GODWIN PREPARES FOR LAUNCH: LOCAL `CREW' WILL HEAD FOR FLORIDA TO WITNESS ATLANTIS LIFTOFF

OAK RIDGE -- A local "crew" will travel to Florida to watch Oak Ridge astronaut Linda Godwin's space shuttle blast into space early next month.

Godwin is one of a crew of five astronaut who will fly aboard Atlantis. The shuttle crew will launch the Gamma Ray Observatory.

Godwin is in pre-flight training for the launch in Texas and Florida; the shuttle is on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. Jeff Carr, NASA spokesman, said the flight is tentative between April 4 and 7, perhaps April 6.

A "crew" of at least 55 people from Oak Ridge, Jackson and Cape Girardeau are planning a trip to Florida for the take-off.

Godwin is the daughter of Maxine and James Godwin of Oak Ridge. Her mother talked to Godwin Friday night.

"I think she has everything under control," Maxine Godwin said. "She said they will go down to Cape Kennedy about three days before the launch."

Maxine Godwin said Linda Godwin was "about the same as she has been all along. I don't think Linda gets too excited. It's pretty exciting for me, though."

Her parents may have a chance to visit with Linda before the flight.

"If we do, we'll have to go through a physical first," she said. "They keep them quarantined. They don't want them to be exposed to anything before the flight."

Linda's twin sister and her family from Bartlesville, Okla. will be attending. "She has a big family, lots of aunts and uncles and cousins," Maxine Godwin said. Many of them will be traveling to Florida for the launch. Also, a number of friends from this area are planning to make the trip.

"I don't know how many invitations she sent out," Maxine Godwin said. "I figure more than 55 people have been invited from here."

A member of this local "crew," Cheryl Crouch, a learning disabilities teacher at Hawthorn School, said she and Godwin were friends in junior high and high school.

"It's interesting anytime to watch those launches," Crouch said. "But the fact that someone you know is aboard makes it really exciting.

"This was something I didn't think we could pass up," she said.

Crouch received an invitation to the launch. "It was sort of like a form letter with her name at the bottom. It had information about the activities and a number to call for update information."

Crouch explained that those persons with invitations may attend a reception the day before the scheduled flight. And they may take tours through the space center facilities.

The invitation included a note that Godwin would not be able to visit with the guests because she would be busy.

"We're planning to stay as long as we possibly can," Crouch said. "We want to make the trip worthwhile."

Shuttle launches have often been postponed days, even weeks, due to weather problems or equipment problems.

Godwin's high school physic's teacher, Ed Seabaugh, will also be attending the launch.

"I had her in high school at Jackson for physics and advanced chemistry," he said.

"I don't know whether I can take much credit for her success, but at least I didn't turn her off toward science," Seabaugh said.

Godwin earned masters and doctorate degrees in physics before beginning work at NASA.

Seabaugh said he and Godwin "pretty well kept in touch over the years. I've been following her career closely.

"I was tickled that she sent me an invitation. I sort of look at it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "The chance of having two astronauts in your class is rather improbable."

Dixie Crites, learning disabilities teacher at Jackson High School, said she is working hard to rearrange schedules so her family can attend.

"I really want to go," said Crites. "But timing is questionable. I'm a school teacher, and we have MMAT testing." Her husband Allen, is a school board candidate for the Jackson school district. The election is April 2.

"It's still kind of up in the air, but if it's at all possible, I will be there." Crites, too, was a high school friend of Godwin.

Crites said that even as a child, Godwin wanted to be an astronaut.

"She got up early in the morning when she was 9 and 10 years old to watch launches," Crites said. "That was a great interest of hers, and she definitely had the brains to go with all that ambition.

"She was here a couple years ago at my house, and I can tell you she's still the same girl. Her head's not up in the air at all," Crites said.

"I'm always concerned that her trip will go safely. That's the main thing," Crites said.

Patty Reisenbichler, executive secretary of Jackson Chamber of Commerce, also went to high school with Godwin and will travel to Florida next month.

Reisenbichler said she received official passes and other documents for the visit in Saturday's mail.

When Jackson celebrated its 175 anniversary, Reisenbichler contacted Godwin to recruit her for parade marshal.

"We were good friends through school," Reisenbichler said. "We have kept in touch, on and off, since we graduated. But I very surprised when I got an invitation. It was a good surprise definitely."

She said it's an opportunity she won't pass by. "We're very excited to be going down."