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Posts Tagged ‘astronauts’

To the Explorers

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged , , , , , , on August 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Astronaut James Lovell, Apollo 13 commander, dies at 97

“James Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 who helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering, has died. He was 97.”

(If you’re curious, here’s a quick refresher on the Apollo program.)

And because so many of us know of Lovell from the excellent movie version of his most famous mission, here’s Tom Hanks’ appreciation:

Tom Hanks pays tribute to Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell

“There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy.” 

Here’s to the brave, to the can-do, to the explorers among us. Humanity is the better for you.

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Photo by Ken Cheung on Unsplash

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An Altered Perspective

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged , , , , on March 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Now that Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are back on the planet after an unexpectedly long stint at the office (in space! because they’re astronauts!), we’re left with some important questions.

Like, what changes when you’re in space, physically speaking? How challenging is it when you come back to earth? How long does it take to adjust? And what exactly happens in their “comprehensive reconditioning process”?

For the answers to all this and more, check out How astronauts like Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore adjust when back on Earth.

“I was like, laying in bed. I had to go to the bathroom and I just started pushing off my back thinking, ‘I’m going to float to the bathroom.’ And the light was out and I’m pushing up and I roll out of bed,” he says.

Hehe:)

Here’s another take on the process, from former NASA astronaut Jack Fischer: Astronaut explains what a long space mission did to his body. He answers critical questions like “Can you have a beer right away if you wanted to?”

Inquiring minds want to know! (Short answer? Yes!)

There are certain upsides, physical…

The impacts of being in space, especially for long periods of time, on the body are still being studied. During a study conducted on astronaut twins Mark and Scott Kelly, researchers found that while Scott was on the ISS, he temporarily became two inches taller.

— NPR

…and mental…

“I went around the planet every 90 minutes. I saw everyone that was, is and will be on planet Earth.”

— Leland Melvin, Astronaut, NFL Player, Children’s Book Author 

Here’s to perspective!

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Modified Photo by SIMON LEE on Unsplash

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Tomorrow, in Space

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , on February 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Ever wondered what it’s really like to be an astronaut? Do you wish you could ask someone all those burning space questions you’ve got in the back of your mind (and who doesn’t)?

Tomorrow is your lucky day!

Astronauts Are Streaming Live on Twitch—and You Can Talk to Them

This Wednesday evening, you’ll be able to join two astronauts—one of whom is in space right now—on a live stream from space and ask them questions about what it’s like to live and work on the ISS.

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You can ask your very own question if you remember to tune in on Wednesday, February 12, at 11:45 a.m. EST (8:45 a.m. PST) on NASA’s Twitch channel.

I’m posting this now to give you time to prepare your best questions and to stock up on snacks like freeze dried ice cream, the weirdly addictive treat I’ve loved since childhood.

For fun, here’s an article on space food, even more on space food, and a sample menu from the International Space Station:

Why do typos matter? Ask the “cried apples”! Also, I am hungry now.

Apparently I’m interested in space food😉 No matter what space stuff you’re into, you’ve got a chance to ask about it tomorrow!

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Not an astronaut, but fun all the same. Photo by Iván Díaz on Unsplash

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An Astronaut’s Closet

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , on May 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

What’s in an astronaut’s closet? (And seriously, how do scratch your face in one of those things?) 

All this and more answers to your space-suit-related questions below!

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Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

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More on Why Science Needs Fiction

Posted in Likes, Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »

As a followup to my last post on Reading for Generation Mars, I’d like to reference this piece by Becky Chambers at the Tor.com blog. She wrote it after meeting a (real! live!) astronaut and realizing that what she does is important to science and progress too, and not in an abstract way.

The fact is that if space exploration—in whatever form—is going to continue onward, it needs all the support we can muster. We need public outreach, like what the astronaut was doing, to be aware of the work that’s already being done, and to spark the next generation to follow in their footsteps. We need quality education, and a larger emphasis on scientific literacy, both in the classroom and beyond.

And we need science fiction. Now, more than ever.

We need to consider which futures are worth pursuing, which ideas we’ve outgrown, and what dangers (both practical and ethical) could be lurking along the way. Science fiction is the great thought experiment that addresses all of these things, and there is no branch of it that is not hugely relevant today. We need stories based around existing technologies, to help us determine our immediate actions. We need near-future stories that explore where our efforts might lead us in our lifetime. We need stories that take the long view, encouraging us to invest in better futures for distant generations. We need space operas, to remind us to be daring. We need apocalypses, to remind us to be cautious. We need realistic stories, and ridiculous stories, and everything in between, because all of these encourage us to dream (perhaps the ridiculous ones most especially). We need all of it.

I found this to be a really nice summary of so many of the reasons why fiction, and science fiction in particular, is important. Sure, it’s just one element in a matrix of education, outreach and exploration, but it’s in there.

Now I’m going to go write something:)

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