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Spaceflight - Blog Posts
Mission and Its Instruments
Behind every successful mission, there are excellent instruments.
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Apollo Display and Keyboard (DSKY)
The Display and Keyboard (DSKY) was the main interface between the crew and the Apollo Guidance Computers which controlled the Command/Service Module and the Lunar Module.
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Could it be that the way to slow down before arriving at a destination Solar_System is to use Solar_Sails to Reflect Light coming from The Destination Solar_System for a Longtime before entering into The Destination Solar_System?
Had a fun evening talking about the ISS and the NASA Artemis program! Grayson Elementary invited me to speak as part of their STEAM Night. The kids and parents were really into it. Thanks to Mrs. Frost for having me for a 2nd year! #explorepage #STEM #STEAM #Artemis #SLS #Orion #space #spaceflight #WeAreGoing #Moon #graysongeorgia #cityofgrayson #gwinnettcounty (at Grayson, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqCIae4OqMT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Today, I want to take a moment to recognize the achievements of Judith Resnik, an American astronaut who made history as the second American woman in space. Resnik was born on April 5, 1949, in Akron, Ohio, and earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1970. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland in 1977.
Resnik was selected by NASA in 1978 to be a mission specialist in the space shuttle program. She first flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1984 as part of the crew of mission STS-41D. During this mission, Resnik helped deploy three satellites and conducted various experiments in space. She later flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 as part of the crew of mission STS-51L. Tragically, this mission ended in disaster when the Challenger was destroyed shortly after liftoff, killing all seven crew members, including Resnik.
Judith Resnik was a brilliant scientist and a trailblazer for women in the field of space exploration. Her contributions to the space shuttle program and her legacy as a pioneering astronaut will never be forgotten.
This is her flightsuit worn while training.
#NASA #seec2023 #johnsonspacecenter #spacecenterhouston #STEM #astronaut #WomenInSTEM #SolarSystemAmbassador
NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab: The Ultimate Underwater Simulator for Astronauts
NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) is a state-of-the-art underwater facility located in Houston, Texas. It serves as an underwater simulation environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other extravehicular activities (EVAs). The NBL is one of the most advanced training facilities in the world and plays a critical role in preparing astronauts for the challenges they will face in space.
The NBL is a massive indoor pool that is over 200 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 40 feet deep. It contains a full-scale mock-up of the International Space Station (ISS) and other space structures, allowing astronauts to practice and perfect their spacewalking techniques in a controlled and safe environment. The pool is filled with over 6 million gallons of water, which provides a simulated weightless experience similar to that of space.
Astronauts are equipped with a full spacewalk suit, which provides them with life support and protection from the harsh conditions of space. The suit is buoyant, which makes it difficult for astronauts to move around in water. To overcome this challenge, the suit is weighted with lead weights to balance out the buoyancy, making it possible for astronauts to move around freely in the water. This process of weight balancing is called "neutral buoyancy," which gives the NBL its name.
The NBL is not only a training facility for spacewalking, but it is also used to test new spacewalk equipment and procedures. It allows engineers and scientists to observe how equipment and procedures perform in a simulated microgravity environment. This information is then used to make improvements and ensure the safety of astronauts in space.
One of the unique features of the NBL is its ability to simulate various lighting conditions, including daylight, nighttime, and the red lighting that is used during spacewalks. This capability allows astronauts to train for all types of spacewalking scenarios and ensures that they are well-prepared for any situation they may encounter in space.
In conclusion, NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab is a crucial component of astronaut training and space exploration. It provides a safe and controlled environment for astronauts to train for spacewalks and other EVAs, while also allowing engineers and scientists to test new equipment and procedures. The NBL plays a vital role in ensuring the success and safety of NASA's space missions.
