Luka Dakskobler

Stories: THE ASTRONAUT

For Slovenia, a country so small, it sure has a lot of people of its descent going into space. After Sunita Williams, a NASA astronaut of Slovenian descent, who visited the country of her ancestors in 2013, another U.S. astronaut of Slovenian descent visited Slovenia in 2018. Randy "Komrade" Bresnik, a NASA astronaut who returned from the International Space Station (ISS) in December 2017 after spending 139 days in space. Together with his first flight on a Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009 his total days in space amount to 150. Randy's great-grandparents were from Ljubno and Luče in Slovenia. They moved to the United States and settled in California. His grandfather was a photographer in Hollywood and Amelia Earhart's personal photographer. Randy is a photographer, too. "When they (astronauts) see Earth from space, everybody wants to become a photographer," he explains. In fact, it is a shared sentiment of astronauts that the beauty they see from the ISS is inexplicable. In his career, Randy flew over 80 airplanes. He was a test pilot and also flew combat missions in the Middle East. His trip to the ISS began in July 2017, taking off from Kazahstan on a Soyuz rocket. Apart from space walks it included various tests, growing letuce, cancer research, launching satelites, intercepting the Space X capsule etc.  

This was the second visit to Slovenia for Randy and his family, but this time it was all about discovering the roots and promoting the majesty of our planet seen from space as one big blue marble without borders. Their visit included meetings with the president and prime minister of Slovenia, a tour of Herman Potočnik Noordung space center and a panel discussion on space technologies, an entire day with relatives in Ljubno and Luče where his great-grandparents were born, a visit to the astronomy club of Šentvid Highschool in Ljubljana and finally concluded with the last public presentation of his trip to space in the National Gallery in Ljubljana. 

  • March 10, 2018 - Randy Bresnik on his way to the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje, Slovenia.
  • March 9, 2018 -  Bresnik family meets with the president of Slovenia Borut Pahor on the first day of their visit.
  • Randy and his son Wyatt admiring the town of Vitanje and its surroundings before visiting the Herman Potocnik Noordung spece center.
  • Randy Bresnik takes a tour of Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje on his second day of visit to Slovenia.
  • Randy plays a virtual reality space game during a visit to the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje on his second day of visit to Slovenia, the country of his ancestors.
  • Randy and his son watch a hologram presentation of Herman Potocnik's idea about a space station that Potocnik developed as early as in the 1920's. Herman Potocnik Noordung was a Slovenian rocket engineer and a pioneer in astronautics.
  • Randy and his son Wyatt on a 4-day visit to Slovenia, the country of Randy's ancestors, take a selfie at the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • United States astronaut of Slovenian descent Randy Bresnik on a four day visit to the country of his ancestors gives a presentation while a boy plays in a flight simulator at the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • People watch Randy Bresnik's presentation at the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • People watch Randy Bresnik's presentation at the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • Randy and representatives of Slovenian companies that work with NASA speak at a panel discussion in the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • Randy Bresnik signs autographs after his presentation and panel discussion in the Herman Potocnik Noordung space center in Vitanje.
  • March 12, 2018 - Randy signs his name on the wall next to a photo of another U.S. astronaut of Slovenian descent Sunita Williams in the astronomy lab at Sentvid Highschool in Ljubljana.
  • At Sentvid Highschool in Ljubljana, Randy explains how G forces during takeoff go through the chest, not through an astronaut's head, which makes it easier to endure.
  • Randy during an interview,  one of several interviews for Slovenian media, in the National Gallery in Ljubljana before his final public presentation and Q&A.
  • Randy gives a presentation of his time at the International Space Station to students at the Sentvid Highschool in Ljubljana.
  • Randy's family listens to his final presentation on their 4-day visit to Slovenia in the National Gallery in Ljubljana.
  • March 11, 2018 - The Bresnik family meets with relatives and the mayor of Ljubno, Slovenia, where his great-grandmother was born.
  • Randy's relative shows a picture of his great-grandmother's old house while the mayor points out where it once stood in Ljubno, Slovenia.
  • The house where it is suggested that Randy's great-grandmother was born (it is unclear) used to stand by the river Ljubnica that runs through the town of Ljubno.
  • The Bresnik family visit the house where Randy's great-grandmother lived in Ljubno, Slovenia.
  • The family of Randy Bresnik's great-grandmother were locksmiths and the house got its name after that.
  • The Bresnik family and their relatives in Ljubno watch old photos of Randy's great-grandparents in Ljubno, Slovenia.
  • Randy arrives at a public reception in Luce, Slovenia, where his great-grandfather was born.
  • Local kids line up for Randy's autograph in Luce elementary school.
  • Randy distributed his mission's insignia to the kids at the Luce elementary school.
  • A selfie with young fans in the Luce elementary school after a reception, presentation and talk with the locals.
  • Randy Bresnik's wife Rebecca and kids design felt at a local handcrafts store and workshop in Solcava, Slovenia.
  • The Bresnik family and their relatives visit a tourist information center in Solcava.
  • Randy and his son are shown a map of the area around Ljubno, Luce and Solcava in the Solcava tourist information center.
  • Randy signs his photo handouts in the tourist information center Rinka in Solcava.
  • The Bresnik family and their relatives walk through an exhibition at the Rinka tourist information center in Solcava, Slovenia.
  • Randy's son Wyatt and daughter Abigail listen to a local musician play the zither in the Rinka tourist information center in Solcava, Slovenia.
  • Randy and his relative Angela Gersak inspect old family trees in Angela's weekend house in Robanov kot, Slovenia.
  • A farewell to the relatives, before final day of Randy's 4-day visit to Slovenia.
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