Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
BR-221
Contents
Jean-François Clervoy
Passion, Motivation and Perseverance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Frank De Winne
Operational Expertise and Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Pedro Duque
Astronauts as Laboratory Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Reinhold Ewald
The Importance of Seeing it for Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Léopold Eyharts
Electronics and Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Christer Fuglesang
Learn to Live and Work in Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Umberto Guidoni
Lessons Learnt from the Tethered Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
André Kuipers
A Space-Faring Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Paolo Nespoli
Humans vs Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Claude Nicollier
Expanding Borders of Human Knowledge and Physical Presence . . .24
Philippe Perrin
Getting to Grips with the Space Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Thomas Reiter
Human Exploration of Space – a European Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Hans Schlegel
Spaceship Earth and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Gerhard Thiele
“Der bestirnte Himmel über mir” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Roberto Vittori
Space Exploration: For the Benefit of Future Generations . . . . . . . . . .34
1
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 2
Price: 10 Euro
2
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 3
Foreword
Since the formation of this single European Astronaut Corps, I have had
several opportunities to talk with our astronauts about their views on
human space exploration and to realise the variety and wealth of their
different missions and experiences. I have asked them about their
personal experiences during their space missions, their visions and
dreams, and the potential they see for human space exploration in the
future.
Jörg Feustel-Büechl
Director of Human Spaceflight
3
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 4
For more than 20 years, France and Europe have been investing in
space research through human spaceflight. Like any cutting-edge
sector, human spaceflight carries with it great hopes and holds great
potential for progress. Currently, as we prepare to enter a major new
phase in the history of human space endeavour, international
cooperation is being strengthened as we seek to satisfy ever more that
thirst for exploration that has always driven humankind.
Today, new opportunities are opening up. ESA, with its AURORA
project, is rising to the challenge to take us on to the next episodes in
the great adventure which still lies ahead: travelling to the Moon and
then on to Mars. The global space community is preparing for action.
Some of its members are seeking to achieve their ambitions quickly. But
the sheer scale of what remains to be explored makes cooperation at
a global level essential. Europe has no choice but to pull together. That
must be our priority, for in space, there can be no national policy
without a European policy, and there can be no European policy without
alliances with key partners having substantial expertise in space.
Claudie Haigneré,
French Minister for Research and New Technologies
4
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 5
Ernst Messerschmid,
Head of the European Astronaut Centre
European Astronaut
The ISS will be the best place to test new space technologies for our
future exploration of space. The next step is an expedition back to the
Moon and then to Mars. Today, this quest is very challenging both for
technical and financial reasons. On the scale of a trip to Mars, our
research on ISS is an affordable way to find solutions to problems which
might be encountered on such a complex voyage. Now is the time for
ESA to use this experience to establish its own priorities for future
human spaceflight projects.
Michel Tognini,
Head of the Astronauts Division
European Astronaut
5
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 6
Jean-François Clervoy
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
A significant but less easily quantifiable factors: Space is still full of things to
benefit from human space exploration be discovered and the technical
is education. The dream force carried challenge to master space travel
by the human presence in space remains a strong source of pride
catches the imagination of the young because it is hard. When the crew
and brings an encouraging example of members succeed in their mission’s
passion, motivation and perseverance. critical tasks – such as docking to and
It influences the choice of school resupplying the Russian space station
students to take up scientific or Mir, capturing and repairing the
technological studies. Hubble Space Telescope, operating
complex scientific experiments – their
Where robots can help humans to limit Why does space exploration make emotions and pride are intense, their
risks and costs, they should be people dream? Because of two main belief to serve humankind by
used – always as a pathfinder or
accompanying support. The Hubble
Space Telescope’s scientific return is
universally recognised. Its modular
concept allows the regular replace-
ment of scientific and technical
equipment by more recent technology
parts, either for repair or improvement.
However, it is unthinkable to design an
entirely automated servicing mission.
