Possible Dangers?

The main objective of this repair mission was the update and fix the Hubble telescope. The job has been completed and we will depart for Earth in around 30 minutes. I packed up early enough to write a blog so I thought I'd share with you guys what has been in my mind recently.

I would easily call this mission a success, but you never know, something might go wrong. What if we were to encounter an asteroid? Even the tiniest rock will shatter our vehicle to bits and pieces because of our speed. What if we clashed with "space junk"? What if space undergoes another "big bang"? What if the temperature suddenly goes extreme? What if our navigation system failed and we went the wrong direction and get stranded in space? What if another celestial body's gravitational force pulls us toward them? What if we get sucked into a black hole? What if we get abducted by aliens? How will we protect ourselves and deal with the problems?

The answer to that question is simpler than you might think. None of the scenarios stated above can possibly occur. That's because our space shuttle is in constant communication with Earth, and even if our systems fail, as long as our propulsion remains intact, we can still make our way to safety without going through too much trouble. Now you may ask, what's going to happen if the propulsion failed? Well, it won't. It simply will not fail because numerous satellites have mapped our solar system accurately enough that we would know if a piece of space junk would floating about our route months beforehand. We would know if there would be a UFO flying around using the same method. We will not get sucked into a black hole because black holes do not exist in our solar system. Another planet's gravity will not draw our space shuttle toward them because all the planets are too far away.

But really, you never know...

The Hubble Telescope

Since the Hubble Space Telescope has been designed so that it can be regularly serviced, repairing all the minor errors were not as troublesome as I thought they'd be. I had plenty of time to note observations about this incredible telescope that has functioned superbly the Earth's benefit. The fixing process of the telescope wasn't as extensive and complicated as I imagined; the most important thing they did during the 5 hour repair session, was probably the replacement of the old corrective optics package with the updated and improved version. I thought I might do some extra research on the Hubble telescope because the multifunctional telescope really appealed to me. 

 The Hubble Space telescope is an artificial satellite that was launched into the earth’s orbit in 1990. An artificial satellite is a manufactured object that continuously orbits the earth or other celestial bodies in space. Artificial satellites are used to study the ships and airplanes, monitor crops and other important resources. They are also used to support military activities. Artificial satellites are sent out into space to orbit the moon, the sun, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and asteroids. Most of these satellites generally gather information about the bodies they orbit. Artificial satellites are classified according to their mission. There are six main types of artificial satellites:

        - Scientific research satellites study the body they orbit.

- Weather satellites assist in weather forecasts.

- Communication satellites allow us to make phone calls.

- Navigation satellites help cartographers create accurate maps.

- Earth observing satellites examine the earth to see if there is anything wrong.

- Military satellites used to plan strategies in wars.

  

        The earth’s atmosphere interferes with the operation of telescopes. That is why the Hubble Space telescope is positioned above the atmosphere and can therefore make observations that are impossible from the ground. The main functions of the Hubble Space telescope are:

Accuracy – The view from the Hubble telescope is more than ten times clearer than ground-based telescopes. Astronomers use it to observe distant objects.

Fine measurements – Hubble’s fine guidance sensors and its spectrographs are used to take precise measurements of different locations, motions and composition of distant objects.

Distant galaxies – Radiation from distant galaxies arrives at earth in the infrared spectrum. Hubble carries the required instruments to detect this radiation.

Detecting the Unseen – Hubble can view radiation that penetrates interstellar dusts, detect black holes; find signs of dark matter with high-resolution images.

Nature of Universe – The Hubble’s wide variety of observations supply key info on how the universe began and developed. For example, the Hubble speculated that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate.

        Some of the uses of satellites are controversial because a lot of people feel that they are being imposed upon. They argue specifically against earth observing satellites because they feel that their personal and private lives are being violated. For example, in Google Maps or Google Earth, a couple may be spotted or an image of someone stealing may be captured. However, the project’s greatest controversy was the struggle to control the orbital operations of the telescope. Many people believed that NASA should have established an independent institute to manage the space telescope’s operations and data dissemination.

        Nonetheless, the artificial satellites were a major success in science and allowed us to gain so much more knowledge about our universe, and there is no doubt about that.

