Astronaut Feustel Arrives to the Czech Republic

July 29, 2011

U.S. Ambassador Eisen and chairman of the Academy of Sciences Drahos welcomed Andrew Feustel at Ruzyně Airport.

On Friday, July 29 following an invitation of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR), American astronaut Andrew Feustel arrived for a visit to the Czech Republic.  Feustel was a crew member of the second to last space shuttle flight.  At the Prague Airport he was welcomed by the U.S. Ambassador Norman Eisen and ASCR Chairman prof. Jiri Drahos.

After his arrival Feustel thanked everybody for the invitation to the CR: "As you all know, Krtek was in the space and has come back and now is he Krtek, the Astronaut.  There are actually two Krteks with us.  One for the public to travel with us and also one for Mr. Zdenek Miller, the creator of the Krtek cartoon.  We are happy to bring Krtek back and show him around and try to bring the awareness of the science and technology to the youth in the country."  Andrew Feustel added that Krtek did not walk in space because there was no spacesuit that fit him.

U.S. Ambassador Norman Eisen presented to Feustel also a small character of Krtek with Czech and American flag in his paws: "It is a symbol of a bridge between our two countries."  According to Eisen, Feustel will become a new co-chair of a new program "The Junior Ambassadors of Science and Technology" (JAST) targeted at Czech youth to show how interesting a career in science and engineering can be. "Maybe some Czech young participant in the JAST will someday have the adventures Andrew had," Eisen said.

ASCE Chairman Jiri Drahos welcomed Feustel as well.  He mentioned that the JAST program will be also supported by the ASCR.

Feustel's program includes a lecture tour in seven cities of Bohemia and Moravia with autograph sessions.  He will also visit museums and astronomical observatories.

Andrew Feustel was a crew member of two space shuttle missions.  His wife Indira is of  Czech descent and therefore Feustel decided to take a piece of the Czech Republic into the space with him.  In 2009, he carried the book Cosmic Songs by Jan Neruda and a Czech flag; in the flight this May he was accompanied by famous Czech cartoon character Krtecek the Little Mole by artist Zdenek Miler.