This was demonstrated during the last
mission where each space walk lasted
more than 8 hours instead of the
planned 6, due to multiple unforeseen
problems that no robot could have
mitigated. Today’s space explorers are
like the first aviators whose motivations
were not understood by all, and who,
through their perseverance, allowed
aviation to take an exponential rise.
Imagine: every second, a transport
aircraft takes off somewhere in the
world. The question should not be
“Human or robot?” but “Which type of
robot to precede humans, and which
type of robot to accompany humans?”
6
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 7
Jean-François Clervoy
Born 19 November 1958 in Longeville-les-Metz, France.
STS-84 (15 - 24 May 1997) was NASA's sixth Shuttle mission to rendezvous
and dock with the Russian Space Station, Mir. As payload commander, Jean-
François’ primary tasks were the coordination of the execution of more than
20 experiments, the operation of the docking system and the Spacelab double
module, and the transfer of 4 tonnes of equipment between Atlantis and Mir. He
was also trained as a contingency spacewalker on this mission. STS-84 was
accomplished in 144 Earth orbits and 221 hours and 20 minutes.
STS-103 (19 - 27 December 1999) was an 8-day mission. The primary objective
was the repair and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), including the
replacement of the six gyroscopes, which are necessary to meet the telescope’s
very precise pointing requirements. Jean-François was the flight engineer for
ascent, entry and rendezvous. He used the robot arm to capture and deploy the
telescope, and to manoeuvre the suited astronauts during three 8-hour
spacewalks. STS-103 was accomplished in 120 Earth orbits and 191 hours and
11 minutes.
Current Assignment
Jean-François Clervoy is a member of ESA’s European Astronaut Corps. He is
currently seconded to the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) ESA project as
Senior Advisor Astronaut in Les Mureaux, France.
7
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 8
Frank De Winne
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
8
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 9
Frank De Winne
doubt the people (ground crew and Born 25 April 1961 in Ghent, Belgium.
aviators alike) who participated in the
operations. Their motivation, resource- Education
fulness and inventiveness to solve Frank De Winne graduated from the Royal School of Cadets, Lier, in 1979. He
problems, their ability to adapt quickly received a Masters Degree in telecommunications and civil engineering from the
to ever-changing situations and their Royal Military Academy, Brussels, in 1984. Awarded the Price of the AIA for the
capacity to work as a team made all the best thesis. In 1991, he completed the Staff Course at the Defence College in
difference. These capabilities were Brussels with the highest distinction. In 1992, he graduated from the Empire Test
acquired through many years of training Pilots School (ETPS) in Boscombe Down, England.
and investment in operational skills.
Having flown to the International Space Spaceflight Experience
Station and worked in support of other From 30 October – 10 November, 2002 De Winne participated in the “Odissea”
missions in the Russian control centre, I mission, a support flight to the International Space Station. He served as flight
find much resemblance to this. The engineer on the newly designed Soyuz TMA spacecraft during ascent, and on
years of investing in training, operation Soyuz TM during reentry.
centres, procedures and human A prime task of the 11-day mission was the replacement of the TM-34 Soyuz
spaceflight operations are really paying vehicle attached to the Space Station with the new TMA-1 spacecraft, in order
off. The role of Europe in manned to deliver a fresh “lifeboat” for the resident crew to be used in case of an
spaceflight will depend greatly on the emergency.
quality of its operators and on the will to During his nine days on board the Space Station, De Winne, whose flight was
invest in people as well as in technology. sponsored by the Belgian Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural
Therefore it is absolutely necessary, as Affairs (OSTC), carried out successfully a programme of 23 experiments in the
we move towards more operational fields of life and physical sciences and education, including experiments in an
capabilities by developing additional important new research facility designed and developed in Europe, the
hardware, that Europe also continues to Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG).
invest in human operational expertise
and learns to operate spaceships from Current Assignment
launch till landing. The first steps into De Winne is supporting the implementation of the White Paper on Space Policy
space have already been taken. The with the European commission and preparatory activities for the Soyuz at CSG
road ahead is open. All Europe really (Guiana Space Centre) project.
needs is to be willing to travel.
