VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — One of the seven astronauts who blasted off on space shuttle Discovery Monday is a former high school science teacher from Vancouver, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger.
It was a question about how astronauts go to the bathroom in space from one of her students at Hudson’s Bay High School that sent the teacher to NASA’s Web site where she saw the notice for educator-astronauts. Metcalf-Lindenburger was accepted into the program in 2004. This is her first flight.
On the International Space Station she’ll be responsible for operating a robotic arm to help other astronauts during space walks.
A Northwest neighbor on board the shuttle is pilot Air Force Col. James Dutton of Eugene, Ore., a University of Washington graduate.
