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Wonder what it’s like to fly for NASA Earth science expeditions? Ask our research pilot anything!
This January, we’re kicking off five new airborne Earth science expeditions aimed at studying our home planet from the land, sea and air. Here’s your chance to hear what it’s like from the cockpit!
Research pilot Dean “Gucci” Neeley will be taking your questions in an Answer Time session on Friday, January 10 from 12-1pm ET here on NASA’s Tumblr! Find out what it’s like to fly research aircraft that use the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of Earth, improve lives and safeguard our future! Make sure to ask your question now by visiting http://nasa.tumblr.com/ask!
Dean’s call sign Gucci came from flying KC-10 “Gucci Boys” before being hired to fly U-2 aircraft. Some say he spends too much time/money on his hair, clothes, cars. 😂
He played drums in two rock bands in the 80s and 90s; Agent Orange and the Defoliants; The Mod Sky Gods.
He spent his years in the Air Force as a reconnaissance squadron commander, wing chief of safety, stealth fighter squadron director and bomber in multiple worldwide aerial combat campaigns.
Dean holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
NASA Spotlight: Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Earth Scientist Erika Podest
Dr. Erika Podest is a scientist with the Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Group in our Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Earth Science Division and Visiting Associate Researcher in the Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) at UCLA. Her research entails using satellite images to study Earth’s ecosystems specifically related to wetlands and boreal forests and how they are being affected by climate change.
Erika took time from studying our home planet to answer questions about her life and career! Get to know our Earth Scientist:
What inspires/motivates you?
I am inspired by the beauty of nature, its perfection and by the peace it brings me. My motivation is to make a positive impact on our planet by better understanding it and caring for it.
What first sparked your interest in Earth science?
I was born and raised in Panama, which is a country with an exuberant nature. Since I can remember, I was always surrounded by nature because my father was an adventurer who loved the outdoors and always took me with him to go exploring or simply to enjoy a nice relaxing day outside. This led me to develop a deep sense of appreciation, respect, and curiosity for nature, which sparked my interest to learn about it and pursue a career in Earth Science.
What got you interested in the study of Earth from space?
Early in my college years I was training for my private pilot’s license and during my solo flights I would take pictures of features on the surface from the plane. I was always amazed at the details the pictures showed of the landscape that were not obvious from the ground. This was the first step towards discovering that there was a field for studying Earth from above, called remote sensing and consequently my Masters and Ph.D. were focused in this field.
What technology, discovery, or policy do you think has the most potential to decrease humans’ environmental impact (e.g. wind turbines, carbon taxes, clean meat)?
I don’t think it is a matter of any one technology, discovery or policy. It is a combination of everything. Having an impact on climate change involves every level and direction, from the bottom up at the individual, grassroots and community level to the top down at the policy level. As individuals, I think it is important to educate ourselves about climate change (I suggest climate.nasa.gov). We all have the power to make a positive change by speaking up and making informed decisions about our consumptive habits.
What’s a fact about the role of wetlands and boreal forests in the global ecosystem that you think would surprise people?
Wetlands provide a vital role in carbon storage. Even though they cover about 5-8% of the Earth’s land surface, studies indicate that they contain a disproportionate amount of our planet’s total soil carbon, about 20-30%. In addition, they are like the arteries and veins of the landscape, acting as water sources and purifiers and helping in flood control. They also protect our shores and harbor large amounts of biodiversity.
Boreal forests are found in the uppermost northern hemisphere (Alaska, most of Canada, Russia, Scandinavia and northern Asia) and account for about 30% of the world’s forest cover. These forests lock up enormous amounts of carbon and help slow the increasing buildup of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. In their peak growth phase during the northern spring and summer, the worldwide levels of carbon dioxide fall and the worldwide levels of oxygen rise.
Can you describe a typical day on a research trip?