The Space Shuttle

The space shuttle is usually set on 'auto,' giving me and the rest of the crew plenty of free time to observe and explore. I normally keep my assistant flight engineer in charge while I make observations of the space shuttle. I have done some research our space shuttle's interior structure and exterior design out of pure fascination.

Our space shuttle is a very complex machine involving numerous subsystems. It is made of light-weight and durable alloys of titanium, aluminum and magnesium. The entire vehicle is coated with carbon fiber. The space shuttle has an approximate wingspan of 80 feet, and a height of 130 feet. It weighs around 80,000kgs, not including the passengers and supplies! The vehicle includes advanced communication devices (advanced radios) to relay all data and discoveries to NASA. The vehicle also includes an updated navigation system in order for us to make our way around space. 

Our spacecraft is comprised of various subsystems: Life Support, Attitude Control, Command and Data-handling, Thermal Control and Propulsion. The Life Support, one of the most essential systems in space travel, is a group of devices that allows human beings to survive in outer space. The system supplies air, water, and food. The Life Support maintains the atmosphere’s composition to allow breathing. The Life Support system has good environmental control to protect us. The Attitude Control system responds to external “torques” and forces to ensure safety. The Command and Data-handling system is where all the communication takes place. The system basically receives and decodes commands from NASA. It records and transmits data to NASA via radios by using the strong signal of radio waves in space. The reason why radio waves are used to communicate with earth is mainly because radio waves do not get interrupted or distorted by nebulae or atmospheres.  

The spacecraft will generate energy and fuel by taking advantage of sunlight and solar panels. The Propulsion, another essential system, is what maneuvers the spacecraft. The thermal control system basically controls the temperature; it allows the spacecraft to withstand the transition through the earth’s atmosphere through space by operating in a vacuum.

Well, that's all the information I collected about our space shuttle. For now.

Life In Space

I am still trying to figure out which of my clothing and crew positions to leave out and how to stow them in my sleep quarters. All I have is a chest of drawers to keep my clothes in, and my private space is about the size of a closet. It's really hard to describe life in space but I have given it some thought as I went about my work here. If you want to visualize everything, try to imagine a place where you are unable to set things down, because everything just floats off. Nothing is stable. Everything you set down on Earth will stay put thanks to the force of gravity, but that's not the case in space, because we are far away from large masses such as planets and moons, so everything feels weightless since we're not affected by gravity as much. My sleeping bag is tied down to the wall. Whenever I open my container, my clothes try to come out as if they're burglars attempted to break away from jail. I need to be cautious or else I will lose my personal items.

Food: Food is another major issue that has discussed. The food we have here on the space shuttle have a lot of requirements - it must last for long periods of time without refrigeration, it must have the appropriate nutritional value, it must be somewhat appealing and tasty, and must be packaged in such a way that it can be consumed in microgravity without making a mess. I won't complain about the food here, but must say that eating here can get a little tricky at times because you need to make sure your food is secure in your hands. Some of the food get dehydrated and must be re-hydrated so it can be consumed. I eat my food cold because I don't want to go through the hassle of heating it up. 

Gravity: Every object in space exerts a gravitational pull on every other. We are weightless here in space because in acceleration, we feel the force from the spacecraft more than the force of gravity and therefore, we float about the spacecraft. The absence of gravity causes the body’s systems to destabilize. After a week or two in space, our systems will not be functioning properly. This is one of the many challenges that we may face in space. Definitely something to watch out for.

Oxygen: There is no air to breathe in space, and we need oxygen to survive. The absence of oxygen is a major problem because our oxygen supply is quite limited. If we were to get “lost” out here, it would mean certain death (although that's very unlikely). Another reason why the absence of oxygen is problematic is because the air pressure in space allows water to boil at body temperature. We can easily overcome this problem by not going outside the habitat without a leak-tight suit on.

Water: Water is in gaseous form in space because the temperature and pressure conditions are not suitable for it to be in liquid form. We have our own water supplies.

Light: The sun shines bright in space, however, there is no air for the light to bounce off of in, so everything looks black. We have our own light source in the space shuttle.

Temperature: Space is not cold; it is a good insulator with a radiation temperature of approximately 3000 degrees Celsius.

Radiation: We always experience the omnipresent problem of radiation. It causes defects to arise in our DNA, which may lead to or cause cancer and other fatal diseases. In order to counter this problem, we enforced enough shielding above and around us and by taking the correct medication to prevent those diseases.

