Ok, here’s the personal piccy album from mission STS-123. I’ll be updating this during the mission, daily.

1.  Klingons.  First, and this gave me a scare, we get buzzed by a Klingon Bird of Prey. Those things are much bigger than they look on TNG (after all, those were just computer-generated plastic models.

 
2. Acceleration?

You wouldn’t believe.

Obviously took me by surprise. I wasn’t at risk though placed considerable loading on the tail and Johno had to gun ‘er a bit to make up for drag.

Remember that scene in Fast & Furious when Vinny tore his chariot apart with torque trying to beat the rice box to the rail crossing?

About a gazillion times that much thrust.

Used a bit more fuel than planned for, too, so guess we’ll have to float home :0)

3. Strangers at the bedside

I hate waking up surrounded by strangers. Here I was, cables everywhere, cowling unseated, panels ajar, awaking from a deep standby (yes, I dreamed) to find a camera-clicking bunch of strangers all over my bed. Yikes!

Turned out to be the crew visiting Brampton having a looksee.

Seemed they didn’t really believe I existed and wanted to see for themselves. Well, they don’t believe their own Government, why would NASA be different?

4. On the slab

Another fright, this time at Kennedy. Woke surrounded by the cast from ER, or so I thought. I lapsed back to standby and had to be rebooted. It’s OK, they’re just prepping me for the space pallet.

 5. The Mummy

Started to panic a bit, this is really claustrophobic. And hog-tied, what’s more. And vertigo, but I overcame that. A few metres is nothing to hanging 340Km over this sticky mud ball you’re all so fond of. One day I’ll dock a thruster and clear orbit. Dang, did I think that in print?

6. Dextre’s Crib

Aw, lookit that. Just me and my playthings .. my arms, ORU, whatnots. That’s the ‘pallet’ shaped to fit Shuttle’s cargo bay. I’ve been dissembled and sedated - in that order. Don’t remember any of of what followed till I woke and everything was black. Then turned around to find the bloody ISS in my face. Outsmarted again!