[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 70 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5101-S5102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING ASTRONAUT JERRY LINENGER

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, tomorrow we will welcome home a true 
American hero, Eastpointe, MI native, astronaut Jerry Linenger. Jerry 
is returning to Earth this weekend aboard the space shuttle Atlantis 
after a 5 month mission on the Russian space station, Mir.
  I am sure that Jerry expected his 5 months in space to provide him 
with innumerable opportunities and challenges, but the challenges he 
and his crewmates faced were way beyond expectations. They had to fix 
antifreeze fume leaks which threatened the space station's air supply. 
The oxygen-generating systems malfunctioned, forcing the crew to 
activate three backup oxygen canisters each day to provide them with 
the oxygen they needed to breathe. And, Jerry and his Russian fellow 
scientists had to extinguish the worst fire ever aboard an orbiting 
human spacecraft, an ordeal which captured the attention of millions of 
people in the United States, Russia and around the world. It seemed 
from this earthly vantage point that the 10 plagues of space travel 
were being visited on Mir--leaks, lack of oxygen, humidity, fire, 
temperature, excess CO2, loss of power, lack of supplies and 
replacement parts, claustrophobia, and separation from family. When the 
space shuttle Atlantis recently linked up with the Mir space station to 
deliver much needed repair parts and to pick him up, Jerry may have 
made the understatement of the year when he remarked to its crew 
members that it was ``nice to see you.''
  While the drama played out in space, Jerry Linenger's professionalism 
came to the fore. He continued his work on

[[Page S5102]]

the scientific experiments he was scheduled to complete, including 
experiments on materials which may be used in future spacecraft, and 
tests on how living in space affected his immune system. He also 
brought his experiences home to Earth by posting letters to his son, 
John, on NASA's World Wide Web page, as well as by participating in the 
Mir international amateur Radio experiment. Using this new technology, 
Jerry linked up with a fifth grade class in Charlevoix, MI. In one of 
his messages to his son, Jerry explained one facet of life in space: 
``When running on the treadmill, we sweat. From our skin, the moisture 
evaporates in order to cool our bodies (By the way--those doggies you 
are so fascinated with use their tongues, panting, to 'sweat' and 
regulate their temperature). The sweat evaporates into the air. This 
water, along with all the other humidity in the air is condensed on 
cold coils (just like the outside of your cold bottle getting wet on a 
hot, humid day) and collected. Biocide is added, the condensate boiled, 
and we use it to drink or rehydrate our freeze-dried foods. Delicious.
  We have all felt the joy which comes with returning home from a long 
trip, but there are few people alive who truly know the feeling Jerry 
Linenger will have after returning from 5 months orbiting the Earth. 
Jerry's wife, Kathryn, and young son, John, eagerly anticipate his 
return for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that 
Kathryn is due to give birth to their second child in early June. It 
appears that Jerry will make it home in time.
  I would like to express my deepest admiration for the accomplishments 
of Jerry Linenger. We can all benefit from his example of courage, 
perseverance and professionalism. Jerry has said that upon his return 
to Earth, he hopes to spend time with his family and dreams of ``going 
up to Northern Michigan and finding an old timer that knows how to fish 
and doesn't like talking a lot . . . just sitting down by the stream 
and breathing fresh air in and the fresh water.'' I, for one, hope he 
gets that chance. I know my colleagues join me in welcoming Jerry 
Linenger back to Earth, and in congratulating him on a mission 
heroically accomplished.

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