DANVILLE — Danville native and NASA astronaut Joe Tanner had a pretty simple message for students as he started his presentation Monday about his most recent space travels in September or what he called “the tail end of my summer vacation.”

“My message to you is: If I can do it, so can you,” he said.

To achieve a life goal, he told the students they must do three things: work hard; be good — a good person and team player; and don’t give up.

“And your dreams can come true,” he said.

Tanner reached his dream to be an astronaut after applying for the space program during a 12½-year span, applying five separate times and interviewing twice.

Tanner said it meant everything to be back where he attended school, speaking before an assembly of Bismarck-Henning junior high and high school and Rossville-Alvin students Monday morning.

“It’s my privilege. This is my roots,” he said.

He said he is an ordinary person, adding, “There is nothing special about me.”

He said whatever career the students want to pursue in their lives is possible.

For his latest mission, his fourth and last trip to space, Tanner trained for four and half years.

“You can get a college degree in less time than that,” he said.

The STS-115 mission aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, in which Tanner and five crew members installed solar arrays at the International Space Station, launched Sept. 9 after a 13-day delay.

Tanner took the students along on his space trip as he showed them pictures on a projector and described his experience.

Students started bobbing their heads as rock music filled in as a backdrop during the start of the presentation.

Tanner said the Atlantis was the first orbiter he flew in and it “is kind of my favorite.”

Students saw views of the cockpit and heard the roar of the solid rocket boosters as the shuttle shot up at 100 miles an hour past the tower up to space.

“It’s a wild ride,” Tanner said.

He said the astronauts wear orange space suits because “the eyeballs see it better.” The astronauts would be easier to spot if they fall in the ocean.

As Tanner pointed out and described his fellow astronauts, areas of the shuttle and parts of the space station, he would say “cool” here and there after some of the video and pictures.

Tanner showed several pictures he took of himself and the fellow astronauts.

A self-portrait showed various equipment reflected in Tanner’s closed helmet visor.

“The sun is so bright, if the gold visor is not down, I think it would blind you,” he said.

But he said this latest mission was a lot of work, with less free time.

“It’s kind of hard not to get lost in the view,” Tanner said of looking back to earth.

He told the students he could e-mail from the shuttle and he pushed the button to leave the space station.

Other pictures from space depicted views of U.S. cities, such as Houston and Washington, D.C.

Night photos showed clusters of lights. He identified the cities as Indianapolis, Louisville, Cleveland and others.

He tried to get an Illinois picture, but Chicago is the only area that’s most recognizable.

Following the DVD presentation, Tanner answered questions from the audience.

The first: Is the shuttle like flying a brick?

Tanner said it’s a little better than a brick, but the shuttle has a poor landing ratio.

It’s been said the space shuttle is harder to land than a conventional airplane. The shuttle descends through the atmosphere like a flying brick, using only its steering jets, and must be carefully guided to the ground like a high-tech glider.

Other students asked about his shoes in space, in which he replied he wears none.

Another question; How high is the space station? He told them about 200 miles.

How does he go to the bathroom in space? He said, “You have to be careful you don’t float. You can imagine the mess.”

Others asked if Tanner believed in other life on other planets.

“Yes, if God put it there. If not, no,” he said.

There’s no firm evidence, Tanner said.

Tanner also told the students for fun in space, the astronauts look out the window, do stupid astronaut tricks like make bubbles of water and suck them up with a straw and do flips.

Prior to Tanner’s presentation, Tanner gave the students a collection of student signatures that made the trip to space with him; they will be made into a banner.

He also presented a framed montage of pictures, a patch and Illinois state flag that also flew on the flight.

“It was really cool,” Bismarck-Henning senior Stephanie LeCleir said about Tanner’s presentation.

She enjoyed hearing about all the technology.

Lauren Potter, another senior, liked hearing from a local person who’s gone on to great things.

Junior Katherine Nobbe said she enjoyed the pictures of the astronauts, including one of the female astronaut’s hair going sideways behind her.

Bismarck-Henning School District Superintendent Randy Hird said Tanner is a favorite son and a role model.

Hird presented Tanner with a Bismarck-Henning Blue Devils shirt.

Hird said it’s always nice to have somebody return who has received the achievements like Tanner has.

Bismarck-Henning Junior High Principal Scott Watson added it is great for students to put a face with a name and image they’ve seen on television.

TANNER’S SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY

Presentations at Danville schools for students only.

9 a.m., Danville High School.

12:40 p.m., Edison Elementary School.

2 p.m., North Ridge Middle School.

THURSDAY

9 a.m., Meade Park Elementary School. Limited space for the public.

10:30 a.m., Danville Area Community College. Presentation for students only.

12:45-1:45 p.m., DACC’s Mary Miller Gym. Presentation for College Express and other area high school students and the public. Contact Kay Smoot at 443-3222 for more information about the assembly.

3:15-4 p.m., Oakwood Library.

6:30 p.m., Downtown “Night of Lights” holiday parade.