Published:
Legendary Pioneers: OMEGA Welcomes the Space Cowboys to the Olympic Green in Beijing
BEIJING, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of NASA's most celebrated astronauts,
Captain Eugene Cernan and General Tom Stafford, were joined by explorer Wong
How Man and OMEGA president Stephen Urquhart at the OMEGA Pavilion on the
Olympic Green inBeijing on 18 August 2008. Also on hand was Swiss astronaut
Claude Nicolier.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080819/NYTU078)
OMEGA president Urquhart welcomed the adventurers and reminded the
audience and members of the media that the OMEGA Speedmaster has been a part
of every NASA manned space mission and is still the only watch ever to have
been worn on the moon. Pointing out that pioneering spirit is a core OMEGA
value, he said the company is proud of its association with explorers, both
lunar and terrestrial.
Captain Cernan left his mark on history with three missions in space. He
was the pilot of Gemini IX and the lunar module pilot of Apollo X. As the
commander of Apollo XVII, he holds the distinction of having been the last man
to leave his footprints on the lunar surface.
Asked by moderator Lynn Ding if he would like to return to the moon,
Cernan answered wryly, "If you'll go with me." He suggested to the audience,
"If you ever have a chance to go to the moon, take your camera!"
Cernan also talked about the time he was given an opportunity to drive
OMEGA's Moon Rover on the Great Wall and said he was delighted to be back in a
country which has so many happy associations for him.
General Stafford was a member of the crew on four NASA missions. He
piloted Gemini VI during the first rendezvous in space and he teamed up with
Cernan when he commanded Gemini IX and Apollo X. General Stafford logged his
fourth space flight commanding the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, a joint space
flight culminating in the first meeting in space between American astronauts
and Soviet Cosmonauts.
Stafford said that he feels privileged to be one of the only people in the
world ever to have gazed at Earth from the moon. Each of his four space
missions left him with a profound sense of pride and accomplishment.
The astronauts shared the stage with Wong, who was described by TIME
Magazine as "China's most accomplished living explorer". In June of this year,
he found the source of the Yellow River (he had already identified the source
of the Yangtze River). He pointed out that he and the astronauts share the
kind of motivation which is driven by an innate curiosity about the world
around (and above) them.
Swiss astronaut Nicolier described how OMEGA has always been associated
with adventure and exploration -- he is currently involved with the
OMEGA-supported Solar Impulse project with its aim of circumnavigating the
globe in an airplane powered only by the sun. "I'm here for three reasons," he
said. "I love the city ofBeijing. I am Swiss, something I share with OMEGA.
And I am an astronaut," pointing out that space travellers are still part of a
small, close fraternity.
Cernan and Stafford said that they hope to see some of the Olympic
sporting events while they're inBeijing. When asked which sports were of
particular interest, Gene Cernan drew loud applause from the audience when he
said, "Ladies' beach volleyball!"
The OMEGA Pavilion, located on the Olympic Green close to the National
("Bird's Nest) Stadium and the Aquatic Centre (the "Water Cube") is open to
the public daily from 10 a.m. throughout the Olympic Games.
SOURCE OMEGA
Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze,
Daily News
Tags: ,FAS,REA,SPT,ASI,OMEGA-greets-legends
_ _