Stuff like this only happens once

It was 2005. I had just finished my co-op placement with High Road Communications in Ottawa and had joined the team full-time. I was working on an account that developed laser technologies, Neptec. There was a lot about this company that went over my head - lasers, diodes, wavelengths. It made me wish I had paid more attention in physics. What didn't go over my head was the opportunity to do some great PR.

Neptec worked with NASA and was part of the Shuttle program. It's laser camera system would be a key part to the program that year - the year of STS-114. Discovery's Return to Flight. It was the first flight since the awful tragedy of Columbia and Neptec's technology would provide a much-needed tool to ensure the crew could return safely to Earth.

I loved this account. It was dorky enough that made me enjoy reading about the technology. Politically sensitive with numerous partners and players all having their say. And the right amount of "small-business does GREAT" that generated coverage. So early on in my career - this was NEWS. Real news. Valuable news. Relationship-building kind of news. I loved every second of it. I'm not sure I'll ever get to be part of such a perfect feel-good story again.

Because of that experience, I have watched almost every launch since and it was a pretty sad day to see Discovery retired in March.