It depends on the research trip. For example, one of my more recent ones was to the Peruvian Amazon where we went upriver on a boat for three weeks on a major tributary of the Amazon River called the Ucuyali River. I was with a team of eight researchers and we were studying the wetland ecosystems of the Pacaya-Samiria Natural Reserve, which entailed making vegetation measurements and assessing inundation extent to validate our scientific findings from satellite observations. We camped for most of the trip and a typical day entailed waking up at around 5:00 am with a symphony of sounds that emerged from the forest, including monkeys. We had breakfast and set off from base camp into the forest (~1 hour walk) to work an 8-9 hour day with a short lunch break (we had packed lunches) at noon. At the end of the day I’d be drenched in sweat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and dust and I’d bathe with water from the river, which was as brown as a milk chocolate bar. It was the most refreshing and cleansing feeling! The day would close with dinner followed with a discussion of the measurements to be collected the following day. Lights were out by 7:30 pm (which seemed like midnight) and I’d re-emerge myself into my tent in the dark tropical night surrounded by the sounds of the forest, until the next morning.
What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
That it is important to be patient, humble and thankful.
Do you have any secret skills, talents, or hobbies?
Great question! I do not have any secrete skills or talents but I do have a couple of hobbies. I play the piano, though I am still a novice. I love windsurfing. It is an amazing feeling to skim over the water at fast speeds (I’m also an adrenaline junkie). Finally, I am fascinated by magic card tricks and whenever I have some free time I like to learn a new trick.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I enjoy constantly learning about our natural world and how it works. I also really enjoy communicating my work to students and to the general public. I find it especially rewarding when I can educate people and motivate students to consider careers in science.
Erika, thank you for your time and everything you do to keep our home planet safe!
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Today we roll out a new communications project that highlights some of the many ways that NASA’s Earth observations help people strengthen communities across the United States.
Space for U.S. features stories on how Earth science data is used to make informed decisions about public health, disaster response and recovery and environmental protection. By highlighting advanced technology from a global perspective, our data helps provide people achieve groundbreaking insights.
For example, a family-owned coffee company in Maine used our sunlight, wind and temperature data to determine the placement of their power-generating solar wall.
For six decades, we’ve used the vantage point of space to better understand our home planet and improve lives. Using Space for U.S., you can browse through stories about how applied Earth science either by state or by topics such as animals, disasters, energy, health, land and water. Each click brings you a story about how people are putting NASA data to work.
Explore the true stories behind the innovative technology, groundbreaking insights, and extraordinary collaboration happening right here in the United States with Space for U.S.
It’s amazing what you can do with a little needle and thread! For #WorldEmbroideryDay, we asked what NASA imagery inspired you. You responded with a variety of embroidered creations, highlighting our different areas of study.
Wendy Edwards, a project coordinator with Earth Science Data Systems at NASA, created this embroidered piece inspired by Webb’s Carina Nebula image. Captured in infrared light, this image revealed for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth. Credit: Wendy Edwards, NASA. Pattern credit: Clare Bray, Climbing Goat Designs
Michael S. Hopkins was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2009. The Missouri native is currently the Crew-1 mission commander for NASA’s next SpaceX launch to the International Space Station on Nov. 14, 2020. Hopkin’s Crew-1 mission will mark the first-ever crew rotation flight of aU.S. commercial spacecraft with astronauts on board, and it secures the U.S.’s ability to launch humans into space from American soil once again.
Previously, Hopkins was member of the Expedition 37/38 crew and has logged 166 days in space. During his stay aboard the station, he conducted two spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 58 minutes to change out a degraded pump module. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering.
He took some time from being a NASA astronaut to answer questions about his life and career! Enjoy:
What do you hope people think about when
you launch?
I hope people are thinking about the fact that we’re
starting a new era in human spaceflight. We’re re-opening human launch
capability to U.S. soil again, but it’s not just that. We’re opening low-Earth
orbit and the International Space Station with commercial companies. It’s a lot
different than what we’ve done in the past. I hope people realize this isn’t
just another launch – this is something a lot bigger. Hopefully it’s setting
the stage, one of those first steps to getting us to the Moon and on to Mars.
You served in the U.S. Air Force as a flight
test engineer. What does that entail?
