>> Okay, if you guys are ready it's our pleasure to hand
over to Captain Cernan.
>> Captain Gene Cernan: Hey guys, I guess there's no gals
up there, but this is Gene Cernan and I --
I'm envious, I wish I could be up there with.
You're doing one heck of a great job, and you got a big legacy
to build upon and from where you leave off we're going
to get those kids down here excited about pressing on
and going even further.
I didn't know I was going to be able to do this,
but congratulations and I'll tell you what,
I'm personally proud.
I'm at the age now where I think most of you were probably
in diapers or knee pants when I went to the moon,
but at least what we did worked because it inspired you
to do what you're doing.
I got a couple guests here;
can they just say one word like hello?
>> Commander Kevin Ford: They absolutely can.
Great to see you all.
>> Hi guys, it's a pleasure to be here and to see you.
>> Chuck Briese: Hello, this is...
>> Commander Kevin Ford: Nice to hear your voice.
>> Chuck Briese: Chuck Briese saying hello
to the space station.
Thanks for all you do.
Captain Cernan's been singing your praises all day
and we really appreciate it all.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Commander Kevin Ford: Hey, thank you.
Great to hear your voice.
Go ahead.
>> David Cisco: Hi guys, this is David Cisco I'm
with Space Center Houston and we spend a lot of time talking
about what you guys do up there, and we're real proud of you.
Congratulations.
>> Commander Kevin Ford: We're regular visitors
to Space Center Houston.
>> Captain Gene Cernan: Hey I got to --
this is Gene Cernan again.
You guys don't -- you're living in a hotel, you're living
in a palatial palace up there.
I got to go back to the Gemini days when you had
to share elbow room with your buddy and you never got
out of your space suit for three days.
I can go on and on but, you know, we talked about living
up there like we live down here.
We didn't even have hot water on the moon for that cup of coffee.
But I'll tell you what, you deserve it all,
and it tells us how far we've come and
yet how far we've got to go.
God bless you guys, you're in our prayers and thoughts.
>> Commander Kevin Ford: Thank you very much sir,
it's great to see you on board.
I don't know -- can you guys all hear me?
Shake your head if you can.
Oh, okay awesome.
Yeah well, there's still a lack of gals
on board just like you said.
Hopefully that will change one in the future.
My first commander was Sonny Williams, so women are moving
out here to the space field and you're right;
the space station is a palace actually.
We did fly up here in a [inaudible], and I bet you inch
for inch elbow room it's pretty tight too, but we didn't have
to spend a lot of time in it
and we only have four hours home from here.
It is a pleasure to fly up and down to the space station.
I've been up here a little over 100 days now and Tom
and Chris have been up here about 45 or so,
somewhere in that neighborhood and living
in space is something we can do now
because of what you guys did those years ago.
I think I was 12 when you came home from the moon the last time
and these guys were probably 12 or 13,
we're all about the same age and you did inspire us for sure.
Just like, just like the whole world frankly.
Every place I go in the world they know NASA
because of what you guys did back then that long ago.
But we do have a lot of good people there now carrying
on the traditions and what we're doing
up here is fantastic, it really is.
I was impressed before I came
and I'm even more impressed after being here.
So, the ground teams are great, the nation is great
and it is going to make a huge difference
to generations 100 years from now, that are going to benefit
from what we're going up here and of course benefit
from what you did those years ago too.
So, yours is a remarkable story, we can't compete with that.
Great to have you in the center, and truly have you
on board the International Space Station too.
>> Captain Gene Cernan: Thank you.
One last thought; we always used to look at it as we stood
on the shoulders of the giants of a nation.
Remember you guys, when you get back the jobs not done.
You are now the shoulders for those kids to stand upon.
God bless.
[ Silence ]