Saturday was the second annual Space Camp Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and, for the second time, I volunteered to staff it. This year, the event was held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Space Camp's home. At the rehearsal, I was given a blue Space Camp flightsuit to wear that night and helped with the table and centerpiece set-up.

That evening, I met the inductees at the VIP reception. It was important that I meet them, since I would be reprising my role as stage escort, collecting people from their tables and delivering them to the stage, with the additional role of returning them to their tables with their plaques and other gifts. I also met former astronaut Hoot Gibson, who was talking about preparing to be a contestant on the game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Batman also made a brief appearance; The Dark Knight is being shown at the IMAX theater at the museum, although I don't know why Batman decided to walk through the museum reception.

Finally, at around 7:30, the crowd made its way to the Davidson Center and the program began. The CEO of the Space and Rocket Center gave some introductory remarks, including a story about the Apollo 12 astronaut mobile quarantine facility that had also been used by the CDC for lassa fever quarantine, as a habitat for wildland firefighters, and as a home for graduate students studying catfish before being accidentally discovered in rural Alabama and transferred to the museum.

After dinner, I assumed my role next to the stage for the continuation of the formal program. This year, William Shatner's MCing role was taken by a local news anchorwoman.

The first speaker was famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. This man is not famous because of his scientific research. He's famous because he's charismatic, funny, a good writer, and one hell of a speaker. He has the ability to explain a complicated topic in simple terms in such a way that the listeners are able to view it in light they had never seen before, all while being entertaining and inspirational. He gave a fantastic off-the-cuff talk about his success in convincing the Good Morning America panel of travel experts to name the Space and Rocket Center's Saturn V rocket (the rocket hanging over our heads as we ate dinner) one of the Seven Wonders of America. At first, no one but him wanted it, but in the end, the decision was unanimous. After his talk, Huntsville's mayor gave him an award. I wish I could have chatted with him, but he arrived late and left early because of a family emergency.

The following talks were given by former astronauts Jim Halsell and Hoot Gibson. Their talks weren't as memorable as Dr. Tyson's, but they were very good and I liked them a lot. It seems the years if being an astronaut makes one an excellent public speaker.

Finally, the inductions began. The first was a German Werner von Braun team member who designed the original simulators for Space Camp. He was endearing. Next was a middle school teacher who has brought over 1500 students to Space Camp over 21 years. Then was a former Space Camp counselor who now works at KSC's Launch Control Center. Following her was a Space Camp alumnus in his sharp dress blues who flies F-15E Strike Eagles. Then was the only inductee I already knew, a Space Camp alumnus, a volunteer from last year's Hall of Fame event, the creator of a popular Space Camp website, and fellow Huntsville-resident space enthusiast. Finally, my favorite, a 20-year-old Space Camp alumnus who has been wounded twice while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He gave the kind of speech that, no matter where your politics on the war in Iraq lie, make you want to salute the American flag by the end. In addition to his Hall of Fame induction, a general ascended the stage and gave him a Purple Heart and another citation. It was tear-jerking. The event wrapped up at around 11:00.