First off, just like being an astronaut, it involves a lot of training when you
first get started. I went to the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and spent a
year in training and just learning how to be a flight test engineer. It was one
of the most challenging years I’ve ever had, but also one of the more rewarding
years. What it means afterwards is, you are basically testing new vehicles or
new systems that are going on aircraft. You are testing them before they get
handed over to the operational fleet and squadrons. You want to make sure that
these capabilities are safe, and that they meet requirements. As a flight test
engineer, I would help design the test. I would then get the opportunity to go
and fly and execute the test and collect the data, then do the analysis, then
write the final reports and give those conclusions on whether this particular
vehicle or system was ready to go.
What is one piece of life advice you wish
somebody had told you when you were younger?
A common theme for me is to just have patience. Enjoy the ride along the way. I
think I tend to be pretty high intensity on things and looking back, I think
things happen when they’re supposed to happen, and sometimes that doesn’t
necessarily agree with when you think it should happen. So for me, someone
saying, “Just be patient Mike, it’s all going to happen when it’s supposed to,”
would be really good advice.
Is there a particular science experiment you enjoyed
working on the most while aboard the space station?
There’s a lot of experiments I had the opportunity to participate in, but
the ones in particular I liked were ones where I got to interact directly with
the folks that designed the experiment. One thing I enjoyed was a fluid
experiment called Capillary Flow Experiment, or CFE. I got to work directly
with the principal investigators on the ground as I executed that experiment.
What made it nice was getting to hear their excitement as you were letting them
know what was happening in real time and getting to hear their voices as they
got excited about the results. It’s just a lot of fun.
Space is a risky business. Why do it?
I think most of us when we think about whatever it is we do, we don’t think
of it in those terms. Space is risky, yes, but there’s a lot of other risky
jobs out there. Whether it’s in the military, farming, jobs that involve heavy
machinery or dangerous equipment… there’s all kinds of jobs that entail risk. Why
do it? You do it because it appeals to you. You do it because it’s what gets
you excited. It just feels right. We all have to go through a point in our
lives where we figure out what we want to do and what we want to be. Sometimes
we have to make decisions based on factors that maybe wouldn’t lead you down
that choice if you had everything that you wanted, but in this particular case
for me, it’s exactly where I want to be. From a risk standpoint, I don’t think
of it in those terms.
Can you describe your crew mate Soichi Noguchi in one
sentence?
There are many facets to Soichi Noguchi. I’m thinking about the movie Shrek.
He has many layers! He’s very talented. He’s very well-thought. He’s very
funny. He’s very caring. He’s very sensitive to other people’s needs and
desires. He’s a dedicated family man. I could go on and on and on… so maybe like
an onion – full of layers!
Star Trek or Star Wars?
I love them both. But can I say Firefly? There’s a TV series out
there called Firefly. It lasted one season – kind of a space cowboy-type show.
They did have a movie, Serenity, that was made as well. But anyway, I
love both Star Wars and Star Trek. We’ve really enjoyed The Mandalorian.
I mean who doesn’t love Baby Yoda right? It’s all fun.
How many times did you apply to be an astronaut? Did
you learn anything on your last attempt?
I tried four times over the course of 13 years.My first three attempts, I
didn’t even have references checked or interviews or anything. Remember what we
talked about earlier, about patience? For my fourth attempt, the fact is, it
happened when it was supposed to happen. I didn’t realize it at the time. I
would have loved to have been picked on my first attempt like anybody would
think, but at the same time, because I didn’t get picked right away, my family
had some amazing experiences throughout my Air Force career. That includes
living in Canada, living overseas in Italy, and having an opportunity to work
at the Pentagon. All of those helped shape me and grow my experience in ways
that I think helped me be a better astronaut.
Can you share your favorite photo or video that you
took in space?
One of my favorite pictures was a picture inside the station at night when
all of the lights were out. You can see the glow of all of the little LEDs and
computers and things that stay on even when you turn off the overhead lights.
You see this glow on station. It’s really one of my favorite times because the
picture doesn’t capture it all. I wish you could hear it as well. I like to
think of the station in some sense as being alive. It’s at that time of night
when everybody else is in their crew quarters in bed and the lights are out
that you feel it. You feel the rhythm, you feel the heartbeat of the station,
you see it in the glow of those lights – that heartbeat is what’s keeping you
alive while you’re up there. That picture goes a small way of trying to capture
that, but I think it’s a special time from up there.
