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MANSAT BOSS FLIES TO HOUSTON AFTER SHUTTLE DISASTER
A MANXMAN living in Houston, Texas, broke off a trip to Europe and rushed home to be with his astronaut wife following Saturday's space shuttle disaster.
Chris Stott, co-founder of Manx firm ManSat Ltd, had spent a few days in the Island seeing his family and was in London when news broke about the Columbia shuttle, which exploded on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board.
He flew back to Houston and told ManSat director Ian Jarritt that he was hoping to help in whatever capacity he could as the US, NASA and the families of those who died try to come to terms with what happened.
The Manx Independent contacted Mr Stott on Monday, but he said that, while he would normally be willing to talk to us, astronauts' families had been asked not to speak to the press out of respect for the families of those who died.
Mr Stott, 33, the son of Brian and Elizabeth Stott, of Onchan, married his wife, Nicole, in 1996 after meeting her while working at NASA, where she was chief engineer for the shuttle Endeavour.
Mr Jarritt explained: 'Chris was due to be lecturing at the International Space University in Strasbourg on space law. He'd come over to see the family and was in fact in London en route to Strasbourg on Saturday.
'The astronaut family is a close-knit one and the people that sadly died would have been well-known to Nicole and probably Chris as well.
'I think that is the point of NASA. It does proud itself on being a close family and I think that is why they have been asked not to speak openly.'
Mr Stott is a trustee of the ISU and was a founder member of the British Space Education Council.
ManSat was formed in 1998 to provide business services specifically tailored to meet the needs of the international space industry.
The firm also works closely with the Department of Education, offering a scholarship programme each year for sixth-form students via an essay competition, for which the winner spends a few weeks during their summer break at NASA's International Space School in Houston.
It also offers a another education scholarship to the ISU for Manx graduates.
Ironically, next Friday sees the launch of a new set of stamps by the Philatelic Bureau, called 'Mann in Space the Future', with which ManSat has been heavily involved.
The theme is the Island's links to space exploration and technological development, an issue which the Columbia shuttle disaster has cast a huge shadow over.
The 23p stamp depicts the 'Tromode teleport', which is being developed by ManStar Ltd, a subsidiary firm of ManSat, in connection with Boeing Space and Communications Services and Manx Telecom. The teleport is a hub where voice, data, video and internet communications are handled.
ManSat's scholarship work with Island students is recognised in the 27p stamp, while the 37p and 42p stamps focus on Sea Launch Company LLC, a firm with strong Manx connections, and Loral Skynet (Isle of Man), a subsidiary of New Jersey firm Loral Skynet, a leading satellite communications services provider.
The stamps were designed by artists Eric Gignac and Robert McCall, one of a select group of artists chosen by NASA to document the US space programme.
Bureau manager Dot Tilbury said: 'It's probably fair to say that not a lot of people realise the extent of the Island's involvement in space exploration.
'Mann in Space goes some way towards recognising the skills and talents of Manx companies and individuals working on some truly exceptional and pioneering projects.'
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
