Published: Oct. 3, 2014
Mike Bloomfield, retired United States Air Force Colonel and former NASA astronaut, stopped by recently to visit with kids in the Sparrow Children’s Center.
Bloomfield, a Michigan native, piloted shuttle Atlantis in 1997, Endeavour in 2000, and served as Commander of shuttle Atlantis in 2002, logging over 753 hours in space.
During his visit he talked about what it was like to live without gravity – like trying to turn a door knob but you move in a circle instead, or having to put duct tape on the wall sticky side out to hold things in place while you’re working on them. And of course there was talk of how you eat and go to the bathroom in space… and even mention of a practical joke or two.
He autographed photos, handed out miniature space shuttle toys, and gave everyone - moms and dads, Caregivers too, a moment away from the hospital and the confines of earth.