What personal items did you decide to pack
for launch and why?
My wedding bands. I’m also taking up pilot wings
for my son. He wants to be a pilot so if he succeeds with that, I’ll be able to
give him his pilot wings. Last time, I took one of the Purple Hearts of a very
close friend. He was a Marine in World War II who earned it after his service
in the Pacific.
Thank you for your time, Mike, and good luck on your historic mission! Get to know a bit more about Mike and his Crew-1 crew mates Victor Glover, Soichi Noguchi, and Shannon Walker in the video above.
Watch LIVE launch coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 14 HERE.
Ever wanted to ask a NASA astronaut a question? Here’s your chance!
NASA astronaut Nick Hague will be taking your questions in an Answer Time session on Thursday, January 16 from 12pm - 1pm ET here on NASA’s Tumblr! Find out what it’s like to live and work 254 miles above our planet’s surface. Make sure to ask your question now by visiting http://nasa.tumblr.com/ask!
Nick Hague was selected as one of eight members of the 21st NASA Astronaut class in 2013. Hague was the first astronaut from his class to be assigned to a mission which launched on October 11, 2018. Unfortunately, he and his crewmate Alexey Ovchinin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, were forced to abort the mission when a rocket booster experienced a malfunction shortly after the launch of their Soyuz MS-10. The aborted spacecraft landed safely.
His first flight to the International Space Station was from March 2019 through October 2019 as a a part of the Expeditions 59 and 60 crew. Together, the crew conducted hundreds of experiments, including investigations into devices that mimic the structure and function of human organs, free-flying robots and an instrument to measure Earth’s distribution of carbon dioxide. While at the International Space Station, Hague conducted three spacewalks, totaling 19 hours and 56 minutes with a total of 203 days in space.
Hague was selected for the Air Force Fellows program where he was assigned as a member of the personal staff in the U.S. Senate, advising on matters of national defense and foreign policy.
He was a top flight test engineer in the U.S. Air Force.
He deployed five months to Iraq in support of Iraqi Freedom, conducting experimental airborne reconnaissance.
He enjoys exercise, flying, snow skiing and scuba.
Andrew J. Feustel was selected by NASA in 2000. The Lake Orion, Michigan native has a Ph.D. in the Geological Sciences, specializing in Seismology, and is a veteran of three spaceflights. In 2009, Dr. Feustel served on space shuttle mission STS-125. That mission was the fifth and final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope that improved the observatory’s capabilities through 2014! Feustel most recently served as Commander on the International Space Station from March 21 through October 4, 2018. In his free time, Dr. Feustel enjoys auto restoration, guitar, water and snow skiing and is a fan of automotive and motorcycle racing.
He took some time from his job as a NASA astronaut to answer a few questions about his life and career! Enjoy:
While attending Oakland Community College, you worked as an auto mechanic. How does that job and the skills you learned relate to your job now as an astronaut?
I’ve often told people that I believe having this skillset is almost as important as my training in college and university. I relied on those skills almost every day in space and even on the ground while preparing for missions. That skillset has been really helpful in understanding how to maintain and repair equipment for spaceflight. In general, having those general skills of knowing how things fit together, what the structure is, and how things work, even without knowing anything about the particular item, is very helpful in life.
Has there ever been a time as a NASA Astronaut where you had to overcome self-doubt and if so, how did you?
Yes, probably the most impactful time I had to overcome self-doubt was on my very first mission as a rookie doing a spacewalk for the first time and having to make a repair on the Hubble Space Telescope. Since it was my first spacewalk, I didn’t know if I could do it and didn’t know how I would do. However, I had trained for that mission for three years and the training took over when I started the spacewalk. At that point, I didn’t focus on my self-doubt, I focused on my training and was able to carry out the tasks.
What are you most excited about for the upcoming Artemis Moon missions?
I am most excited about the possibility of humans establishing the ability to live off of our planet. To have the capability to exist on another surface. That, to me, is a start. Humans need that capability for us to live on the Moon then to go to Mars.
