Space Cadet Girl

I knew the STS 119 Launch scheduled on March 12 at 9:38pm was a shot in the dark both literally and figuratively-speaking, but at 3am I jetted from the John F. Kennedy Airport to the Kennedy Space Center just in case. When Louella, the Astronaut Relations Manager at Virgin Galactic gave me tickets to see the launch at Banana Creek, which is only 3 miles from the launch pad, I was ecstatic. 3 miles may sound a bit far, but anyone who scootches much closer is at risk for death by fumes, flames, etc. After the launch was scrubbed, I went back to the Space Center to hear a few speeches.One retired astronaut confessed, “I remember the first time I went to space….we were strapped on to that big explosive manufactured by the lowest bidder and everyone else got into their trucks and drove miles away to watch us from a safe place. It’s a good thing they give us astronauts diapers. Just in case you literally sh*t your pants.” Ah to be an astronaut…ahhh to be human! I wonder, since there is a market for poop as art or collectibles (see Piero Manzoni’s canned crap: “Merda d’Artista,” or Celebrity Stools for reference), if perhaps NASA could stop pleading with Congress for more funds and start selling astronaut diapers on E Bay to help pay for the cost of future missions? Besides, spending tens of thousands of dollars on biodegradable items like poop is very environmentally friendly. But I digress!

Since the launch was delayed, my friend Cameron and I had time to visit the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The most amusing relic of all was not a set of complicated machinery, but a plain old tin container. I like to guess what things are before reading the labels, and this one seemed pretty easy. It was obviously used for storing some equipment, right? Nope– it was a make-up container for female astronauts! I’m pretty sure that there is a cost of thousands of dollars per pound launched into orbit…but I guess lipstick is an essential. Personally, I would want my green mascara, just in case of a run in with aliens (assuming they like green…).

The Hall of Fame also boasts some fun rides. My favorite was the 4G Experience. The jolly fellow who operates the machine reassured me, “People puke in here a few times a month, but you can’t smell a thing, can ‘ya?” The janitors deserve due credit in the Hall of Fame too: I would have never known the 4G ride was vomit-vehicle had I not been told.

The thought of losing my lunch reminded me that I was hungry, so my next stop was to Lou’s Blues, a hamburger and beer joint on the beach– or so I thought. There must have been a misspelling– I’m sure the locals know it as “Lou’s Booze and Bras” or “Lou’s Crib of Death.” Old people in Hawaiian shirt danced under a chandelier tangled in a mass of dusty, deteriorating bras, and life-sized skeletons popped out of every corner. It seems there are two types of people in Florida: those who are waiting to become astronauts and launch themselves 60 miles up, and those who are waiting to be put 6 ft. under ground. There’s not a whole lot in between.

To top off the trip, Cameron and I were run out of town by an alligator. We had stopped by a nice grassy patch and were munching on bagels when a rather large lizard (see him in the back left of the picture) slithered out way at full speed. We bounced like a pair of frightened bunnies and took off for New York. I’d rather be snuggled up next to a psychopath in the New York subway than snacking by a swamp in the Sunshine State. Florida sure is a freak fest, but I would love to go back and see a launch if ever the opportunity crops up again.

Sharing is caring right? Well, collaboration may be cool at school, but cross-corporation communication is a concern to many. So, is open science good for research and/or good for researchers? Then answer is what answers nearly always are: it depends.

My friend Bora Zivkovic was on a Columbia University panel to discuss this issue, along with Barry Canton (founder of OpenWetWare wiki and  Gingko BioWorks ) and Jean-Claude Bradley (Associate Prof. at Drexel and founder of UsefulChem). Ultimately, each panelist agreed that in most situations open access to information is a good way to move forward in the sciences.

Bora  pointed out that “There are enemies of open access because there are people making a lot of money on keeping things closed... I think in science, years from now, people will be asking, ‘why weren’t you open, why were you hiding?’” Of course, Bora and the other panelists recognized that when it comes to concerns like research related to security, patents, future Nobel Prizes etc., those doors do need to be closed. It’s common sense, not rocket science (except when it is rocket science, of course).

One audience member’s concern was how the shift towards open research may affect professional credentials. After all, many science careers are based on peer reviewed publication, not blogs. Bora replied by asking us to think about the long-term. The shift will take some time, and some aspects of the move (like this one) will be clunky. But imagine if people could have left comments and questions about the work of great scientists who lived long before the internet? This would be a wonderful resource for us today, and future scientists will certainly find this kind of resource incredibly valuable.

