▁message ▁as ▁a ▁t ribute ▁to ▁Atl ant is , ▁the ▁entire ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁Program ▁and ▁team . ▁In ▁the ▁message , ▁Fer g us on ▁spoke ▁about ▁the ▁U . S . ▁flag ▁displayed ▁behind ▁them ▁that ▁was ▁flow n ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁space ▁sh utt le ▁mission , ▁ST S - 1 . ▁It ▁was ▁flow n ▁on ▁this ▁mission ▁to ▁be ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁space ▁station ▁crew . ▁The ▁flag ▁remained ▁displayed ▁on ▁board ▁the ▁space ▁station ▁until ▁the ▁next ▁crew ▁launched ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁retrieved ▁it ▁for ▁return ▁to ▁Earth . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁video ▁celebr ating ▁the ▁cent enn ial ▁of ▁naval ▁av iation , ▁Commander ▁Fer g us on ▁and ▁Pil ot ▁Hur ley ▁also ▁paid ▁t ribute ▁to ▁U . S . ▁naval ▁av i ators . ▁Among ▁many ▁those ▁who ▁have ▁made ▁significant ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁human ▁space ▁program , ▁Hur ley ▁mentioned ▁several ▁names ▁such ▁as ▁Alan ▁She p ard , ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁to ▁fly ▁in ▁space ; ▁John ▁Gl enn , ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁to ▁orbit ▁the ▁Earth ; ▁Neil ▁Arm strong ▁and ▁Eug ene ▁C ern an , ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁last ▁humans ▁to ▁set ▁foot ▁on ▁the ▁Moon ; ▁John ▁Young ▁and ▁Robert ▁C ri ppen , ▁the ▁first ▁pil ots ▁of ▁the ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ; ▁and ▁Fer g us on ▁and ▁Hur ley , ▁the ▁commander ▁and ▁the ▁pilot ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁( last ) ▁sh utt le