9
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 10
Pedro Duque
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
10
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 11
11
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 12
Reinhold Ewald
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
12
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 13
13
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 14
Léopold Eyharts
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
14
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 15
Flying the Space Shuttle Robotic Arm. Computer surgery on the Mir Space Station.
occur when working in space: human beings – astronauts – allows famous repair missions (for example
electronics failure. Corruption of data the full recovery of the initial of the Hubble Space Telescope), but
or memory is considered to be one of operational capabilities, provided also during the daily life and work of
the most probable causes of failure these operators have the appropriate astronauts on board the Shuttle and
affecting the computers used in tools and training. This has been the Space Stations.
space. Even though electronic demonstrated in the past during
devices are hardened and protected
to face this well-known threat, coming
from the natural electromagnetic
environment of space, there have
Léopold Eyharts
been several identified or supposed Born 28 April 1957 in Biarritz, France.
instances of such failures affecting
various hardware on board manned or Education
unmanned spacecraft. Graduated as an engineer from the French Air Force Academy of Salon-de-
Provence in 1979. He qualified as a fighter pilot in Tours in 1980 and graduated
It is obvious to me that space from the French test pilot school (EPNER) in Istres in 1988.
exploration will involve both automatic
and human “components” because Spaceflight Experience
they are complementary. Automatic Mission to the Russian space station Mir (29 January to 19 February 1998).
systems, or robots, will of course During this Franco-Russian mission, called "Pegase", he performed various
consist mainly of electronics, which we French experiments in the areas of medical research, neuroscience, biology, fluid
know are very sensitive to the space physics and technology.
environment.
Current Assignment
Identifying and fixing such failures is Léopold Eyharts received technical assignments within the NASA Astronaut
almost impossible to do remotely, Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. He is working in the ISS
without a significant degradation of Operations Branch on ISS Software and Systems. He is also training as a non-
the equipment or system per- assigned crewmember, both on the Space Shuttle and the ISS.
formances. Only the direct action of
15
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:45 PM Page 16
Christer Fuglesang
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
16
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 17
International Space Station have saved several years on Mir. A follow-up is in However, in my opinion the most
the invaluable Progress spacecraft – work for the ISS. My good friend and important aspect of sending humans
and probably also complete missions – long-time space inhabitant Sergey into space is simply to learn how to live
by taking over manually and by remote Avdeev is also involved in this project, and work there. And when you talk to
control from the space station. They which studies the light flashes that astronauts and cosmonauts as well as
managed to dock the Progress when most humans experience in orbit. This to the general public, that is actually
the automatic system failed. Vladimir phenomenon is linked to the radiation what everybody talks most about. We
Djanibekov and Viktor Savinikh docked environment and is both interesting and also need to improve how we live,
manually to the uncontrolled Salyut-7 important to understand in detail. I work, build and travel in space. How
and brought the freezing Space hope to record my own data on this else are we going to be able to exploit
Station back to life in 1985. The subject some day. this last infinite frontier?
importance of having human action is
proven continuously: while I am writing
this text, two space-walking
astronauts are repairing a solar array
Christer Fuglesang
on the ISS that did not stretch out Born 18 March 1957 in Stockholm, Sweden.
properly.
Education
At the other end of the spectrum, I have Graduated from Bromma Gymnasium, Stockholm, in 1975 and received a
been intrigued talking to scientists who Master of Science degree (Engineering Physics) from the Royal Institute of
have experienced conditions in space Technology (KTH), Stockholm 1981. Received a Doctorate in Experimental
themselves, explaining how they made Particle Physics in 1987 and became a Senior Lecturer in Particle Physics in
observations with their own eyes and 1991 at the University of Stockholm.
minds on fluids, animals, crystals etc.
