Johnson family attends launch festivities The family of Glenn Johnson attended a NASA reception five days before the launch of the space shuttle Discovery. Astronauts were in quarantine before the launch and unable to attend the event. NASA provided life-sized flat, cardboard cut-outs to attend the festivities in their honor. Glenn Johnson stands on the right, next to shuttle pilot "flat" Tony Antonelli (in orange). Wife Melissa Magdaleno, on the left, holds daughter Merlova. Daughter Zhivanna and son Akorren are standing in front. Photo provided.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space program and shuttle missions are faint and romantic notions for many in the Midwest. Carroll County enjoys an active local aviation community and children of all ages dream about going up into space or working with those who do, but few realize that lofty dream.

There are some individuals who are aware of each and every space mission. Many of those special people work at NASA. And one of them originally came from Carroll County.

Glenn Johnson, who attended Camden Elementary and Delphi Middle schools in the 1970s and 80s, has achieved his life-long dream of working at NASA and being part of the space program. He has become a "rocket scientist," according to his mother, Mary Ann Barkey of Camden.

Johnson, who is married with three children, lives in the Houston, Texas, area. He trains NASA astronauts about space shuttle systems but also about systems and procedures on the International Space Station (ISS). He has been at NASA for five years after graduating from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, and after teaching high school physics for five years.

Johnson said he moved to Houston for the sole purpose of pursuing employment at NASA.

A component of his NASA job, Johnson said, is to develop computer hardware and teach others at NASA about how to utilize the hardware. He said one of his duties is to inspect ISS equipment and work in conjunction with astronauts on the space station to help them receive and implement needed equipment to do their jobs.

Touchdown! NASA's space shuttle Discovery landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Saturday after a 14-day mission. Photo provided

"I train astronauts a lot," he said. "I work with all of the shuttle crews."

The most recent shuttle mission in which Discovery landed safely at Kennedy Space Center in Florida Saturday was a special one for Johnson. He and his family attended the launch.

"Not everybody in NASA gets to see a launch," he said. "We were within three miles of the launch pad. It was thrilling."

Johnson said because his family is close to the family of Discovery pilot Tony Antonelli, their children spent a significant amount of time together while the astronaut was in space. Antonelli was in charge of undocking the shuttle from the space station to initiate the shuttle's journey back to earth.

Cabin built at Camden school grounds

According to a NASA press release, the Shuttle Discovery (STS-119) mission marked the 28th mission to the ISS. The crew delivered the final pair of power-generating solar arrays and a U.S. truss segment, which signaled the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science projects.

Johnson explained that he considered his early educational experience important to him and instrumental to his future. He said it started him on the path to fulfilling his dream.

"I had a really good experience in elementary and middle school," he said. "My shop teacher, Dan Frost, was really good for me."

Johnson said when he was a fifth-grade student at Camden, his teachers (now county commissioner) Bill Brown, Linda Carroll and principal Terry Beach worked with his class to build a log cabin in the center courtyard of the school. He said he thoroughly enjoyed the "hands-on" experience.

"Glenn was very enthusiastic and bright," Brown said. "I would have been very surprised had he not become successful."

Brown said his fifth grade class spent every recess working on the cabin. The siding and roof were taken from a barn, which was next door to the school and belonged to the Johnson family.

"The students used little camping axes to trim the wood," Brown said. "And we had no injuries."

Beach said this year would mark the 30th anniversary of the building of the cabin, which was inspired by the "Foxfire" books. He said the wood came from Ben Been's farm.

"Glenn wasn't the kind of youth who would watch a lot of television - he was always doing something," Beach said. "This just shows that a student coming out of the Carroll County area with a dream and who is a hard worker can do what they want."

STS-119 Crew Insignia The design of the STS-119 patch comes from the shape of a solar array viewed at an angle. The space station is placed accordingly in the center of the emblem just below the gold astronaut symbol. The 17 white stars on the patch represent the crew's words, "The enormous sacrifice the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia have given to our space program." Photo provided.

Johnson's mother said that although her son was a hard worker, everyday after school he and two or three of his classmates would meet at one of their houses to watch "Star Trek."

"You did not bother them until it was over either!" she said. "Those boys knew all about outer space. It was always in Glenn's mind I think."

"Glenn had a great attitude," Brown concluded. "He was special."