I’m delighted that most everyone acknowledged that open is awesome, and that it’s OK for scientists can come out of the closet– though no one is expecting a marriage between private companies and open research anytime soon (well, maybe in Canada…).

* On a side note, if you’re interested in science blogging, you will probably enjoy The Open Laboratory: The Best in Science Writing on Blogs

People who help Space Cadet Girl rock…they’re all stars in my book. And it just so happens that Daniel Lang, who is helping design the Space Cadet Girl logo, is genuine rock star!

“Wildfire Chronicle” is a Rocumentary by Kevin Lang about “Wildfire,” the debut record of Daniel Lang, coming soon to a computer -right in front -of you.

(Published in the February Space Generation newsletter)

I grew up in Colombia Missouri, which is not far from a typical, small mid-western town named Marshfield. Have you heard of Marshfield, Missouri? Until recently, the town was just a humble speck on my Missouri highway map. As soon as I was old enough to leave the state on my own, I moved to New York to discover something….anything. After all, though astronomically impossible, it does seem as if the world revolves around New York City. If one is hungry for an up-close and personal view of renowned feats of art and science or looking for a hub of energy and opportunity to test out grand (or just plain crazy) ideas, New York City is the right place to be. Now that I am here, I am pursing my current passion for journalism and space. Every month I review a new book and write a few articles; this month, I researched the history of the telescope. Lo and behold: Edwin Hubble, for whom the Hubble Space Telescope was named, was born in Marshfield, Missouri—a short drive from my supposedly unremarkable hometown. It’s not a place of options and opportunities like New York, but nearly everyone has a backyard and a fantastic view of the sky. The Alanis Morrisset-esque irony of leaving home to write about space from my cramped Brooklyn apartment (which boasts no backyard and pulsates with light pollution) is starting to sink in…

For those that do not follow telescope history, Edwin Hubble was the first man to demonstrate the existence of galaxies other than the Milky Way. He also discovered that the degree of observable redshift from a galaxy increases in proportion to the distance of that galaxy from the Milky Way (this established that the universe is expanding, and is know as Hubble’s law). It is appropriate that the grand telescope created through collaboration between the ESA and NASA was named after the man whose insight gave shape to our portrait of the universe.

The Hubble Space Telescope has provided us with some of the most detailed images of the most distant objects within our scope of the universe. Not surprisingly, this has lead to a number of major breakthroughs in astrophysics by providing scientists with accurate data that can determine the rate at which the universe is expanding. To most of the population, such discoveries are no more than facts that are out of reach. In this case however, the technology developed for the Hubble has brought forth more than awe-inspiring insights to unreachable universes for it has also provided practical uses on Earth that save lives on a daily basis.

For example, not long after the billion-plus dollar Hubble Space Telescope was launched in April 1990, it began producing out-of-focus pictures: one of the main mirrors was the wrong shape. This was bad for the budget, but great news for breasts. Luckily, a team at the Space Telescope Science Institute came up with a new image processing system by using computer algorithms that filled in the gaps that were making the Hubble’s images appear blurry. This same process is now applied to routine mammograms and is especially useful for identifying early signs of breast cancer.

A few years after this discovery, astronauts visited Hubble to install a high-resolution digital detector in order provide even clearer resolution of small, dark objects that astronomers were keen to study. Once again, this proved to be a boon for breast cancer patients. This technology is now used for relatively inexpensive, nominally invasive procedure for breast biopsies. There is something funny about a gigantic, phallic-looking object in the sky that has some difficulty in its mission but somehow manages to save breasts worldwide. My male colleagues are sure that this is proof that if there is a God, or a Creator of some sort, then he is surely a man.

There has been quite a hubbub about the decision to service the Hubble again. After all, it is expensive and it has already outlived its 15 year life-expectancy. But despite the budget squeeze, an astronomical number of women have outlived their own life expectancy as breast cancer patients, and they even have breasts left to squeeze. So I am delighted that we have found room to milk the budget for the sake of pictures of galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and I can’t wait to see what the astronauts come up with when they visit the Hubble on May 12, 2009. And next time I go back to Missouri, I perhaps I’ll start a new business selling “Honk for Hubble” bumper stickers at the local hospital giftshops.

Coney Island’s Astroland was recently closed down to make room for developer Thor Equities’ commercial vision for the boardwalk area, but one relic will remain: the 14,000 pound, 71 ft. long virtual reality ride to the moon which is currently in storage (believe it or not, it used to be on top of a hot dog stand). It will soon be on display as a tribute, or rather a “blast from the past” to the days of roller coasters and cotton candy. The 26-seat rocket was installed by the park’s founder, Dewey Albert, in 1962 and was donated to the city by Carol and Jerry Albert, who owned and managed Astroland after Dewey passed away.

