for May 7, the mission would be the first by a private company to send a rocket to the International Space Station.

SpaceX and NASA said today that May 19 is the new launch date for the first-ever attempt to send a private company's rocket to the International Space Station.

Intended as a demonstration flight, the mission is designed to give NASA and SpaceX information that will help them plan future missions to the space station. Weather scrapped the previous attempt at the launch, which had been scheduled for May 7.

Unless weather or other factors intervene, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will launch from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on May 19. On May 20, Dragon is expected to orbit the Earth on its way to the ISS. The next day, Dragon's flight systems and sensors will be put through a series of tests meant to demonstrate whether the spacecraft is capable of berthing with ISS. During those tests, Dragon will fly within a mile and a half of the ISS. On May 22, NASA will determine if Dragon can dock with the space station, and if so, the ISS' robotic arm will capture the spacecraft.

Assuming all of that goes well, Dragon will then unload its cargo, spending about two weeks at the space station before returning to terra firma with cargo being sent back to Earth.

The Dragon capsule will be the first commercial cargo ship cleared to fly to the ISS. This is a vital step forward for NASA, since in the wake of the end of the Space Shuttle program, the U.S. space agency no longer has the means to send its own spacecraft to the space station. NASA's long-range strategy is to rely on commercial spacecraft for space station missions. SpaceX and Orbital Sciences are two companies that have the contracts for such missions.

The Dragon capsule will have 1,150 pounds of noncritical equipment and supplies aboard when it launches.

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SpaceX sets May 19 as date for space station mission

The Space Station: Launching a whole new kind of museum!

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NOVATO, Calif., May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --When people think of museums, they often think of the California Academy of Sciences, or the new San Francisco Exploratorium with its huge price tag of approximately $220 million dollars.

A new type of museum opened last October in the San Francisco suburb of Novato: The Space Station offers a quality experience for local residents and tourists alike without the high construction costs and government subsidies required for the on-going operations of most museums.

President and Founder of the investment management firm, Winans Investments, and philanthropist Ken Winans has served as a trustee to several large, Smithsonian affiliated museums, and felt there had to be a more efficient and effective way to offer the public a quality museum experience during this time of fiscal austerity.

With an entrepreneurial spirit, Winans contacted the owners of an upscale shopping center in Novato's Ignacio neighborhood with a unique idea:

The W Foundation, founded in 2002 by Mr. Winans and his wife Debbie Wreyford, would set up and operate a small space exploration museum using rare items from their extensive collection of space artifacts in one of the strip mall's vacant retail space for $1 per month.

The neighborhood and local schools would gain a unique, educational venue free of charge, and the Pacheco Plaza Shopping Center will get increased traffic and new customers for its existing commercial tenants. When the retail space gets rented in the future, no problem, the museum can move to a different location - a nomadic space museum!

The Walter Kieckhefer Company agreed, and after a ribbon cutting ceremony last October with legendary astronauts Rick Searfoss, John Herrington and Dick Gordon in attendance, The Space Station museum opened to the public last November.

With an emphasis on space exploration, and how its discoveries in science and technology have benefited all of mankind, this museum was designed to be truly different:

First, Admission is free and 100% privately funded through donations from local businesses such as Winans Investments Capital Management & Research and Jeremy Forcier of First Cal Mortgage, in-kind support from local businesses such as The Walter Kieckhefer Company, and individual donations. Second, in order to keep costs contained, the museum is 100% volunteer staffed and is open three days a week or by appointment. Third, exhibits are changed four times a year by the volunteer staff to help encourage visitors to frequently return. And last, but not least, the public is given a unique, tactile experience as they are allowed to touch some of the space-flown artifacts.

The Space Station museum is a tremendous success! Since its opening six months ago, the museum has averaged 642 visitors per month while only being open three days per week. Total attendance from all Space Station events in the Pacheco Plaza Shopping Center over the past ten months has exceeded 4,952 visitors. This figure equals 10% of Novato's entire population! Visitors have come from all parts of the Bay Area and as far away Las Vegas, NV. Remarkably, marketing has been limited to word-of mouth, internet blogs and social networks.

