By Matt Phillips
Special to The Review
The question of ‘Why do we need to go to space?? has been the undertone attached to NASA from its inception in 1958 and continues to linger today.
In the 1960s, when President Kennedy challenged the nation to ‘landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth,? the goal was part of a race with the Russians. Once that goal was accomplished, the theme shifted to research, then exploration toward establishing space colonies and along the way, innovation and technological advances seemed to take precedent. Of course the whole time, the ‘cool factor? was certainly present. Let’s face it; space travel is really cool!
We all stand a bit taller when we think of Neil Armstrong first setting foot on the surface of the moon, but to get a true appreciation for advancements through space, you need to look no further than your own home.
A walk through your house demonstrates some of these spin-off technologies including infrared thermometers, water filtration systems, enriched baby food, cordless tools, invisible braces, insulated paint, satellite devices, etc. all of which may not have been possible without first being necessary for space use.
So on Oct. 8, 2008, when a 1983 Lake Orion High School Graduate boards the Space Shuttle Atlantis and sets off on his journey to repair the Hubble Telescope, the reason for going are plentiful.
‘As with any career, you have to feel that what you are doing will make a difference,? Feustel said.
‘I fully understand the program and risks and believe that the rewards far out weigh the risks,? he added.
The rewards for Feustel’s Mission to the Hubble telescope are significant.
Since it was first launched into orbit in 1990, the Hubble Telescope has been the source of numerous challenges for NASA, but more importantly, it has also been the source of countless scientific discoveries.
After some adjustments, Hubble has revealed some of the most amazing pictures ever seen which, along with specific data has uncovered mysteries of the universe, including the confirmation that our universe was created 14 billion years ago, that every galaxy has a Black Hole which contributes to gravitational pull on stars, the birth and death cycles of stars, etc.
‘The Hubble Telescope is an extremely valuable scientific instrument,? said Feustel. ‘More scientific papers have been published using the Hubble data than have ever been published for any other scientific instrument.?
The Hubble Telescope is about the size of a Greyhound bus and orbits at an altitude of around 353 miles above Earth’s surface. It travels at a speed of 17,500 mph, meaning that it travels completely around the earth once every 97 minutes.
When Feustel and his fellow astronauts aboard Shuttle Mission STS-125 complete their Hubble repairs, the possibilities and advancements from space travel will take another giant leap forward.
There is a famous quote from Charles H. Duell who was Commissioner of the U.S. Office of Patents in 1899 in which he stated, ‘Everything that can be invented has been invented?.
Obviously, Mr. Duell did not anticipate the advances of our scientists, engineers and astronauts and did not appreciate the possibilities that can exist when we reach for the stars.
For more information on The Hubble Telescope, visit www.hubblesite.org.
To find out more about the life of an astronaut, see The Review in August.