This inspired me to propose an Current Assignment
experiment, ‘SilEye’, which flew for Christer Fuglesang is a member of ESA’s European Astronaut Corps, whose
homebase is the European Astronaut Centre located in Cologne, Germany. He is
currently training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to prepare for the
“I look forward to living on the ISS, seeing sixteen Space Shuttle mission STS-116 to the ISS, which will probably not take place
sunrises per day. I dream of flying to the Moon before 2006.
and of the day humans finally reach Mars.”
17
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 18
Umberto Guidoni
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
in the Mission Control Center trying to the crew because we had been
understand the causes of the failure, practising for more than a year on all
and with the flight crew reacting in real aspects of the mission, including
time to handle the contingency. It is a contingency situations and, among
great example of how things can go them, the possibility that the tether
wrong in space and how important it is could break. The presence of human
to have astronauts on board to handle beings in space might cost a lot of
off-nominal situations. There was an money because of the safety
almost instantaneous response from measures involved, but it buys an even
It was a dramatic change in the View of the Space Station from the Shuttle. Clearly visible is the robotic arm assembled by the
mission plan with the flight controllers STS-100 crew.
18
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 19
Umberto Guidoni
Born 18 August 1954 in Rome, Italy.
Education
Graduated from Classic Lyceum 'Gaio Lucilio' in Rome, Italy, in 1973. He received
his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Doctorate in Astrophysics (Summa
Cum Laude) from the University of Rome in 1978. He was then granted a post-
doctoral fellowship in plasma physics at the Thermonuclear Research Center of
CNEN until 1980. He is a Reserve Officer in the Italian Air Force.
Spaceflight Experience
greater flexibility that is impossible to Umberto flew as a Payload Specialist on the STS-75/TSS-1R mission, which
achieve with any automatic system – was a 16-day mission (22 February to 9 March 1996). The principal payloads
even the most sophisticated ones. were the reflight and deployment of the Tethered Satellite System (TSS) and the
third flight of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-3). The TSS
If we look at the complexity of the experiment produced a wealth of new information on the electrodynamics of
Space Station assembly and the tethers and plasma phyics despite the tether breaking after reaching a distance
exploration of the Solar System ahead of 19.7 km from the Space Shuttle, just shy of the 20.7 km goal. Scientists were
of us, the capability to cope with able to devise a programme of research making the most of the satellite’s free
unplanned situations will be even more flight while the astronauts' work centred on research related to the USMP-3
important for the future missions. It will microgravity investigations. In April 2001, Umberto flew the STS-100 mission, a
be the key to success! Space Station assembly flight, which carried the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
(Raffaello), provided by the Italian Space Agency for the International Space
It should not be a complete surprise; Station (ISS). The mission also carried the Space Station Remote Manipulator
after all, human evolution on Earth is System (SSRMS), the Canadian robotic arm that will be used extensively to
highly successful because our species assemble the ISS.
has been able to adapt to
a changing environment, constantly Current Assignment
facing new challenges. I see no reason Umberto Guidoni is assigned to ESA’s European Space Research and
why we shouldn’t take advantage of our Technology Centre (ESTEC) as crew support for the payloads that are being
genetic ability while we are embarking developed for the Columbus Laboratory. Columbus and its payloads will be the
on an even bigger challenge: trying to European contribution to the scientific research performed on board the
leave our planet and turn our attention International Space Station.
to the stars.
19
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 20
A Space-Faring Species
André Kuipers
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
20
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 21
21
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 22
Humans vs Machines
Paolo Nespoli
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
are very complex and capable to the During recent years, I have participated
point that some of them seem to have in many Public Relations events,
a soul. Nevertheless, I believe that we especially addressing young people in
as humans find it difficult to schools. During these events, I can see
understand and feel what a machine sparks in their eyes and smiles on their
must be experiencing and therefore faces when I talk about my
I have not actually flown in space, we have difficulty in relating to it. It is
but I deal with machines almost every much easier for a human to relate
day as part of my training. I must to what other humans have
admit that some of these machines experienced.
