| Astronaut - James Irwin Gives Unique Picture back to 'Astronaut Gives Unique Picture'
When Colonel James B. Irwin took his first steps on the surface of the moon during the 1971 Apollo 15 Mission, he was only the eighth man to do so.
 Relating his experiences to those gathered at the weekly prayer meeting at International Headquarters (in December 1972) he spoke of feeling God's presence on the moon in 'so many different ways'.
Colonel Irwin produced a colour photograph of himself at what he described as 'Missionary Headquarters on the Moon'. The picture he said, represented the highest point of his physical achievements, but it was in the depth of human experience that he had most often become aware of his need of God. The colonel's graphic description of his view of the planet earth from the space ship and the effect of the total experience upon his life made thrilling listening.
He presented the picture to General Erik Wickberg, who in exchanging a gift, welcomed the colonel as 'an astronaut, a fellow Christian and a fellow soldier in the great war to which God has called us'.
Having since retired from lunar exploration, Colonel Irwin pointed out that he was taking on 'an even greater mission - that of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone on earth'
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General Erik Wickberg receiving the print of astronaut Colonel James Irwin
James Irwin (Colonel, USAF, Ret) NASA Astronaut
Born: 17 March 1930 Pittsburgh USA
Died: 8th August 1991 of a heart attack at Valley View Hospital, Colorado
Colonel Irwin (who as lunar module pilot drove the first lunar module on the moon during the Apollo 15 mission) resigned from NASA and the US Air Force in July 1972 to form a religious organisation - High Flight Foundation in Colorado.
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