Autographed Save the Children T-Shirt to be Displayed at Agency's Westport, Connecticut Headquarters

WESTPORT, Conn. (July 27, 2010) — NASA Astronaut Piers Sellers yesterday returned the red Save the Children t-shirt he carried with him on his 12-day mission to the international space station in May to the global humanitarian organization Save the Children. After sharing experiences of his flight, Sellers presented the t-shirt, autographed by the entire NASA Atlantis crew, to Save the Children's senior director of HIV/AIDS, Margaret Schuler.

NASA astronaut Piers Sellers returns a Save the Children t-shirt that orbited the earth on the Atlantis space shuttle mission this past May. July 27, 2010. Photo credit: Isabel Shaw for Save the Children

"It is such a thrill that this t-shirt traveled to space," said Schuler, addressing staff and children at the event. "We are deeply honored that Astronaut Sellers asked to take this emblem of Save the Children on the historic final flight of the space shuttle Atlantis."

In addition to aviation, the well-being of children and families in need also has been top of mind for Sellers ever since he was a child. He has been a long-time supporter of Save the Children and values the organization's efforts to work with communities and governments to provide a better and brighter future for children in need in the United States and around the world.

"I was pleased to have the opportunity to bring the t-shirt aboard the Atlantis as a symbol of the good work Save the Children does to create lasting change for children and families in the poorest parts of the world," said Sellers.

When asked what advice he would give children who want to grow up to be an astronaut, Sellers said, "Study hard, whether you want to be an astronaut, fireman or doctor. It all starts in school."

The t-shirt, which traveled more than 4.8 million miles on the space shuttle, will be framed and put on display at the organization's headquarters in Westport, Conn.

Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and 120 countries around the world. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. For Piers Sellers’ biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/sellers.html.