McAllen astronaut returns to space

McALLEN - The city's favorite astronaut is set to launch into space for his second mission.

The newest mission will challenge Mike Fossum, who graduated from McAllen High School in 1976, to install a massive piece of Japanese technology on a space station. Fossum will also have to perform a space walk one day faster than last time.

But he said the most important difference, is that his mother - whose ailing health during his mission nearly two years ago kept her at home in McAllen - will watch the shuttle launch in person instead of on TV.

NASA has scheduled the mission for take off on May 31 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"I think mom will be there if she has to crawl," Fossum said during a phone conversation from Houston.

After graduating high school, Fossum earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A & M University and master's degrees in systems engineering and physical science from the Air Force Institute of Technology and the University of Houston-Clear Lake, respectively.

His astronaut dream materialized after he finished school and went to work for NASA.

His mother, Patricia Fossum, said she remembers her son interviewing with NASA several times and getting rejected.

"This is a boy that's very determined, very persistent," she said. "He's not going to be swayed. He won't give up."

In space on this next mission, Fossum will be one of two astronauts with previous flight experience. He said he feels more responsibility this time around to mentor the less experienced crew members.

Fossum has trained for months, and he said he is ready for the challenge. Meanwhile, he has already formed big plans for his return home.

The McAllen school district is building Michael E. Fossum Middle School right now, with a ribbon-cutting scheduled for late summer.

Fossum has packed a banner bearing the mascot of the soon to be opened school - the Fossum Falcons. He said he will bring the banner back from space to the ribbon-cutting. He also plans to tour the schools he attended in the district, saying he hopes his story can inspire others in the area to strive for their dreams.

"I grew up just like every other kid down there with the same kind of crummy summer jobs and things like that," he said. "But I had a dream, and I never gave up on that dream of doing something completely outrageous."

Ruperto Gonzalez, who taught physics to Fossum at McAllen High School, said he has followed his former pupil's trips into space.

"This to me is the biggest pay-off any educator can have," Gonzalez said.

Hopefully, many teachers at Fossum Middle School will have similar pay-offs someday, too.

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Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.