Blasting off from Kennedy Space Center felt like riding a roller coaster "on steroids," but surprisingly smooth, Discovery astronaut and former Melbourne High science teacher Joe Acaba told students today. "It's like a big roller coaster, maybe on steroids," he said during a session in which four astronauts on the International Space Station answered questions submitted by students across the country. "One thing that surprised me is it was a lot smoother than I thought it would be, but it's a feeling that I know I'll never forget."
Acaba taught ninth-graders in Melbourne in 1999-2000, his first year as a teacher. Then he moved on to Dunnellon Middle for personal reasons.
He and Ricky Arnold were two of three "educator astronauts" NASA picked in 2004. The agency hopes they help inspire young people to study math and science and pursue careers in engineering and aerospace.
Discovery's busy 13-day mission, which was shortened a day because of launch delays, doesn't allow time for the former educators to teach from space. But today's media event with Channel One was an effort to communicate with students.
Acaba showed off a sweet tooth in response to a question about food eaten on orbit. He caught a piece of floating chocolate offered by Arnold.
"We have all kinds of goodies," he said.
The 41-year-old father of two, NASA's first astronaut of Puerto Rican descent, is in his third day in space.
He grew up in California watching film reels of Apollo moon landings with his father and grandfather, and was an avid reader of science fiction.
Now he's awaiting his turn to walk in space. He's scheduled to participate in the mission's second and third spacewalks, planned Saturday and Monday.
Acaba invited several former colleagues from Melbourne and other Brevard County schools to watch Discovery's launch Sunday. And he packed a Melbourne High flag among the personal items he took into orbit.
The school hopes he'll return for a visit after the mission.
Acaba also responded to questions about how astronauts shower and go to the bathroom in space, and the most beautiful thing he's seen so far in space.
"I think for me what's been most impressive is when you're looking out a window, and it's very dark outside, and all of the sudden the sun starts to come up, and you start to see a little bit of blue, you see the atmosphere," he said. "And it's just an incredible view and one you can't really get on Earth. So that's been great to see that happen about every 45 minutes here."
The crew is having a mid-day meal before resuming work to move the Starboard 6 truss into position for installation on Thursday.
IMAGE NOTE: That's former Melbourne High teacher Joe Acaba in the upper right of the picture above, catching a floating piece of chocolate. Click it to enlarge it. Source: NASA TV
No comments:
Post a Comment