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323150855
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Space Shuttle Columbia Phone Conversation 1/18/90 [OA 4390]
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323150855
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Space Shuttle Columbia Phone Conversation 1/18/90 [OA 4390]
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13516-008
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Draft Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S; 1999-0093-F
2011-2184-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13516
Folder ID Number:
13516-008
Folder Title:
Space Shuttle Columbia Phone Conversation 1/18/90 [OA 4390]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
16
4
4
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 18, 1990
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH
ASTRONAUTS ABOARD THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA
The Oval Office
7:39 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Fred, can you hear me? Dan? Are
we talking to space?
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Yes, sir, Mr. President. Welcome
about Columbia. We hear you very clearly.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Dan, is that you? The Captain, the
boss of that outfit?
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Well, that's what they say, but
everybody contributes a lot and I just kind of stay out of the way so
they can get their jobs done.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, I just was calling you to
congratulate you. Dan Quayle is sitting here next to me in the Oval
Office and, as you know, he's taken a very active role in this Space
Council. But what I'm calling to do is to congratulate you and the
crew -- after all those summersaults -- for doing a superb job up
there on this mission. And we followed the LDEF and the very
exciting grab, and I just wanted to hear first hand how it was going.
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Well, Mr. President, I think
it's going very well. We've pretty much concluded most of the major
objectives of this mission and, obviously, the retrieval of the LDEF
was one of the highlights and we're very happy we have it back
onboard. We believe it's a real treasure that's going to help very
much in designing future space satellites and shuttles and space
stations.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that's wonderful. And how
do all the new guys behave: Jim, Marsha and David? Can they talk, or
are you doing the speaking for this crowd?
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: I want to give them all a
chance. In fact, we'll let G. David tell you how it is to be a new
guy.
THE PRESIDENT: All right, fire away, Dave.
DAVID LOW: Well, Mr. President, it's a pleasure to be up
here. I've enjoyed this flight very much. We've enjoyed a lot of
success with a lot of help from all the folks on the ground. It's a
real pleasure to be up here to contribute to our space program.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm delighted. How's Marsha doing?
Is she near a mic there?
MARSHA IVINS: Yes, sir, I have a mic. I think, we new
guys are really excited. We've waited a long time for this and it's
sort of a dream come true. The world looking -- looking at it from
up here is incredible.
MORE
- 2 -
THE PRESIDENT: I don't want to date your Commander --
the Captain there, Dan, but I dinner over at the White House two
nights ago with Dick Truly who tells me that -- reminded me, that
they had flown together sometime back. Dan, sorry about that.
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: That's true. And in fact, I've
been taking my share of hits this mission. I just had a birthday
yesterday and I've been taking a lot of grief.
THE PRESIDENT: All right. Well, listen Is Bonnie
there? Who else have we not -- I'd like to say hello to everybody.
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Certainly. We'll let Jim
Wetherbee tell you. He's the other new guy, and we'll let him tell
you what he thought of it, and then we'll turn you over to Bonnie.
JIM WETHERBEE: I'm proud to be here. It's a pleasure
being part of this program. I'm happy to be part of watching Dan
recover that satellite. He's about the best in the world at grabbing
satellites at Mach 25.
THE PRESIDENT: Unbelievable. Well, I'm glad to see a
Navy pilot -- Could you use a 65-year old Navy pilot up there?
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Navy pilots don't get that old.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yeah? I'm one. (Laughter.) Hey,
listen -- There seems to be a long pause.
BONNIE DUNBAR: Well, I'm delighted to be here, Mr.
President and feel fortunate to do it again. But I know that it
takes a lot of work on the part of many, many people. And I want to
thank all the people at Johnson's Space Center and NASA, in general,
for making this possible. It's been an incredible mission.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know, that's one thing that
does come through. There you all are working, and people following
very keenly what you're doing. But I think one thing the American
people do see as a result of a highly-complex mission like this is
this enormously effective teamwork. And I must say, I'd like to join
you in saluting everybody involved. And I wish you well as you wrap
it up now and come on back. But we're proud of you and I look
forward to seeing you at the White House, as does the Vice President,
when you can get around to getting up here after you get back.
So, well done. We're proud of you and we will follow the
rest of the mission as we have the beginning with great interest.
And, Dan, to you and your wonderful crew, congratulations.
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Well, thank you very much for
taking the time and speak with us this morning, Mr. President. And
we're proud to have had the opportunity to represent our country and
to conduct this mission and along with all the other people that make
up the NASA and the space team in this country.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Well, we'll let you go to work and
well done. Thank you very much. Over and out.
COMMANDER BRANDENSTEIN: Goodbye.
END
7:46 A.M. EST