CSU astronaut alum will command mission leaving for space station April 23 – Colorado State University

Team chemistry

Lindgren said the group has had several opportunities to bond, including sea kayaking off the coast of Washington state.

That team spirit, crew cohesion, is one of those things you cant really train for, he said, adding that its exciting to serve on a team that inspires the next generation and shows what is possible when we work together in an international partnership.

Lindgren said the mission patch, which is worn on the shoulder of their uniforms and features a dragonfly, was designed by his daughter.

We wanted to reconnect with the earth with our patch, he explained. The dragonfly is a beautiful and agile flyer, and in many cultures is a sign of good fortune.

Lindgren said blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center for the first time, where his friends and family can attend the launch, is especially meaningful to him since his last launch was from Kazakhstan.

Space travel feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so to be able to do it a second time seems surreal, he said, adding that his pre-flight traditions include launching model rockets on the beach with his family.

While Lindgren said there wont be bagpipe playing this time around, there may be other surprises in store.

What an amazing time to be part of NASA, he concluded. I feel like we won the lottery. We have programs that are figuring out how to get our astronauts to the moon, with Mars in our sights. There used to always be a running joke that Mars is 30 years away, and I have felt that horizon shrink.

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CSU astronaut alum will command mission leaving for space station April 23 - Colorado State University