22
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 23
23
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 24
Claude Nicollier
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
the EURECA Scientific Platform, and "We will soon travel to far-away destinations -
the performance of various micro- Mars and beyond..."
gravity experiments.
Human intervention on Hubble has been fixed. We would also not have
been very successful on all servicing been in a position to update scientific
missions so far. Although technically instruments to state of the art as has
advanced, the Telescope would have been done on the second and the
been immensely more complex and fourth servicing missions. On numerous
I was privileged to take part in four expensive had it been designed to be occasions during these servicing
Shuttle flights between 1992 and serviced by robots to the same extent. missions, the flexibility of human
1999. Two of these were visits to the Despite the fact that limited robotic intervention was used to engage
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope servicing is a possibility in the future, the alternate rather than planned
for repairs and maintenance of the Telescope would have remained operational paths, which is typically the
orbiting observatory. The other two ineffective without past on-orbit kind of action robots or automatic
were devoted to tests of the Italian- intervention. For instance, the optical systems are not well suited for. Hubble
American Tethered Satellite, with the problem affecting its performance early is more than fourteen years old, but it
addition of the in-orbit deployment of in the programme would never have remains a modern discovery machine,
and regular human intervention has
been critical to maintain this status.
24
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 25
Physical Presence
Claude Nicollier
Born 2 September 1944 in Vevey, Switzerland.
Education
Graduated from Gymnase de Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1962; received a
Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Lausanne in 1970 and a
Master of Science degree in Astrophysics from the University of Geneva in
1975. He also graduated as a Swiss Air Force pilot in 1966, as an airline pilot
in 1974, and as a test pilot in 1988.
International Space Station support. It
might only be a question of years until Spaceflight Experience
the idea comes back as an effective way A veteran of four spaceflights, Claude has logged more than 1000 hours in
to control Station altitudes without using space. He flew as a mission specialist on STS-46 in 1992, STS-61 in 1993,
propellant, or as a way to provide STS-75 in 1996 and STS-103 in December 1999.
artificial gravity in human spacecraft
cruising to distant destinations in the STS-46 Atlantis (31 July to 8 August 1992), was an eight-day mission during
Solar System. which the crew deployed the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) science
platform, and conducted the first Tethered Satellite System (TSS) test flight.
Hubble and the Tethered Satellite are
two examples of systems where STS-61 (2 - 13 December 1993) was the first Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
human involvement in orbit made a servicing and repair mission, a joint ESA/NASA undertaking. During the
huge difference. In general, complex eleven-day flight, the HST was captured and restored to full capability through
space systems servicing and a record of five spacewalks by four astronauts.
maintenance, or new systems in their
test or early development stage, are STS-75 Columbia (22 February to 9 March 1996) was a 15-day flight, with
best handled through human principal payloads being the reflight of the Tethered Satellite System (TSS) and
intervention in space. the third flight of the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-3). The TSS
successfully demonstrated the ability of tethers to produce electricity. The
But space is much more than Hubble TSS experiment produced a wealth of new information on the electro-
and a satellite at the end of a dynamics of tethers and plasma physics before the tether broke at 19.7 km,
conducting cable. We have benefited just shy of the 20.7 km goal. Scientists were able to devise a programme
tremendously from all aspects of space of research making the most of the satellite’s free flight while the
utilisation and exploration since we astronauts’ work centred on research related to the USMP-3 Microgravity
ventured outside of the Earth’s investigations.