I had a wonderful time talking about human space flight to 3rd Graders at Starling Elementary today! The kids were very knowledgeable and had fantastic questions! I love the reaction I get when I tell my two “Gemini Astronauts” they have to sit next to each other and not shower for two weeks! Everybody: “EEEEWWWWWWW!!!” #stemeducation #STEM #NASA #ArtemisGeneration #Artemis #SolarSystemAmbassador #Orion #sls #spaceflight #gwinnettcounty #gwinnettcountyschools #graysongeorgia #wearegoing #explorepage #space https://www.instagram.com/p/CmLF0wZuxw8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
If you have children interested in space, check out my two books available on Amazon. “MISSION, GO!” is for appropriate for readers 3-7 and explains what it takes for a manned space mission. “Hello Luna, It’s Me Again” is for all ages, and is just a collection of thoughts along with images of the Moon from my backyard telescope. . . . . . #explorepage #nasa #celestrontelescope #childrensbooks #space #solarsystem #moon #spaceflight https://www.instagram.com/p/CfeFKweOfs8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Had a fun time at Fernbank Science Center’s Space Day! #apollo6 #nasa #stemeducation #georgia #spaceflight (at Fernbank Science Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfPoHLaO6tG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Send your name beyond the Moon on the Artemis 1 mission! https://www.nasa.gov/send-your-name-with-artemis/ #nasa #artemis #artemisprogram #space #spaceflight #orion #solarsystemambassadors https://www.instagram.com/p/Calx7rzu7bt/?utm_medium=tumblr
On this day in 1971, Alan Shepard, hit golf balls on the Moon. On this day in 2009, I almost killed a duck as I sliced into a water hazard. #apollo14 #alanshepard #nasa #golf #spaceflight https://www.instagram.com/p/CK92g_8jX-L/?igshid=1me0i5d8s7mfu
It’s here! My first children’s book for ages 4-7 is available on Amazon. “Mission, GO!” by Johnathan Brackett is available in Kindle form or paperback. Thanks to friends and family for the encouragement. #space #astronaut #stem #steam #spaceflight #iss #internationalspacestation https://www.instagram.com/p/CJJXR_njF53/?igshid=1gqq80oafbo1b
Astronaut Training Experience at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center! #nasa #orionspacecraft @rocketcenterusa @spacecampusa #space #spaceflight #stem #stemeducation #iss #internationalspacestation #astronaut #huntsvillealabama @visithuntsvilleal (at U.S. Space & Rocket Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIKVmOcjcdQ/?igshid=1pki5qwzwoc25
Spaceships Don’t Go to the Moon Until They’ve Gone Through Ohio
From the South, to the Midwest, to infinity and beyond. The Orion spacecraft for Artemis I has several stops to make before heading out into the expanse, and it can’t go to the Moon until it stops in Ohio. It landed at the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport on Nov. 24, and then it was transferred to Plum Brook Station where it will undergo a series of environmental tests over the next four months to make sure it’s ready for space. Here are the highlights of its journey so far.
It’s a bird? It’s a whale? It’s the Super Guppy!
The 40-degree-and-extremely-windy weather couldn’t stop the massive crowd at Mansfield from waiting hours to see the Super Guppy land. Families huddled together as they waited, some decked out in NASA gear, including one astronaut costume complete with a helmet. Despite the delays, about 1,500 people held out to watch the bulbous airplane touch down.
Buckle up. It’s time for an extremely safe ride.
After Orion safely made it to Ohio, the next step was transporting it 41 miles to Plum Brook Station. It was loaded onto a massive truck to make the trip, and the drive lasted several hours as it slowly maneuvered the rural route to the facility. The 130-foot, 38-wheel truck hit a peak speed of about 20 miles per hour. It was the largest load ever driven through the state, and more than 700 utility lines were raised or moved in preparation to let the vehicle pass.
Calling us clean freaks would be an understatement.
Any person who even thinks about breathing near Orion has to be suited up. We’re talking “bunny” suit, shoe covers, beard covers, hoods, latex gloves – the works. One of our top priorities is keeping Orion clean during testing to prevent contaminants from sticking to the vehicle’s surface. These substances could cause issues for the capsule during testing and, more importantly, later during its flight around the Moon.
And liftoff of Orion… via crane.
On the ceiling of the Space Environments Complex at Plum Brook Station is a colossal crane used to move large pieces of space hardware into position for testing. It’s an important tool during pretest work, as it is used to lift Orion from the “verticator”—the name we use for the massive contraption used to rotate the vehicle from its laying down position into an upright testing orientation. After liftoff from the verticator, technicians then used the crane to install the spacecraft inside the Heat Flux System for testing.
It’s really not tin foil.
Although it looks like tin foil, the metallic material wrapped around Orion and the Heat Flux System—the bird cage-looking hardware encapsulating the spacecraft—is a material called Mylar. It’s used as a thermal barrier to help control which areas of the spacecraft get heated or cooled during testing. This helps our team avoid wasting energy heating and cooling spots unnecessarily.
Bake at 300° for 63 days.
It took a little over a week to prep Orion for its thermal test in the vacuum chamber. Now begins the 63-day process of heating and cooling (ranging from -250° to 300° Fahrenheit) the capsule to ensure it’s ready to withstand the journey around the Moon and back.
View more images of Orion’s transportation and preparation here.
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As of now Starship is now the largest rocket ever made!!