6degrees AstroBlog

Idaho’s Educator-Astronaut on her way to the International Space Station

By Irwin Horowitz, 8-08-07

The space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from launch complex 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center at 2236 GMT (6:36 p.m. EDT) this evening.  Normally, this would barely rate two column inches at the bottom of page twelve in the local paper, but this mission is graced by the presence of Idaho’s Educator-Astronaut, Barbara Morgan.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I am thrilled to see a renewed level of interest and coverage in our space shuttle program.  I also believe that Mrs. Morgan has been a wonderful ambassador for space and science teaching even before her selection for the teacher-in-space program back in 1985.  I simply wish that this level of nationwide enthusiasm would be maintained beyond the eventual return of the Endeavour in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, history and experience strongly suggest it will not.

This mission, with its crew of seven brave astronauts (can anyone name another crew member besides Barbara?), will dock with the International Space Station on Friday afternoon.  It will be there for the next seven days.  During that time, they will deliver and assemble a new piece to the station’s truss (the structural “backbone”), replace a failed gyroscope and resupply the station with consumables and new scientific experiments.

Of course, with Barbara on board, one of the highlights of this particular mission will be a series of education downlinks with schoolchildren across the country.  Here in Boise, we are all eagerly looking forward to Tuesday’s downlink at the Discovery Center of Idaho.  I hope that the 18 Idaho students who have been preselected to ask questions of the astronauts will hold this experience close to their hearts as they grow up.  I hope they will instill in their family and friends a genuine enthusiasm for the spirit of adventure, exploration and discovery that our space program has represented for nearly half a century.

Of course, I also worry that at the conclusion of the STS-118 mission, that we’ll experience a return to the irrelevancy that program has held in our society in the recent past.  The media spoon feeds us drivel about the lives of Anna Nicole or Britney or Paris to divert our attention away from more important matters.  We worry more about whether Barry Bond’s home run record is tainted by the scandal of steroids than we do regarding the erosion of individual liberty in this country.  As far as space exploration is concerned, the media barely cover the excitement currently underway.

How many of you are aware that we launched a mission to Mercury three years ago (only the second such mission ever) or that early last year we launched a spacecraft towards Pluto which was the fastest spacecraft ever launched from Earth.  Do you remember that less than three years ago, a private company launched their own astronaut into space.  Twice.  Over just a few days.  Perhaps the tragic accident last month in Mojave involving this company reminded you of that feat.  But I ask, should it take such a tragedy for society to remember the accomplishment?

How about the Mars program?  Are you aware that there are currently three spacecraft in orbit around that planet that are still operating?  Did you know that the two rovers Spirit and Opportunity are still returning useful information from the surface of the planet YEARS beyond their planned operational lifetimes?  Were you aware that we launched another lander mission towards Mars just this past Saturday?  It is due to arrive next May and will continue exploring the hydrological history of the planet as well as search for environments where past (or current!) microbial life could exist on or below the surface.  If you were not aware of these things, should you be asking why the media does not keep the citizenry informed of these activities?

The level of disconnect between the American public and its space program is shameful.  We may indeed be experiencing the end of the republic, much as ancient Rome slid into decline as her citizens were distracted by the “bread and circuses” spoon-fed to them by their leaders. 

As a test of this thesis, I encourage my readers to return to this column early next year and try to recall the events we will be witnessing here over the next few weeks as the STS-118 mission is carried out.  Also, consider all of the other items that will be shaping our news during the rest of the year…the war in Iraq, the lead-up towards next year’s primary elections, the latest scandal involving Britney or Lindsey or Paris or Nicole or … (and why does it recently seem to be young women at the center of these scandals?).  Perhaps the solution to greater media coverage would be to put one of these young women onboard a future shuttle mission.  It seems to work when we put a former school teacher on board.

Anyway, good luck Barbara!  I wish you and your crewmates (Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, MS Dave Williams, MS Richard Mastracchio, MS Tracy Caldwell and MS Benjamin Drew) a safe, successful, boring, routine, mundane mission and return.

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