atmosphere more than forty years ago,
and there is much more to come. ESA’s STS-103 Discovery (19-27 December, 1999) was an 8-day mission with the
Aurora Programme, and similar efforts primary objective to repair and service the HST, in particular the replacement
among our partners, will soon open the of the six gyroscopes that are necessary to meet the telescope’s very precise
Solar System to robotic and human pointing requirement. During this spaceflight, Claude carried out his first
exploration. Continuing the journey, spacewalk of 8 hours and 10 minutes duration, to install a new computer and
building up on what has already been one of three fine guidance sensors. He is the first European with spacewalk
accomplished to establish and exploit experience on a Shuttle flight.
several working places in the Earth’s
neighborhood and in the Solar System, Current Assignment
will result in a significant expansion of Claude is currently assigned to the EVA (Extravehicular Activity) Branch in the
human knowledge, and consequently in NASA Astronaut Office in Houston, supporting the preparation of future
a dramatic increase of human spacesuits for EVAs.
capabilities.
25
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 26
Philippe Perrin
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
months prior to our launch, the able to re-attach the End Effector, it
Station’s arm failed because of a short would have run out of electrical heating
circuit in one of the Wrist Roll electrical just like a human hand running out of
motors. My crew was asked to quickly blood.
train for a rescue mission: without the
arm, the whole Station assembly was This was a lot of responsibility on my
on hold. We did not have the luxury of shoulders as a first flyer, but the bliss
taking our time to train extensively, was infinite when I learned that we had
although the task was very critical. successfully repaired the arm and put
Fortunately, the Canadian arm had the Station back on track in the
been very cleverly designed and our assembly phase.
I was too young in the Apollo days to only challenge was to run against the
have personal memories of these clock. It was like serious surgery: to get I feel very privileged to have been given
adventures in space. I consider myself access to the Wrist, we first had to the opportunity to do three space-
to be from a new generation, a disassemble the End Effector. If by the walks, during which I was able to
generation that was deprived of the end of the spacewalk we had not been marvel at the natural beauty of our
exhilaration and inspiration of outer
space exploration. As a teenager I
developed my own dreams from books
and films like “2001, A Space Odyssey”,
and that inspired me to become an
astronaut: to go on a journey through
the whole Solar System.
26
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 27
27
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 28
Thomas Reiter
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
28
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 29
gacy
29
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 30
Hans Schlegel
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
Earth, to find what exists out there and and have led to the enormous gain of
to develop the technology necessary knowledge in the last few centuries.
to leave the Earth and have access to This is also what motivated me to
our planets and moons. In the long apply to become a Science Astronaut,
run, the knowledge and capabilities and as a result I was able to fly on the
gained will benefit all humans. German-American Spacelab D-2
mission in 1993. Spacelab is a science
The roots of these thoughts are exactly laboratory developed and built under
what motivate people to study and the management of the European
The decision to send humans into become scientists. General curiosity Space Agency, and carried into space
space is purely a cultural and political about nature and the laws that govern by the American Space Shuttle. It
one. Only the nations with the potential it are the foundation of our civilisation provides an earthlike laboratory
and vision to play a major role in environment in space. We conducted
shaping the future of our Earth – and 90 experiments in eleven major
even more of mankind – undertake the scientific fields. During our 10-day
effort to push their capabilities and mission, we worked around the clock
influence beyond current borders. By in two shifts and were challenged to
doing so, they gain new knowledge, use all of our knowledge, experience
technical possibilities and, most and talent to satisfy the expectations of
importantly, personal inspiration for hundreds of scientists and engineers
their people. Spaceflight in general is back on Earth. Many year before the
one of the most visible and obvious mission, they had come up with the
frontiers to all people on Earth. Seeing scientific questions and have
and understanding that this endeavour developed optimised experiments from
is undertaken by the international that point on. Now it was up to us to
community puts the various goals and perform them in microgravity. We
motivations of individual humans and worked intently and experienced vey
organisations into broader perspective. much the same things that thousands
of experimental scientists experience
It is human spaceflight that makes all back on Earth day after day –
of us aware of and emotionally unexpected events, the need for
touched by the fact that our Earth is flexibility and adaptability, sometimes
nothing but a big spaceship that we even improvisation. The only thing
need to maintain carefully, and whose lacking was the freedom to repeat an
resources we should use wisely. With experiment run due to limited
this insight it is evident that we should resources of time, electrical power,
invest some of our resources to go Working in weightlessness like in a laboratory on cooling and other environmental
beyond the horizon of our spaceship Earth. parameters.