Photos are from the Astroland Archives/Coney Island History Project

That’s right: you can give your loved on a little boost to the heavens, thanks to Celestis Inc., a Texas-based aerospace company. I have to admit, the idea did make me chuckle a bit when I first stumbled upon Celestis’ site…but it is a very unique way to go down (or up). And the company looks impressive: they’ve been around for 30 years and were the first private company to launch into outer space (1982).

Past (or maybe I should say “passed”) clients include Timothy Leary and James Doohan. Notable clients that are scheduled for an upcoming trip are Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who will be launched together in 2012. Off they go to the final frontier!…it does seem appropriate. But how long will they stay in orbit? This depends on the altitude of the primary satellite (a memorial spacecraft is a “secondary payload” aboard a mission). The orbital life span for Celestis satellites range from two years to several hundred years. After the launch you’ll be able to reference the estimated orbit time for the mission on the dedicated flight web page, and you can even track the satellite in real-time!

So, how does it work?
A few grams of the deceased person’s remains are placed in a capsule (the exact amount depends on the service selected). Next, they are positioned inside Celestis spacecraft, which is attached to a rocket and launched into space.

“Each spacecraft stays permanently attached to a rocket stage that orbits Earth until the spacecraft harmlessly re-enters and is completely consumed by Earth’s atmosphere — blazing like a shooting star in final tribute to the passengers aboard,” states the website poetically.

You’ll also receive a video of the launch so you can relive the experience, if you like.

Dr. Eugene Shoemaker near the sight of the Manson (Iowa). Photo from USGS website

Celestis also boasts the first lunar burial (1999). In a press release titled “Lunar Surface Can Now Provide a Final Resting Place for All Mankind” the company announced their partnership with Odyssey Moon Limited and Astrobotic Technology, Inc. to launch cremated remains to the surface of the Moon. The release states that “The Luna Service reaches out to Earth’s nearest neighbor for a uniquely compelling location to remember a special life.”

In 1999 Celestis worked with NASA, which requested the company’s assistance in placing Dr. Eugene Shoemaker’s remains on board NASA’s Lunar Prospector mission. Ultimately, some of Dr. Shoemaker ’s remains were “intentionally impacted into the Moon’s south pole.”

This is my first post that is not specifically focused on space– but since science is essential to space exploration, I’m publishing it regardless.

For anyone who doubted whether the new administration would be savvy of the importance of science in America, Obama’s inaugural speech provided a great sense of hope. Ann Marie (the Executive Director of TalkingScience) and I watched the inaugural ceremony with a crowd of politically-active women who packed into The White House Project’s brunch at Caroline’s comedy club on Broadway. When Obama told the world that he will work to “restore science to its rightful place,” we couldn’t help but break out into a wild, nearly hysteric applause. The women of The White House Project also have high hopes that Obama will be an advocate of gender equality in the sciences.

In a recent New York Times article titled In ‘Geek Chic’ and Obama, New Hope for Lifting Women in Science, journalist Natalie Angier interviews Dr. Mary Ann Mason, a professor at UC Berkley’s School of Law. Dr. Mason gathered extensive data regarding the personal lives and family dynamics of scientists at the top of their field, and her findings show significant disparities between men and women. In sum, Dr. Mason’s interpretation of the data suggests that women researchers are expected to make larger sacrifices in their personal/family lives as a result of their professional aspirations. Dr. Mason believes that Obama can help by signing an executive order to provide more practical family leave and parental benefits to the recipients of federal grants, many of whom are research scientists.

Obama has long been a proponent of womens’ equality in the workplace, and now that he is in a position to make a difference on a level which could set a precedent that fosters equality in science and society, many are confident that President Obama will make the change.

Virgin Galactic had 10 tickets up for grabs for their future astronauts, and I am one of the lucky recipients of one of them! I feel like I’ve just bitten into a Willie Wonka bar and found a golden ticket. I’ll take lots of photos for the blog, of course

The launch is scheduled for Feb. 12 at 7:32am, and the astronauts (Commander Lee Archambault, Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata) will stay on the International Space Station for 14 days. There’s a lot to do before then, of course–the two-day Flight Readiness Review started this morning. Here’s the scoop, straight from NASA:

Wed. Jan. 21, 2009, 11:09 AM

After climbing into their orange flight suits — the same ones they’ll wear on launch day — the crew was driven to Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39A.

