University of Connecticut Athletics
Flag Flown In Space In Memory Of Jasper Howard
6/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 7, 2010
Photo Gallery STORRS, Conn. - Astronaut Richard Mastracchio visited the University of Connecticut on Friday, June 4, to talk about his experiences aboard the space shuttle and the International Space Station as part of the University's annual alumni weekend festivities. In addition, he made a special presentation to members of the UConn football team as he gave them a flag in memory of Jasper Howard that flew in space. Howard, a UConn football player, passed away on October 18 2009.
Mastracchio, a Waterbury native and UConn engineering alumnus (B.S. Electrical Engineering/Computer Science,'82), participated in a presentation sponsored by the School of Engineering, entitled NASA Space Explorations: Past and Present.
Mastracchio recently completed his final space flight aboard the space shuttle Discovery, which transported more than 13 tons of hardware, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS) in April. During his nearly two-week mission, he performed three space walks totaling more than 20 hours.
Mastracchio embarked on his NASA career in 1990, when he was hired as an engineer in the Flight Crew Operations Directorate and later worked as an ascent/entry Guidance and Procedures Officer (GPO) in Mission Control. During that time, he supported 17 missions as a flight controller. He was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996 and flew as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Atlantis. He has logged over 950 hours in space and flown aboard the space shuttles Atlantis, Endeavour and Discovery. In addition to his UConn degree, Mastracchio also received two M.S. degrees, one in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ('87), and a second in physical science from the University of Houston-Clear Lake ('91).
