MR. RAY BROUSSARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A big congratulations goes out to our newest crew member of the month, Ray Broussard. Ray works in the facilities department here at Space Center Houston and came highly recommended for this prestigious employee award.

Some of Ray’s outstanding achievements:

“Displays a great attitude with co-workers and guests.”

“Extremely reliable, dependable and has great attendance.”

“Team Player who always goes beyond the call of duty to provide service to SCH.”

“Always ready to lend a helping hand with a great smile and a ‘can-do’ attitude.”

We are extremely proud to have Ray as our part of our team at Space Center Houston. Keep up the outstanding work!

Space Center Houston’s H.O.T. program sets the standard for summer fun. Half-off tickets for all!!

It’s going to be an unbelievable summer at SCH!!

(above: STS-123 crew take a break to take a group shot aboard the ISS)

The astronauts from NASA’s Space Shuttle mission STS-123 were honored April 30 at Space Center Houston in a de-briefing open to the public. Family, friends and space enthusiasts watched highlights from the mission from launch to landing. STS-123 set a record for a shuttle’s longest stay at the International Space Station with 15 days, 18 hours, 12 minutes an 27 seconds. After awards and a slideshow of out-of-this-world images, the astronauts signed autographs for smiling space fans. Welcome home guys!

(below: Astronauts sign autographs for fans at Space Center Houston)

TRIVIA: How many more Space Shuttle flights remain until the Shuttle is retired in 2010?

While we’re on the subject of flying things in space, lets go back a few months and rekindle a story that made headlines around the world. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the iconic “Star Wars” film, Space Center Houston officials thought it would be a brilliant idea to fly the original Luke Skywalker Jedi lightsaber into space. So, they called up George Lucas, and he agreed! Mr. Lucas watched the lightsaber prop make its way into history as he viewed the Space Shuttle Discovery launch from Kennedy Space Center last October. After the Astronauts completed their heroic mission, and safely returned home, the space-flown lightsaber was displayed at Space Center Houston. “Star Wars” fans hit the jackpot and came from all over the country to see the famed movie prop. Watch the mayhem below as the lightsaber arrives in Houston, carried by none other than Space Center Houston’s marketing director Roger Bornstein, along with a few “Star Wars” favorites!

Now watch the STS 120 crew and Space Shuttle Discovery launch, with the lightsaber in-tow!

Question: Did you see the LightSaber exhibit at SCH? What did you think?

We all know the Toyota Prius gets great gas mileage, but how about traveling six million miles without a single pit stop? That’s just what the Prius did when it voyaged 217 miles vertically and endured six million miles in orbit aboard the International Space Station. Well, the Monopoly Toyota Prius game token that is! To celebrate America’s vote to have Johnson Space Center on the new Monopoly Here and Now Edition game board, JSC and Space Center Houston arranged for the Prius, along with other traveling Monopoly tokens, to fly on the Space Shuttle Atlantis and boldly go where no game piece has gone before. So what did we do with the Monopoly space-flown Prius? We gave it to Toyota of course! Space Center Houston President Richard Allen and Marketing Director Roger Bornstein presented the priceless Prius to Toyota President Jim Lentz and other executives on Earth Day in Los Angeles. The Toyota team was thrilled with the now prized possession and will display it for all their employees in a Museum located at Toyota headquarters in California.

P.S. Be on the lookout for the Monopoly covered Prius on display at Space Center Houston soon!

(Photo: Johnson Space Center as seen on Monopoly Here and Now Edition Game)

Watch the video below from the Monopoly Here and Now Edition unveiling in New York, starring our very own SCH President Richard Allen!!