What did living in space teach you about community and teamwork?
Not just living in space, but working at NASA and training for space missions taught me a lot about community and teamwork. Living in space allows you to use the skills you learn about teamwork while training. While living in space you must rely on each other for everything. It’s important to recognize the value of working as a team. All of the astronauts have a very different mix of skills and that’s a great thing about the astronaut corps. Being successful and staying alive in space relies on community and teamwork.
What kind of impact did living and working in space have on how you view the Earth?
I am more aware of the fragility of our planet and species which is why humans should extend past the Earth. We are fragile as a planet and the Earth is vulnerable to the impacts of us living here. We cannot have zero impact on the planet, we will always have some impact, but the goal is to lessen the damage that we do to Earth to allow us to live here indefinitely if possible.
What or who inspired you to apply to be an astronaut?
I was inspired by reading the obituary of my great-great uncle. He was very successful in the utilities and railroad industry in the Midwest. Reading about his successes made me believe that I could do anything. I was also interested in space travel from a young age. I believed that I would be involved in the space industry. The motivation of understanding what family members had done before me really encouraged me to reach for my dreams and apply.
What book, movie, or show about space and/or astronauts is the most accurate? The least accurate? You wish was accurate?
I’m less concerned about the accuracy of space and space exploration portrayed in movies, but more interested with the creative thought behind them and I am fascinated with ideas and imagination of the people making these movies. Things portrayed as science fiction in the past become science fact in the future.
What’s the most common misconception about astronauts / working at NASA?
The most common misconception about astronauts is that we go on spaceflights often. Over 95% of our job is spent working on the ground. People should come to this job because it’s important to space and space exploration. The job entails so much more than going into space yourself, but the good news is it’s all awesome. I have never been bored at my job. There are so many exciting parts of this work that contribute to NASA missions even if it doesn’t always mean being in space.
Can you share your favorite photo or video that you took in space?
My favorite photo is this one of Michigan and Canada. It captures my life – where I lived and everyone that I know and my family and friends – that’s where I consider home. It’s such a beautiful image.
That’s a wrap! Thank you Dr. Feustel for your time!
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.
We could talk all day about how our satellite data is crucial for Earth science…tracking ocean currents, monitoring natural disasters, soil mapping – the list goes on and on.
But did you know there is another way this data can improve life here on Earth?
Our satellite data can be used to build businesses and commercial products – but finding and using this data has been a daunting task for many potential users because it’s been stored across dozens of websites.
Until now.
Our Technology Transfer program has just released their solution to make finding data easier, called The NASA Remote Sensing Toolkit (RST).
RST offers an all-in-one approach to finding and using our Earth Science data, the tools needed to analyze it, and software to build your own tools.
Before, we had our petabytes on petabytes of information spread out across dozens of websites – not to mention the various software tools needed to interpret the data.
Now, RST helps users find everything they need while having only one browser open.
Feeling inspired to innovate with our data? Here are just a few examples of how other companies have taken satellite data and turned it into products, known as NASA spinoffs, that are helping our planet today.
1. Bringing Landscape into Focus
We have a number of imaging systems for locating fires, but none were capable of identifying small fires or indicating the flames’ intensity. Thanks to a series of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts between our Ames Research Center and Xiomas Technologies LLC, the Wide Area Imager aerial scanner does just that. While we and the U.S. Forest Service use it for fire detection, the tool is also being used by municipalities for detailed aerial surveillance projects.
2. Monitoring the Nation’s Forests with the Help of Our Satellites
Have you ever thought about the long-term effects of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, on forest life? How about the big-time damage caused by little pests, like webworms?
Our Stennis Space Center did, along with multiple forest services and environmental threat assessment centers. They partnered to create an early warning system to identify, characterize, and track disturbances from potential forest threats using our satellite data. The result was ForWarn, which is now being used by federal and state forest and natural resource managers.
3. Informing Forecasts of Crop Growth
Want to hear a corny story?