30
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 31
31
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 32
Gerhard Thiele
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
around the globe shocked when they and let your mind wander! The
heard the news, regardless whether questions will come back. Philosopher
they lived in Moscow or Sydney, Tokyo Immanuel Kant wrote: “Nothing fills me
or Capetown, Mexico City or Paris? Let with more, ever increasing awe than the
alone the people of the US and Israel. stars above me and the moral law within
Many of us can still recall where they me”*. After all, we are born from
were and what they were doing when stardust. The elements constituting our
they first heard the devastating news. bodies did not exist when our Universe
(The very same is true for the landing of was created some ten billion years ago.
Apollo 11 on the Moon: it seems that According to our current understanding
The world watched in disbelief and both triumph and tragedy evoke of the Universe everything heavier than
horror when, on 1 February 2003, powerful emotions and lasting hydrogen or helium was created inside
Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated impressions.) the stars and released into the Universe
on reentry in the Texan sky, claiming the in countless violent explosions, thus
lives of seven astronauts, just sixteen People feel attached to these generating the prerequisites for life and,
minutes away from home. The space astronauts. But what are these ties? I eventually, us human beings on planet
community mourned the loss of a believe they root in our deepest inner Earth. The sky is not the limit, we have
distinguished, unique crew, some of us self. Human beings have a desire to proven it (even though we have failed
lost close friends, and families lost their explore the unknown, to comprehend tragically more than once).
beloved ones. In the face of this the worlds beyond, to probe the
tragedy, inevitably the question was boundaries – and thus push them Is spaceflight a romantic vision only?
asked: Should we fly into space? Is the further. And even though as grown-ups The answer to this question is clearly
risk not too high, the price we are we often tend to forget or neglect our “No”. Spaceflights have resulted in
paying for this endeavour not natural curiosity, as mothers and fathers many measurable and valuable results.
excessive? we have answered countless “Why?” This is true not only for science, but
questions. Is not the growing child, some results affect our daily lives
It is difficult, if not impossible, to answer asking all these questions (Why does already without us taking much note of
questions regarding the value of our the Sun shine? Why is the sky blue? it. European astronauts have contri-
deeds when they are connected with an Why are the seas salty? Why are the buted to quite a lot stories of success in
account for human lives. I will not mountains high? ….) a symbol of the the past 20 years. I will restrict myself to
attempt to answer this question. I know human being who grows by asking two examples, not because I think the
I would fail. questions in the desire to better others are less important, but because
understand himself and his I feel especially attached to these
But then, why are we flying into space? surroundings? missions. Firstly, I would like to mention
There is no easy answer; if there was
we would not ask the same question Why should the sky be the limit? I *The German original version by I. Kant:
again and again. But maybe the tragic recommend you go outside on a clear „Zwei Dinge erfüllen das Gemüt mit immer neuer und
zunehmender Bewunderung und Ehrfurcht, je öfter und
fate of the seven Columbia astronauts night, away from the frequently blinding anhaltender sich das Nachdenken damit beschäftigt: Der
provides a clue. Why were people lights of the city. Take a look at the stars bestirnte Himmel über mir und das moralische Gesetz in mir.“
32
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 33
33
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 34
Roberto Vittori
Member of the European Astronaut Corps
ESA / EAC, Cologne, Germany
34
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 35
Generations
Roberto Vittori and Frank De Winne in preparation for their flight on the Soyuz spacecraft.
35
BR-221_EuroAstro 9/10/04 1:46 PM Page 36
36
BR-221cover 9/10/04 1:54 PM Page 1
BR-221