Eugene native soars into space with local school memento

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Story Published: Feb 7, 2008 at 5:46 PM PST

By Kim Quintero

EUGENE - A Eugene native soared into space and took the heart of one local elementary school along for the ride.

Stan Love sat in the middeck of the shuttle Atlantis, while students from his former elementary school watched from seats in their gymnasium.

Love's afternoon launch was a success, even after forecasters predicted weather conditions wouldn't be in NASA's favor.

A little piece of each of student is traveling with Love while he orbits. Last year, Love contacted Crest Drive Elementary School and invited them to send a memento he could take with him on the mission.

The kids created a flag with their pictures on it.

"I thought it was exciting, and I'm happy that a picture of me is going to go up in space," said 10-year-old Hannah Moyer.

The launch was delayed for two months, but Crest Drive's principal said something in the air told him today was the day for the Atlantis trip.

"You could kind of feel it. The energy level just kept building and building and building. You just get caught up in the excitement of the space shuttle just lifting off," said Principal Joe Alsup.

Love and the six other astronauts are rocketing toward the International Space Station for an 11-day mission to deliver the European Space Agency's Columbus Laboratory.

Love will conduct a space walk and operate the space station's robot arm during the mission.

Once the astronauts return home, each student will receive their actual picture mounted on parchment, certifying it was in space.

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