EDITORIAL: Our Ukrainian of the Year (12/31/06)

EDITORIAL

Our Ukrainian of the Year

"She is a rising star in the space program. I guess you can say a new star is born. We look forward to many great things from her and more missions in the future."

- Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner, speaking on October 23 at the Embassy of Ukraine about fellow Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper.

Our Ukrainian of the Year

Ukrainians around the globe will remember 2006 as the year that Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper became the first Ukrainian American to fly in space when the shuttle Atlantis lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, September 9, at 11:14:55 a.m. On September 12 she became the eighth woman, the seventh American woman and the first Ukrainian American to walk in space. She went on her second spacewalk, or Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) in NASA parlance, three days after that, bringing the total amount of time she spent on EVAs to 13 hours and eight minutes.

U.S. Navy Capt. Stefanyshyn-Piper logged over 12 days in space on the NASA mission designated STS-115. For the St. Paul, Minn., native it was the fulfillment of a long-held dream. For the Ukrainian American community and Ukrainians worldwide - including her late father's homeland, Ukraine - it was a time of immense pride.

Capt. Stefanyshyn-Piper had been selected as an astronaut candidate back in April 1996; after two years of training she qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist. On February 7, 2002 - her 39th birthday - she learned that she was assigned to STS-115, scheduled for launch in April 2003. After the Columbia disaster in February 2003, however, all NASA missions were put on hold. Thus, she became an astronaut-in-waiting. The waiting continued even after STS-115 officially began its countdown on August 24 (Ukrainian Independence Day!), as weather and technical glitches delayed the launch for two weeks.

What made the Ukrainian American astronaut's success during 2006 all the more heartfelt for her fellow Ukrainians was that she is, quite simply, one of us. Her ties to the Ukrainian community run deep and continue through today.

Growing up in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area, Heide (as she is known to the community) was a member of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization as well as the Ukrainian folk dance and vocal ensembles, attended the local School of Ukrainian Studies and was active in the youth group at St. Constantine Parish. She kept up her Ukrainian community ties while she was studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, participating in activities of the Boston-area hromada, and even after she was accepted into the astronaut training program, remaining in touch with Houston's Ukrainians.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that Mission Specialist Stefanyshyn-Piper took with her into space, along with photographs of her family, a small Ukrainian flag, a Plast emblem and a recording of Ukrainian folk music. On the fourth day of the mission, Taras Shevchenko's poetry set to music served as the day's wake-up music.

Ukraine also was proud of the Ukrainian American astronaut whose late father hailed from the Lviv region. While Atlantis was in space, Heide received an e-mail message from President Viktor Yushchenko, who expressed his hope that he would meet her soon in Kyiv. Soon after the crew concluded its highly successful mission - which resumed construction of the International Space Station - the Embassy of Ukraine honored its members at a special reception. Ambassador Oleh Shamshur presented Capt. Stefanyshyn-Piper with a painting of Kyiv's Pecherska Lavra, while the astronaut presented the envoy with a photo of Kyiv taken from space.

Capt. Stefanyshyn-Piper recently visited her hometown, where her family still resides. As befits a favorite daughter, the area's Ukrainian American community gave her a rousing and affectionate welcome.

The Twin Cities community may well be the proudest group of Ukrainians this year, since the first Ukrainian American astronaut came out of its ranks. However, during 2006 all Ukrainians were honored to be able to consider Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper one of our own. She truly is our Ukrainian of the Year.

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