By Tracy Overstreet
tracy.overstreet@theindependent.com

The NASA astronaut and 1981 Hastings College graduate returned to his alma mater Sunday night showing pictures he took 218 miles above the earth while on a five-month mission as a flight engineer on the International Space Station.

Anderson was the first Nebraska native to go into space. He started his mission in June 2007 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Of more than 21,000 photos Anderson took, he's reviewed just 7,000 since returning to earth Nov. 7, 2007. Those pictures included the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Answar Dam, Hurricane Felix, the Platte River and Offutt Air Force Base, Niagara Falls, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Lake McConaughy and Memorial Stadium during a home game.

They also included space video from Anderson's helmet cam showing how he jettisoned one of two pieces of debris from the space station. One piece of debris, the size of a podium, just returned to earth about a week and a half ago. The second was about the size of a refrigerator and is expected back in September, he told the 550-member audience.

But as Anderson detailed how he operated the station's Robotic Manipulator Canadarm, conducted science experiments, prepared for the docking of another space station crew and then returned home aboard the Shuttle Discovery, he carried another very important message on accomplishing dreams.

"I've learned you cannot do it alone. You must do it with the support of your family, and when I say the support of my family, I also include all of you people and especially the folks who touched my life at Hastings College," Anderson said.

"My thanks to Hastings College and the board of trustees and President Phil Dudley for having me come back," he said.

Anderson called Dudley and his two former physics professors up on stage at French Memorial Chapel to present them each a complete set of uniform patches from his mission.

"I'd like to thank (physics professors) Doc (Clyde) Sachtleben and Doc T. (Carl Throckmorton), who were so instrumental in my training and bringing me through Hastings College and providing in me a background that helped me allowed me to become an astronaut," Anderson said.

Sachtleben said Anderson was a "well rounded" student who did well in physics classes, but also in music, voice, literature and history classes. He was active in student government and football, the semi-retired professor said.

Sachtleben also recalled when Anderson got an internship interview during college that eventually led to his joining NASA's Johnson Space Center in 1983.

"He got called over in Bronc Hall and that's when there was just one phone in the hall not phones in every room," Sachtleben said.

"They wanted to have a conference call to interview him. He thought the Bronc Hall phone would be too noisy, so he gave them MY phone number. I remember him asking me if I was going to be in my office tomorrow. I said yes. 'Good,' he said. 'NASA wants to interview me and I gave them your phone number,'" Sachtleben laughed.

Anderson came to Sachtleben's office the next day and used his rotary dial phone for the interview.

"What we thought was going to be a five- to 10-minute interview lasted 30 minutes and then I knew they were definitely interested in him. He got the internship the next day," Sachtleben said.

Sachtleben said Anderson is a persistent person. He applied to be an astronaut 15 times before being accepted.

"He's an example of 'never give up,'" Sachtleben said.

Anderson invited Sachtleben and Throckmorton to the June 8, 2007, liftoff. Both attended.

"It was the thrill of a lifetime," Sachtleben said.

Anderson also thanked his family, including his brother and sister, and their spouses and children, as well as his wife of 15 years, Susan.

He choked back tears has he described his wife's selfless nature in caring for the couple's children 11-year-old son Cole and 7-year-old daughter Sutton as he trained to be an astronaut.

Anderson received the Hastings College Outstanding Alumni Award from the college's alumni association Sunday night.

Monday he'll be visiting college classrooms and spending time with students on campus.