Every year Stennis teams up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to host a program called Ag 20/20 to utilize remote sensing technology for operational use in agricultural crop management practices at the level of individual farms. During Ag 20/20 in 2000, an engineering contractor developed models for using our satellite data to predict corn crop yield. The model was eventually sold to Genscape Inc., which has commercialized it as LandViewer. Sold under a subscription model, LandViewer software provides predictions of corn production to ethanol plants and grain traders.
4. Water Mapping Technology Rebuilds Lives in Arid Regions
No joking around here. Lives depend on the ability to find precious water in areas with little of it.
Using our Landsat satellite and other topographical data, Radar Technologies International developed an algorithm-based software program that can locate underground water sources. Working with international organizations and governments, the firm is helping to provide water for refugees and other people in drought-stricken regions such as Kenya, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
5. Satellite Maps Deliver More Realistic Gaming
Are you more of the creative type? This last entry used satellite data to help people really get into their gameplay.
When Electronic Arts (EA) decided to make SSX, a snowboarding video game, it faced challenges in creating realistic-looking mountains. The solution was our ASTER Global Digital Elevation Map, made available by our Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which EA used to create 28 real-life mountains from 9 different ranges for its award-winning game.
The tenth SpaceX cargo
resupply mission launched to the International Space Station on Feb. 18, and is carrying science ranging from protein crystal growth studies
to Earth science payloads. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights heading
to the orbiting laboratory.
The CASIS
PCG 5 investigation will crystallize a human monoclonal antibody,
developed by Merck Research Labs, that is currently undergoing clinical trials
for the treatment of immunological disease. Results from this investigation
have the potential to improve the way monoclonal antibody treatments are
administered on Earth.
Without proteins, the human
body would be unable to repair, regulate or protect itself. Crystallizing
proteins provides better views of their structure, which helps scientists to
better understand how they function. Often times, proteins crystallized in microgravity
are of higher quality than those crystallized on Earth. LMM
Biophysics 1 explores that phenomena by examining the movement of
single protein molecules in microgravity. Once scientists understand how these
proteins function, they can be used to design new drugs that interact with the
protein in specific ways and fight disease.
Much like LMM Biophysics
1, LMM
Biophysics 3 aims to use crystallography to examine molecules that
are too small to be seen under a microscope, in order to best predict what
types of drugs will interact best with certain kinds of proteins. LMM
Biophysics 3 will look specifically into which types of crystals thrive and
benefit from growth in microgravity, where Earth’s gravity won’t interfere with
their formation. Currently, the success rate is poor for crystals grown even in
the best of laboratories. High quality, space-grown crystals could improve
research for a wide range of diseases, as well as microgravity-related problems
such as radiation damage, bone loss and muscle atrophy.
Nanobiosym Predictive
Pathogen Mutation Study (Nanobiosym
Genes) will analyze two strains of bacterial mutations aboard the
station, providing data that may be helpful in refining models of drug
resistance and support the development of better medicines to counteract the
resistant strains.
During the Microgravity
Expanded Stem Cells investigation, crew members will observe cell
growth and morphological characteristics in microgravity and analyze gene
expression profiles of cells grown on the station. This information will
provide insight into how human cancers start and spread, which aids in the
development of prevention and treatment plans. Results from this investigation
could lead to the treatment of disease and injury in space, as well as provide
a way to improve stem cell production for human therapy on Earth.
The Lightning Imaging Sensor
will measure the amount, rate and energy of lightning as it
strikes around the world. Understanding the processes that cause lightning and
the connections between lightning and subsequent severe weather events is a key
to improving weather predictions and saving life and property.
From the vantage
of the station, the LIS instrument will sample lightning over a wider
geographical area than any previous sensor.
Future robotic spacecraft
will need advanced autopilot systems to help them safely navigate and
rendezvous with other objects, as they will be operating thousands of miles
from Earth.
The Raven (STP-H5
Raven) studies a real-time spacecraft navigation system that provides
the eyes and intelligence to see a target and steer toward it safely. Research
from Raven can be applied toward unmanned vehicles both on Earth and in space,
including potential use for systems in NASA’s future human deep space
exploration.
SAGE
IIIwill measure stratospheric ozone, aerosols, and other
trace gases by locking onto the sun or moon and scanning a thin profile of Earth’s atmosphere.
