THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY D. O'BRIEN, B. BOYLE, K. BOYLE, BROOKS, V. BROWN, CLYMER, D. COSTA, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEORGE, HARHAI, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HESS, MARSHALL, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MOUL, MURT, PASHINSKI, QUINN, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROEBUCK, SCAVELLO, SONNEY, SWANGER AND YOUNGBLOOD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Honoring and commending the life of United States Navy Captain

Christopher J. Ferguson, who commanded the final United

States space shuttle flight, July 8 to 21, 2011.

WHEREAS, The United States space shuttle program, under the

leadership of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA), began setting records with its first launch on April 12,

1981, and continued to set high marks of achievement and

endurance through 30 years of missions; and

WHEREAS, Starting with Columbia and continuing with

Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavor, the space shuttle

has carried people into orbit repeatedly; launched, recovered

and repaired satellites; conducted cutting-edge research; and

built the largest structure in space, the International Space

Station; and

WHEREAS, The final space shuttle mission, STS-135, ended on

July 21, 2011, when the Atlantis rolled to a stop at its home

port, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and

WHEREAS, Commanding this flight was United States Navy

Captain Christopher J. Ferguson, 49, who was born and raised in

the 169th legislative district of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, A native Philadelphian, Capt. Ferguson attended St.

Martha's Parish School and Archbishop Ryan High School before

receiving a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel

University and a master's degree in aeronautical engineering

from the Naval Postgraduate School; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Ferguson was commissioned from the Navy

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of

Pennsylvania, received his Navy Wings in 1986 and was ordered to

the F-14 Tomcat training squadron in Virginia Beach, Virginia;

and

WHEREAS, After a brief period of instruction, he joined the

"Red Rippers" of VF-11, deploying to the North Atlantic,

Mediterranean and Indian Oceans aboard the USS Forrestal, and he

attended the Navy Fighter Weapon School (TOPGUN) and was

selected for the Naval Postgraduate/Test Pilot School program in

1989; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Ferguson was the first pilot to release

several types of air-to-ground weapons from the Tomcat, flew

several missions in the no-fly zone in Iraq and served as

logistics officer for the Atlantic Fleet prior to his selection

in the space program; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Ferguson has been an astronaut since 1998. He

completed two years of training, followed by technical duties

with the Spacecraft Systems Branch, piloted STS-115, commanded

STS-126 and STS-135 and logged over 40 days in space; and

WHEREAS, For his service to our nation, Capt. Ferguson has

been awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross,

Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Naval Strike/Flight Medal,

NASA Spaceflight Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (three), Navy

Achievement Medal and various other service awards and

citations; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Ferguson is married to the former Sandra

Cabot, whose mother, Trudy, lives in Plymouth Valley, and is the

son of Mary Ann Pietras, who lives with her husband, Norman

Pietras, in Langhorne; he and his wife are the parents of three

children; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Ferguson is a distinguished member of our

space program and deserves the recognition and gratitude of this

Commonwealth; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor and commend

the life of United States Navy Captain Christopher J. Ferguson,

who commanded the final United States space shuttle flight, July

8 to 21, 2011.