Life here in space is indeed "different" but it's entertaining too.. well.. to an extent. :)

Blast Off!

Numerous thoughts ran through my mind as I eagerly waited before the launch. I wondered how my body would respond to the space environment. Would my body operate properly? How long would it take for me to adjust? It's already been 30 minutes since the liftoff and I am getting along fine, but even so, there are some things that require some time to get used to. One of the things that I took into immediate consideration was movement. It is crucial to move slowly when you first get into orbit because you need to give your body some time to adapt to the new environment. It took approximately 8 minutes for the space shuttle to reach space. Now how is that for speed? The estimated orbits we make around earth are 16 per day. We are actually traveling faster than a bullet! The earth's gravitational pull are keeping us in a stable orbit around it. Anyways, the Hubble space telescope is in sight now, so I need to get back to work. Wish us luck!

Contemplating Training

Alas, my three difficult, monotonous years of training has come to a halt. Plenty of ISS (International Space Station) crew members return from space missions proclaiming that the training is twice as hard as the actual missions, but yet I am still lost in this emotional realm of anxiety. It will be my very first space mission, and I am put in charge of all the flight engineering. I do consider myself an expert in this field, especially after all the training, but I must admit that it is extremely nerve-wrecking because the flight engineer is responsible for overseeing the systems on the space shuttle during flight to confirm that they are all functioning properly and enact repairs or corrections if necessary. It is a crucial role indeed for it determines the outcome of the entire mission. Even if a minor error was to take place during flight, and the engineer did not repair it in time, it could mean failure or even death. But despite the risks of the expedition, I am excited and thrilled to go to space, a place that always seemed so unexplored and mysterious. I honestly don't understand why I'm so nervous, but at least I shall be discharged from the rigorous training I faced for three years. I am ready for the many challenges that I will be required to face during this important mission to repair the Hubble space telescope.

Chapters of My Life

It's truly an amazing gift from the heavens to be accepted to work as an engineer for NASA. I have never given up hope although many have questioned my qualifications and past accomplishments. I set my mind at the prize and was determined to achieve my goal to become an astronaut. Now, after three years of serving as an assistant flight engineer-in-training, I have been selected to join the repair mission to Hubble. Before I set out for space, I wish to write my story on this very page, that will become my personal blog during the mission (updated via satellite).

It all started when I was at the mere age of six. I stumbled upon astronomy while deciding on possible careers for my future. Quite the peculiar child was I, for all of my peers were not interested in unraveling any of the mysteries that they had yet to face, let alone decide on a path toward their futures. When I heard of Neil Armstrong being the first man to walk on the moon on the radio, I was greatly intrigued. I studied diligently and persistently in hopes of going on missions to outer space myself.

I learned the basis of astronomy in elementary school, and scored exceptionally well in math and science. I worked hard in high school and got my college degree. I took a Biology course to become a medic and an Engineering Degree to learn how to correctly repair computer and electrical systems. I enrolled in a good Master of Science, at a university called KAIST, the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. I maintained a Grade Point Average of 3.96 and majored in Biology and Engineering. 

After graduating, at the age of 22, I needed 2 years of experience and improvement in my fields. I got a coop position in college to attain some work experience in Engineering. At the age of 24, after becoming more comfortable with work, I served for 2 years as a medic in the Hospital of NASA in Cambridge. At the age of 26, I decided to take on real life Engineering to familiarize myself with the complex subsystems and components of telescopes and space shuttles. I worked hard as an Engineer for 3 years with IBM, thus gaining an expanse knowledge of computing and technology. At the age of 29, I served in the Korean army as an air force pilot in order to become a professional flight engineer by learning how to control real air crafts. At the age of 32, I finally applied for an astronaut position. I filled out the government employment application and sent it to the Astronaut Selection Office. It took them roughly six months to review and assess, and then I finally received an invitation to the NASA Johnson Space Center. I was delighted when I found out that I was ranked 28th out of 4015 applicants. They ran medical tests on me to see if my body was capable of handling the space environment. It turned out they were more than impressed by my height, strength, communicative and adaptive abilities, and my ability to speak 3 languages. I breathed a sigh of relief as I received the job.