Fort Knox-born astronaut prepares for space mission – Elizabethtown News Enterprise

A sixth-grade teacher took an interest in Randy Bresnik and helped him to shape up.

She paid attention to me and that made a difference in my life, NASA astronaut Bresnik said during a phone call from Star City, Russia.

Bresnik is making final preparations to launch to the International Space Station. He will be joined on Expedition 52 by Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian space agency Roscosmos and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency on the mission. They will launch July 28 and return to Earth in December.

When aboard the space station, which is the only permanently occupied orbiting lab, crew members will conduct several hundred experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, according to a NASA news release.

This will be Bresniks second trip to the International Space Station and his first long-duration mission.

He said its an overwhelming experience to go to space.

Its the physical sensation and seeing the curvature of the Earth, he said. You realize the finiteness of the Earth. To know that every person you know and memory you have, is on that blue marble. It gives you a new perspective.

He said he wished more people could have that experience.

Bresnik was born at the former Ireland Army Community Hospital in Fort Knox. He spent two weeks in Kentucky before moving to Santa Monica, California. Before becoming an astronaut in 2004, he was a U.S. Marine.

Bresnik has cataloged the preparations for his trip on social media. As hes getting ready, he said hes also learned about the upcoming solar eclipse Aug. 21. The astronauts in the space station will be able to see the eclipse and send back photos.

For students who want to go to space one day, Bresnik advises them to work hard in school.

Do it to your fullest extent, and make learning a lifelong opportunity, he said.

Bresnik said astronauts are a tiny part of the space operation, and many people can have a role in missions such as this one.

Katherine Knott can be reached at 270-505-1747 or kknott@thenewsenterprise.com.

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Fort Knox-born astronaut prepares for space mission - Elizabethtown News Enterprise