subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sat, Nov 07 2009 

Published: March 04, 2006 10:21 pm    print this story  

Bill Gregory looks back on his shuttle mission

Local astronaut keeps Lockport near to his heart

Jill Michaels
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

An astronaut’s ride uphill into space lasts eight-and-a-half minutes. The ride downhill essentially lasts a lifetime.

On March 2, 1995, NASA launched Lockport native William G. “Bill” Gregory into space on STS-67 Endeavour. Gregory served as the shuttle’s pilot for the Astro-2 astronomy mission.

“I row the boat while they shoot the ducks,” Gregory joked at the time, revealing his trademark humor and sharp wit.

Astro-2 permitted scientists to gather details about ultraviolet light through telescopes mounted in the shuttle’s payload bay. The crew of seven astronauts collected data that was impossible to obtain on the ground.

Eleven years later, Gregory still holds vivid memories of preparing for, and flying, nearly seven million miles in a little more than two weeks. He says the most poignant part about soaring in space was the chance to share the experience with everyone in his hometown area.

“There was a ground swell of activity in upstate New York,” Gregory says. “(Channel 7) followed my ninth-grade earth-science teacher in Florida during the days before the launch. They recorded play-by-play stories for everyone in Western New York. My fourth-grade teacher was there too.”

“During the mission, I spoke by ham radio to students at my former high school. We were hooked up through Australia to Lockport for the seven minutes or so that we had the connection.”

That was one of the most emotional parts of the flight for me. I could hear how many kids were packed into that auditorium. They came out to school on a Sunday night for the event.”

Gregory adds: “I had a knot in my throat and in my stomach. For me, it was unexpected. It was a very rewarding experience.”

Lockport heartily welcomed Gregory back to town after his stint in orbit.

“Around the Fourth of July, they had a parade,” Gregory remembers. “My family and I rode in a convertible in the parade. The kids liked that. I threw out the first pitch for the Buffalo Bisons, and after the game the Buffalo Philharmonic played during a fireworks show. It was Bill Gregory Night.”

Subsequent local honors included the monument at the high school, the William Gregory Bypass, and Gregory’s name on a brick on the sidewalk of fame.

Gregory retired from the Air Force and from NASA in 1999. He relocated to Phoenix, Ariz., where he now serves as the manager of business development for Honeywell. He draws upon his experience from his NASA relationship to guide Honeywell in determining what business contracts they should or should not chase.

Nevertheless, the siren song of the space program still calls to this former astronaut. “I’d love to go see another launch,” Gregory reveals. “I wasn’t able to make it to Eileen’s launch last year.”

Eileen Collins commanded STS-114, NASA’s return to flight after the Columbia shuttle accident in February 2003. Collins, a native of Elmira, trained with Gregory after they were selected for the same astronaut class in 1990.

Astronaut Wendy Lawrence, a veteran of four shuttle missions, flew on STS-67 as a rookie with Gregory and more recently on STS-114 with Collins. Lawrence says her impression of Gregory is that “he cares a lot about people, and he is very smart.”

During the STS-67 flight, the astronauts were divided into two teams for round-the-clock astronomical observations. Lawrence acted as shuttle pilot while Gregory was off duty.

“I didn’t realize what a treat we had until subsequent missions,” she says regarding STS-67. “Our responsibilities mandated that we stay on the flight deck, and of course that’s where all the windows are.”

Gregory maintains strong ties to his hometown. In the spirit of NASA traditions, he seems to deliver the graduation speech at Lockport High School once every 10 years.

“I graduated from there in 1975. I flew on the shuttle in 1995. I spoke at the graduation that year, and I spoke there again last year.” Gregory jokes: “For 2015, I hope to be invited back again.”

“I’m still very proud that I’m a Lockport Lion. I love going back there. I was fortunate to grow up in that town at that time. I believe my success today came from the values that were instilled in me in Lockport.”

print this story  



autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Featured Jobs

WAIT STAFF
WaitSTAFF P/T 11am -2pm or 3:15-6:45pm. Will train. Apply Amberleigh Retirement, 2330 Maple near Transit. ...>MORE

Cook Manager
COOK /Manager full time exp. req. Call for appt. 297-2500 ask for general manager. ...>MORE

Telemarketers
CASHIERS

Looking for dependable people with good customer service skills for afternoons and overnights at con
...>MORE

Nurses

NURSES

RN - LPN

Join our progressive
health care team

FT-PT - Per Diem
...>MORE

Coach
COACH, Men’s Soccer. Niagara County Community College is seeking a head coach for the men’s soccer team. Please see web ...>MORE

Service Greeter
Service greeter wanted, PT entry level. Looking for someone with strong customer service skills to work in our fast grow...>MORE

Nursing Manager
NURSING MANAGER-TELEMETRY. Full-time evenings. 9.5 hour shifts. NYS RN license with min. two years nursing experience wi...>MORE


CARPENTER: Framing, 3-5 years exp. $11-15/hr DOE. Transportation necessary. 716-689-6829...>MORE

COLLECTORS
Exp. collectors, high hrly., low cash goals, 20% overage, 500 4 hitting, Chuck @ 597-2538...>MORE

LPN
LPN Lewiston, overnight; Pediatric LPN, Tona, days /nights; Pediatric nurses. NF, days & nights. Diana, Allstate Home...>MORE

See all ads

Feature Autos

Chevy 2003 Impala
CHEVY 2003 Impala
25,600 miles, loaded
Exc. Cond. $10,000/bo
297-2199
...>MORE

Mazda 1995 Millenia
Mazda 1995 Millenia loaded, leather, only 26k mi. exc. cond. $2995. Best Offer
531-3548, 297-1526
...>MORE

Dodge 2001 Neon
Dodge 2001 Neon 4 dr, auto, a/c, new tires, c/d no rust, inspected, $3900. white 860-2854...>MORE

Mercury 1999 Grand Marquis
Mercury ‘99 Grand Marquis 4 dr, leather, all options, 49k org mi., showroom cond. $6000. 860-2854, ...>MORE

Buick 2005 Lesabre
BUICK 2005 Lesabre Custom, excellent condition, fully loaded, $6700 or best offer, 754-4540...>MORE

Chevy 2007 Impala LT
CHEVY 2007 Impala LT
25,800 mi, ext. warranty
Exc. Cond, $16,500
297-2199
...>MORE

Ford 1995 Crown Victoria
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria 4 dr, loaded, new tires must see & drive $3500. red. 860-2854...>MORE

See all ads

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index