The highlight of the day is a simulated launch countdown, which includes climbing into Discovery’s flight deck aided by NASA’s Closeout Crew. The members of the Closeout Crew help the astronauts strap into the space shuttle’s crew module and take care of any other last-minute needs that may arise.

The spacecraft’s hatch will be closed briefly for leak checks and then opened again while the astronauts perform all of their countdown procedures — much like launch day, only the boosters and engines won’t ignite.

Later, the astronauts will fly their T-38 jets back to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

During the presidential campaign season, Obama and McCain participated in Science Debate 2008, which consisted of 14 questions. It seems like a good time to highlight Obama’s answer to question 11,  the one about space:

The study of Earth from space can yield important information about climatechange; focus on the cosmos can advance our understanding of the universe; and manned space travel can help us inspire new generations of youth to go into science. Can we afford all of them? How would you prioritize space in your administration?

As president, I will establish a robust and balanced civilian space program. Under my administration, NASA not only will inspire the world with both human and robotic space exploration, but also will again lead in confronting the challenges we face here on Earth, including global climate change, energy independence, and aeronautics research. In achieving this vision, I will reach out to include international partners and to engage the private sector to amplify NASA’s reach. I believe that a revitalized NASA can help America maintain its innovation edge and contribute to American economic growth. There is currently no organizational authority in the federal government with a sufficiently broad mandate to oversee a comprehensive and integrated strategy and policy dealing with all aspects of the government’s space-related programs, including those being managed by NASA, the Department of Defense, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, and other federal agencies. This wasn’t always the case. Between 1958 and 1973, the National Aeronautics and Space Council oversaw the entire space arena for four presidents; the Council was briefly revived from 1989 to 1992. I will re-establish this Council reporting to the president. It will oversee and coordinate civilian, military, commercial, and national security space activities. It will solicit public participation, engage the international community, and work toward a 21st century vision of space that constantly pushes the envelope on new technologies as it pursues a balanced national portfolio that expands our reach into the heavens and improves life here on Earth.

This “unconference” was was unbelievably cool. Scientists really do get a bad rap for being geeky, and one could understandably fear that a meeting of science online groupies might wind up being a mass gathering of socially inept researchers who have an odd twitch, resemble Frankenstein a bit, and blog from dark corners of their labs because no one will talk to them at a bar. Not so!

The crowd was as diverse as it was interesting: a group of high schoolers with exceptional vocabularies came with their biology teacher, Miss Baker, to educate some of the older folks; there were flocks of Europeans having intense conversations over the incredibly tasty espresso with a rocket-fuel kick, and plenty of twenty-something science YouTube filmmakers and rockstars who are cruising through grad school. A friendly, fun crowd indeed. I even saw a Brazilian guy do a salsa move out of the corner of my eye…

This was also my first experience being on a panel with scientists (if you haven’t noticed yet, I’m NOT a scientist…my background is writing and French literature). The unconference format allowed us to play …we flipped the lights on and off, slammed doors, walked around the room pinching people as if we were insects– we terrorized our audience– and it was premeditated (we planned it on a Skype call). We figured hosting an “Adventure Blogging” panel was reason enough for a little ruckus.

Although everyone I spoke with at the conference had something interesting to say, I had the opportunity to talk with three people whom I believe will be of particular interest to Space Cadet Girl readers:

Karen James is working on the Beagle Project, which aims to rebuild the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world. But this is no old school kind of thing: Karen and her colleagues teamed up with astronaut Mike Barratt, who will be talking to the Beagle crew from the International Space Station. And yours truly also plans to call the Beagle from the Virgin Galactic. If YOU were wearing a diaper, trapped in a small space, and could only make one phone call (these are the likely circumstances of space tourism at present), who better to call than a bunch of pirates?

Vanessa Woods blogs about bonobos in the Congo and has written a number of witty books. The one I can’t wait to read is It’s True! Space Turns You Into Spaghetti

I also had the good fortune to get stuck in the bathroom line next to Sheril Kirshenbaum– there are good things about long lines in the women’s bathroom, after all! She’s fine tuning the final draft of her book, which is going to be a fantastic read. Keep on the look-out for Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future. I particularly like to read Sheril’s blog since she always seems to have an interesting angle. As her bio says, she is a marine biologist, freelance writer, and author…and sometimes she’s a classicist, radio jock, or congressional staffer. And in an interview with Virginia Hughes Sheril says that she wants to be an astronaut! Maybe I’ll convince her to be a space cadet girl co-author after she finishes Unscientific America…