Atlantis astronaut flying high over baby's birth

NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik ventured out on his first spacewalk on Saturday, just hours before his daughter was born 220 miles below. Waking up early this morning aboard the International Space Station to the song "Butterfly Kisses," mission specialist Bresnik was informed that his wife Rebecca had given birth to daughter …

[Dan Reeder]

congrats!

congratuations to mum + baby + dad.

Although this does make me wonder at the protocols involved... what would NASA have done if there was a problem with the delivery or the baby was not healthy? Would NASA risk a stressed-out and anxious astronaut?

[Jeff 10]

Sorry- I gotta work

Well, hopefully she won't hold this against him at some point in the future. "And where were YOU when I was giving birth to our daughter?"

[mh.]

Congrats to the dad

So, when can we expect to hear about the first baby conceived in space, or the mother being up there instead of the father?

[JWS]

Reverse Charges

Who paid for the call then? I wonder if it's cheaper to call the ISS than the other side of the world...

[Anonymous Coward]

One sure way to avoid nappy changing duties

Applause to the man, he has found a way to avoid his nappy changing duties at least for the first week.

[Ian Ferguson]

Story summary:

Texan goes on business trip as wife is due to give birth; nonetheless, lauded as American hero.

[Anonymous Coward]

@mh.

"or the mother being up there instead of the father?"

I imagine we'll be waiting for artificial gravity being invented first - can you imagine the mess in zero-G?

[Simon Neill]

NASA protocol

I imagine the protocol is to say nothing. Aborting the mission will cost millions, a mistake could cost lives.

[Dr Patrick J R Harkin]

Mommy, was Daddy there when I was borned?

"No dear, daddy had to go to work."

Now, if only he'd had access to an LHC Portal, he could have popped down to hold her hand.

[loopy lou]

@mh

Misread your comment first time and thought you meant "delivered". Reminded me of the burglar in court who requested a break in the case because as he said,

"my wife's baby's going to be conceived".

"I think my client means 'delivered' m'lord" said his lawyer.

"Well, in either case I think he should be there" said the judge.

[Wize]

@ Jeff "Sorry- I gotta work"

"And where were YOU when I was giving birth to our daughter?"

I was over the moon.

[Marvin the Martian]

You know when rocket bottom is reached.

You know astronomy reporting is in dire straits when exciting news is not new rovers or telescopes or space walks, but unfortunate personal circumstances (fathers not present at birth, diaper-wearing women stalking rivals, etc). That case was spectacular, but this is just an unfortunate scheduling conflict (what next, "oil rig worker misses first steps of baby daughter"?). Way to keep the (pointless, moneywasting, stoneage-thinking) GO TO MARS! dream alive, as promised by W.

So stop this rubbish, and abolish astronauts completely. Moar rovers! Moar satellites! Moar exploration! Moar cheap robots! Moar telescopes! Moar flybys of comets, satellites, and others!

[Andus McCoatover]

@James McAllister, and @Wize

10 points each!

Unfortunately you owe the pub a new keyboard. Nice one, folks.

-Andus

[No, I will not fix your computer]

@You know when rocket bottom is reached

"unfortunate personal circumstances"

Not really, this was a deliberate scheduling exercise to get some vague publicity for the big white elephant of manned space exploration, it's a very cost effective way of getting in the news, no outlay, a slightly stressed out mum and dad, quite a bit cheaper than sending butterflies into space.

[Andus McCoatover]

Nappies? / Diapers?

Don't think nappy-changing by a Shuttle astronaut is particularly unique..

Word "Nowak" springs to mind...OK, it was on the ground, but reasonably close to a serviceable aircraft.

Icon? I won't!!!