These
measurements will allow national and international leaders to make informed
policy decisions regarding the protection and preservation of Earth’s ozone
layer. Ozone in the atmosphere protects Earth’s inhabitants, including humans,
plants and animals, from harmful radiation from the sun, which can cause
long-term problems such as cataracts, cancer and reduced crop yield.
Tissue Regeneration-Bone
Defect (Rodent
Research-4) a U.S. National Laboratory investigation sponsored by the
Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and the U.S. Army
Medical Research and Materiel Command, studies what prevents other vertebrates
such as rodents and humans from re-growing lost bone and tissue, and how
microgravity conditions impact the process.
Results will provide a new
understanding of the biological reasons behind a human’s inability to grow a
lost limb at the wound site, and could lead to new treatment options for the
more than 30% of the patient.
“Where else in the world would you hear a story like mine? I’m a kid from a single mom, a teenage mom from El Salvador who worked in all sorts of low-income jobs… My story is a great story about America. What are the chances that a kid like me would end up being where I am today?” - Frank Rubio
Dr. Frank Rubio is a Los Angeles-born Salvadorian-American who was selected as NASA astronaut candidate in 2017. The Florida native graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Prior to attending medical school, he served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and flew more than 1,100 hours, including more than 600 hours of combat and imminent danger time during deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Dr. Rubio is a board certified family physician and flight surgeon. At the time of his selection, he was serving in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Frank took time from training to become a certified NASA Astronaut to answer questions about his life and career:
You’ve served in the Special Forces, are certified as a family physician and now are a selected Astronaut candidate – What inspired you to apply to be an astronaut and how do you think your past jobs will play a role in your new career?
It was a friend in the astronaut corps that recommended I put in an application. After he recommended it, I thought it was an amazing opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself and to allow me to continue to serve. It gave me an opportunity to explore and make a difference. And it sounded like a lot of fun! My past careers have allowed me to be comfortable with uncertainty and the unknown and to function well despite often not having all the facts.
Do you have any secret skills, talents, or hobbies?
I was on the skydive team in college.
How would you describe your job to a five year old?
I have one of the best jobs in the world because I get to train and work towards a mission that helps humankind. My job is unique in that you and your team are working to make a difference from a much bigger perspective. And hopefully I get to ride on a rocket and go to space!
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Early in my career and throughout my career I was assigned to jobs that may not have been my first choice, but they turned out to be amazing opportunities. I was taught to have a good attitude and give it your best no matter where you are. Those opportunities ended up being some of the best and helped me get where I am today.
Any facts about/aspects of astronaut training that you think people would be surprised to find out?
A lot of people don’t realize how much studying is involved. It’s comparable to the studying I did in flight school or medical school.
What are five things that you will definitely take with you on your first space flight?
Pictures of my family and friends, a Bible and lots of books to read (probably on a tablet), patches from my Army units- they helped form me to be the person I am today, music, and if I could take my dog (and family), I definitely would! Also, Something for each of my kids to give to them.
You just finished up geology training. What fact or skill did you learn during geology training that you think rocks the most?
The overall idea that the rocks and the different units we studied have so much to tell. You learn to appreciate how much the layout of the land and the rocks and the way they interact together can tell you about the history of that place. It’s amazing.
Since you’re getting close to completing astronaut training, what about your first space flight are you most looking forward to?
Everything will be fantastic from the ride up there, to floating in space, to the amazing science we get to perform, to being part of the team. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of looking back at Earth and having the chance to get the perspective to recognize the grandeur and uniqueness of Earth.
What would be the first thing you would say if you happened to make contact with an alien lifeform able to communicate with you?
Hello! How are you? I would want to know about them and to share humankind with them.
Thank you for your time Frank, and good luck as you continue to complete astronaut training!
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For Earth Day, we’re inviting you to take a moment to celebrate our wonderful water world, Earth. As far as we know, our Blue Marble is the only place in the universe with life, and that life depends on water. Snap a photo of yourself outside and tag it #GlobalSelfie – bonus points if your selfie features your favorite body of water! http://go.nasa.gov/3xFt0H0