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The Space Station: Launching a whole new kind of museum!

British Airways Offers Flight Deals to Paris This Summer

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NEW YORK, May 11, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- British Airways today announced a special four day sale for travel between New York and Paris this summer -- including nonstop flights in the new OpenSkies 'Eco' cabin.

The sale starts today and runs until midnight PT time on Monday, May 14, 2012. The $1098 fare is for travel from New York (JFK or Newark) to Paris (CDG or Orly) in BA World Traveller economy class or OpenSkies' new cabin, Eco.

Fares begin at $1098, including all taxes, fees and charges. The fare is valid for travel from May 22, 2012 to August 23, 2012.

Customers flying with British Airways in the World Traveller cabin will experience ergonomically designed seats with adjustable headrests and footrests. They will also enjoy an audio and video on demand (AVOD) system which offers over 200 entertainment choices, including 100 films and TV programs.

From June 19, OpenSkies, a wholly owned subsidiary by British Airways, will have seats in its completely new Eco economy class available for booking. The Eco cabin features 11 rows of leather seats in a 3X3 configuration to guarantee service intimacy. Customers will also receive individual digital tablets loaded with more than 70 hours of entertainment including movies, TV and games.

As well as the flight savings, customers can also pick up great package deals by booking hotels or car hire through ba.com, creating an extra special holiday in Paris.

Visit ba.com/nyc-paris to book.

The British Airways logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1862

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British Airways Offers Flight Deals to Paris This Summer

Endeavour Unplugged – Last Picture Show from the Flight Deck of a Living Space Shuttle Orbiter

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Last Power-Up of the Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour in May 2012 The flight deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour was powered up for the final time in early May 2012 to complete decommissioning activities for museum display. Endeavour was powered down on May 11, 2012 and all power to the flight deck was terminated for the last time in history. Credit: Ken Kremer

At 9:58 a.m. this morning (Friday May 11), technicians unplugged Space Shuttle Endeavour marking the final power down of NASAs last powered orbiter and termination of all power flowing to the flight deck. Today, Endeavour was euthanized. The flight deck went dark for the last time as Endeavour is being prepped inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) for final departure from the Kennedy Space Center later this year and display at her final resting place in Los Angeles.

As Endeavour was powered back up this past week for one final time to carry out decommissioning and safing activities, a tiny media group was invited to crawl inside and photographically record the flight deck as a living spaceship for the last time in history. Ken Kremer and Mike Deep were honored to receive a NASA invitation and to represent Universe Today and we share our photos of Endeavours last flight deck power-up here.

Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour Powered up for the final time. Credit: Mike Deep

For me, standing on the astronauts flight deck was like being transported to the bridge of the Starship Enterprise but this was real, not science fiction. I was at last standing on the Starship Endeavour and this was the closest I ever felt to being in space. The only thing better is being in orbit.

The blue display screens used by the Shuttle Commander and Pilot were real, lit and vividly moving before my eyes, dials were active and shining and multitudes of critical gauges lined the cabin all over from front to back, left to right , top to bottom.

Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour Powered up for the final time. Shuttle Commander seat at left, Shuttle Pilot seat at right. Credit: Ken Kremer

Endeavour was the youngest in NASAs fleet of three surviving orbiters and designated as vehicle OV-105. She flew 25 missions over a spaceflight career that spanned 19 years from the inaugural flight in 1992 to the final flight in 2011 to deliver the dark matter hunting Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space Station (ISS). Altogether, Endeavour spent 299 days in space, orbited the Earth 4671 times and traveled over 197 million kilometers (123 million mi).

Endeavours power termination on May 11, 2012 comes almost exactly one year since her final launch on the 16 day long STS-134 mission on May 16, 2011. Since then technicians have been removing hazardous materials and propellants from the orbiters hydraulic and fuel lines and thoroughly cleansing Endeavour to make it safe for museum display to the general public. The power must be on to drain and purge the toxic materials.

Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Pilot seat. Credit: Mike Deep

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Endeavour Unplugged – Last Picture Show from the Flight Deck of a Living Space Shuttle Orbiter