Dundonian John Smith has begun the countdown to a VIP place at the historic final launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
The former NASA security adviser will make a transatlantic return in September to witness the spectacle of STS-133’s last departure.
Mr Smith spent nine years at the Houston space centre as a security adviser and continued as a contractor capacity until 2006.
Mr Smith (68) forged strong ties between STS Discovery and the city which is home to the famous ship of the same name.
Mr Smith, who now lives in Kirriemuir, said, “We flew a piece of decking from RRS Discovery on board STS Discovery and had Dundee schoolchildren do a live link from the deck with the shuttle.”
He helped set up a Tayside space school, which involves 10-year-olds in a monthly educational programme and summer camp, and has had several astronauts visit.
They included Bonnie Dunbar, whose grandfather was from Dundee and who joined Mr Smith at the RRS Discovery centenary celebrations in 2001.
More recently, Mr Smith welcomed astronaut Jim Reilly and his fiancee, Allison Benjamin, to Angus to take their wedding vows at Glamis Castle.
STS Discovery is scheduled for a September 16 launch on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station.
Mr Smith said, “I am over the moon to be asked back for the launch and feel very privileged to still be held in such esteem by NASA.”
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user saroy.