By Brandi Smith

EUGENE, Ore. -- A month from now, a Eugene man will be orbiting above Earth in the International Space Station.

Colonel Jim Dutton will pilot the Space Shuttle Discovery when it launches. When he does, he'll be living out a dream he's had since he was 10-years-old.

"I just can't wait to see an orbital sunrise, an orbital sunset, to look down on different parts of the earth and see the distinctness of the geography and the weather. It's going to be amazing," said Dutton.

On April 5th, he'll launch into space on the Shuttle Discovery. Soon after, Dutton will get to enjoy that amazing view, one few people ever get to see firsthand.

Dutton has been working toward that goal his entire life ever since he wrote a letter to NASA while he was a student at Cal Young Middle School. "It's just such a beautiful city. I had to go into the Air Force and travel the world to realize how much beauty I grew up with around me," he said.

Now he's getting ready for an out-of-this world experience. "Just getting used to and adapting to zero-G, to a perpetual freefall, for a two-week period, I think it's just going to be fascinating."

His will be one of the last shuttle missions.

"To get go train on it and learn the way that it works, how the different systems operate, for me that was a dream. I always wanted to do that and so now to see the vehicle retire, yeah, it's really hard," said Dutton.

However, Dutton says the experience will be better than he ever dreamed possible and is worth all the work it took to get here.

"I really encourage kids to dream big, to find out what they love to do and pursue that," he said.