A lot of our friends from IUE had to chuckle when they heard Terry and I were writing a management book based on IUE practices. Boy, we used to howl about some of the managerial things that went on in the Science Operations contractor side of the Project. But after the Project disbanded and the people disbursed, it became clear that we had worked in a genuinely unusual and spectacular project. After the chuckles, everyone really knew that the book deserved to be written.

And for those of you who have read the book, we hope that the pictures put faces on the names of the people whose thoughts we shared. Sometimes it helps to make a story like IUE more believable. It really happened the way we wrote it.

The International Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, prior to delivery to Kennedy Space Flight Center for launch in late January, 1978. On January 26, 2008 the team that built, launched and operated the International Ultraviolet Explorer Satellite celebrated the 30th anniversary of the spacecraft's launch. Over 100 people attended, sharing stories and historical artifacts.	For those who have an interest in such gatherings, please feel free to visit the IUE Reunion pages. For an album of photos taken at the reunion, please link to PHOTOS posted by Zolt LeVay of the Space Telescope Institute.
"THEN"	"NOW"
NASA IUE Project founder Al Boggess (standing in middle) conducts a tour of NASA officials through the new IUE control center in the late 1970s.	Al at the 30th Anniversary Celebration for the launch of the IUE Satellite.
NASA IUE Project Scientist Yoji Kondo (standing at far end) checks an incoming image with Telescope Operate Matt Garhart (seated), George Sonneborn (standing), and Assistant Project Scientist Don West (seated in foreground) in 1988.	Yoji speaking at the IUE Celebration.
Resident Astronomer (now Director of CSC Operations at Space Telescope) Charlie Wu (seated left), Telescope Operator Bill Crabb (middle), and Guest Observer Dr. Schmidt at the Telescope Operations Control Center in the late 1970s.	Charlie speaking at the IUE Celebration.
Additional People involved with IUE and Optimizing Luck
Peter Perry, first Task Leader hired into the Project by CSC, and later Director of CSC's Science Programs business unit, with Barry Turnrose, initially the Resident Astronomer for Image Processing, and later CSC Director of the IUE Project (on the right)).	A good percentage of the Resident Astronomers of the IUE Project, centered on Charlie Wu holding his copy of Optimizing Luck (good man, Charlie!). Immediately to Charlie's right is Rich Arquilla, the man who suggested Terry and I write this book. To Rich's right in the gray sports jacket is co-author Terry Teays. I'm in the back holding up the pole in the right side of the photograph.
Science and Technology Meet Folk Art at The IUE 30th Anniversary of Launch Celebration
An IUE Fine Error Sensor (FES) image of Comet Halley from 1986. The maximum image size from the FES is 126x126 pixels.	A false-color rendering of the FES image on a quilt made by a member of the IUE family. I apologize for not having the name of the quilter at this time.