NASA Engineer Launches Into Second Half-Century

[Harold Henderson]

I know everyone has been wondering what Buddy Akins has been doing with himself since his AAV retirement to Palm Springs. Below was found in a Palm Springs tabloid this morning:

"Thomas, aka Buddy, Akins is reportedly designing a new launch vehicle to move roaches to Mars according to a recent NASA press release. Akins has been unavailable in Palm Springs for comment.

Ever since "Roadie" was discovered alive and kicking in STS-132, the NASA bureacracy seized upon the Send a Roach to Mars concept as a start-small, pay-your-way-as-you-go to build-big program to eventually return to manned space flight given the small budgets for the forseeable future. The initial program will concentrate on miniaturization and micro-engineering. Since roaches are prolific breeders and can live anywhere and in any landscape it is believed that sending two camera equipped roaches to Mars will cover the planet in 2.3 years.

At noon, today, there will be a formation fly-by over Palm Springs of the first 50 roach candidates and their micro miniaturized rockets -- all in Akin's honor."

What a project for our esteemed colleague to be involved in as we recognize his entry into his second half-century. Not many people can claim 50 lit roaches as birthday candles.

Happy Birthday, Buddy. Enjoy this great day with all the trimmings. Great to hear you are engaged in such an enterprising project.

[Theodore Martin]

Happy birthday Buddy. Keep those roaches...huh...rockets flying!

[Todd Meek]

Happy birthday Buddy. Keep working on that roach project, sounds pretty interesting.