International Space Station Program Team Shows Off Their Anniversary Spirit

by Linda Grimm | 2023-12-05

The International Space Station Program team has got spirit – how about you?

The team’s camaraderie and enthusiasm were on full display during the week of November 27, 2023, as program employees across NASA centers celebrated 25 years of space station operations with a fun-filled International Space Station Spirit Week.

Monday was Station Representation Day, when team members were encouraged to wear their space station polo shirts, jackets, and other attire. Vehicle Office employees Paul Caradec, Eric Schultz, and Bill Spetch were named best-dressed for the day after dusting off their original STS-88/2A polos. Earth science and remote sensing team members in the Exploration Science Office of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division came in second place.

Three men pose for a photo with a backdrop of the International Space Station. — From left are Paul Caradec, Eric Shultz, and Bill Spetch from the International Space Station Vehicle Office. **Credit: NASA**

Five people pose for a photo in front of a backdrop of the International Space Station. — Members of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing team housed in the Exploration Science Office of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division. From left are Andrew Britton, Alex Stoken, Wilfredo Garcia Lopez, Andrea Wenzel, and Sara Schmidt. **Credit: NASA**

On Tuesday, employees donned gear from their alma mater or favorite sports team for Spirit Day. The Flight Control Team at Marshall’s Payload Operations Integration Center won best-dressed, with Johnson control account managers taking second place.

Thirteen people pose for a group photo in a room with international flags on the ceiling. — The Flight Control Team at the Payload Operations Integration Center at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. **Credit: NASA**

Fourteen people strike silly poses in a group photo in front of a backdrop of the International Space Station. — Control account managers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center wore their Houston Astros gear and supported college teams on Spirit Day. **Credit: NASA**

Wednesday was Unity Day, and many team members wore red as a nod to the day’s theme of “Home is where the heart is…or 250 miles above for Expedition 70.” Kennedy employees won first place for their creative display of team unity, while the Extravehicular Activity team were the runners up.

A group of people pose for a photo in the shape of the number 25 in a large white work space. — Program employees assemble in NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing Facility work area. **Credit: NASA**

Nine people wearing red shirts pose for a group photo in front of a backdrop of the Earth's surface viewed from space. — The Extravehicular Activity team coordinated their red outfits for Unity Day. **Credit: NASA**

The week culminated in a Hawaiian-themed day and all-hands program meeting hosted onsite at Johnson on November 30. ISS Program Manager Joel Montalbano, Deputy Program Manager Dana Weigel, and Program Operations Integration Manager Dina Contella shared the latest updates on all things station, flight status, highlights from 2023, and a look ahead to 2024. The event also featured special guests Barbara Brown, manager of Exploration Research and Technology Programs at Kennedy, and Nicole Pelfrey, manager of the Payload Mission Operations Division at Marshall, who gave updates on their teams’ critical support to station. ISS Deputy Chief Scientist Meg Everett provided a science update, as well.