Jones - Sky Walking

John W. Young

T he human exploration of space is one of the most important endeavors of the twenty-first century. But why do humans explore? We do so to preserve our species over the long haul. We want to expand our knowledge of our environment, to know what is out there, and to find opportunity over the horizon.

On this trip into orbit with space scientist and former astronaut Tom Jones, we learn how todays astronauts prepare for work on the frontiers of space. From the aftermath of the 1986 Challenger disaster to the loss of Columbia in 2003, Tom takes us through the astronauts training, through success and disappointment in space, and finally to the creation of one of the most promising cooperative undertakings in history, the International Space Station.

The Space Station may very well be the stepping-stone to new knowledge and new worlds. Right now it provides the best laboratory for performing experiments in zero gravity to ensure that humans can be fit and productive after long-duration trips in deep space. Should research prove that zero gravitys effects are too worrisome for extended journeys, we can use the station to test, for example, a promising concept for generating artificial gravity, called a human rotation bicycle. This astronaut-powered centrifuge could easily be fitted into one of the inflatable habitats now being developed commercially. As the rider pedals, he or she would power the bike in a tight circle, effectively creating a small-diameter centrifuge and applying a gravitational acceleration that increases with speed. Humans, who adapt readily and well to zero gravity, will likely have no problems whirling themselves around on a bike, just as pilots adapt to high rates of roll in fighter or attack aircraft. In this and other experiments, the Space Station that Tom Jones helped build can be a problem-solving laboratory that gets us on the way to the planets.

The Space Stations unique zero-gravity environment makes possible scientific research that offers great promise for us Earth people. Promising results from Columbias last mission suggest that a space bioreactor may enable us to study growing cancer tumors or cultivate human body tissues such as heart muscle for transplant use. Small improvements gained through space research in the combustion efficiency of automobile and jet engines will save enormous amounts of fossil fuels back on Earth. Investigations into small, weightless flames on the shuttle have already given us new insight into combustion physics that should lead to the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient engines. Learning how to grow plants efficiently in space will be vital for getting us to the Moon and Mars. Using hydroponic farming, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and intensified light, we have grown wheat in laboratories on Earth yielding more than 1,000 bushels an acre. Perfecting those techniques in space on the station should reduce the amount of food well need to launch from Earth and improve our agricultural practices on Earth, too.

Earth observation from the Space Station is just one way that NASA is improving the understanding of our own planet. Toms first two missions with the Space Radar Laboratory furnish a good example. In 2000 the same shuttle-based radars produced a digital three-dimensional map of 80 percent of Earths terrain. Already in use by the US military, this global data set will eventually be used in aircraft cockpits to help eliminate one of the main causes of aviation accidents: controlled flight into terrain. Future space-based radars will use the techniques explored on Toms missions to monitor earthquake zones and active volcanoes for the telltale motions that signal an impending tremor or eruption. If we can predict these disasters worldwide, we can get folks evacuated in time to save thousands of lives.

Ive known since before flying on Gemini 3 that working out there in space is risky business, but at stake is humanitys survival down here on planet Earth. Looking back at Earth from the Moon, I saw how our world is unique in this vast universe. The space technologies we must develop to explore the Moon, Mars, and the rest of the solar system are the same tools that will protect our planet when the unexpected inevitably happens; catastrophes such as asteroid or comet impacts and the eruption of supervolcanoes can threaten our very civilization. In this book, Tom discusses how visits to asteroids on the way to the Moon and Mars will give us the means to deal with one of these threats. The more technology we have in hand to prevent or cope with such hazards, the better our chances for survival as a species.