Astronomy
There is a side of me that is celebrating the many advances of my female colleagues in recent months. As a former NASA employee I am truly heartened by the leadership roles taken by women in two of my favorite projects, the Fermi Gamma Ray Observatory where the NASA Headquarters Program Scientist, the NASA Goddard Project Scientist and Deputy Project Scientist are all women and on the new Gravity and Extreme Magnetism SMEX (GEMS) mission where most of the leadership roles are occupied by women.
Then we hear that Space shuttle Discovery launched recently to deliver spare parts and science experiments to the international space station contains among its crew three women.
With its crew of seven astronauts, this mission is carrying supplies and science equipment for the international space station's laboratories. The 13-day mission includes three planned spacewalks, replacing an ammonia tank assembly and retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station's exterior. NASA said Discovery's mission will mark the first time four women have been in space at one time: Three women -- mission specialists Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Naoko Yamazaki -- comprise part of the Discovery's crew, while NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson is already at the space station.
I cannot help but ponder the question. Is something going on here? I know over half of these women and I am here to tell you that they were selected based on merit and competence, without question. These are not connected events and yet it would seem to be a significant advance. My overwhelming reaction is to be disappointed in myself for even wondering about it because just perhaps we are getting closer to the point where the gender of the participants will no longer hit the consciousness of male old timers like me. Then why is NASA making such a big deal out of it? Maybe I should be wondering why the latest Shuttle crew only contains three women if I give it a thought at all.
- Astronauts Do Last Inspection Of Atlantis Before Wednesday Landing
The astronauts in Atlantis have done the final inspection of the shuttle as it will re-enter the atmosphere of Earth on Wednesday after spending 7 days in International Space Station. The crew of Atlantis have spent 7 days in ISS where they installed...
- Shuttle Endeavour Cleared For Launch Next Week
While the shuttle Endeavour's crew reviewed emergency procedures at the launch pad June 3 , NASA managers held an executive-level flight readiness review and cleared the ship for blastoff June 13, at 7:17:15 a.m., on a complex space station assembly...
- Good Morning From The International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, currently on a year-long mission on the International Space Station, took this photograph of a sunrise and posted it to social media on Aug. 10, 2015. Kelly wrote, "#GoodMorning to those in the western #USA. Looks like there's...
- Space Station Evacuation Ends, Astronauts Return To The Work.
Crew-members returned to the US side of the International Space Station after the false ammonia leak alarm caused on Wednesday. In response to the alarm, astronauts had evacuated the US side of the International Space Station and taken shelter...
- Nasa Evacuates Its Crew On International Space Station After Ammonia Leak Alarm.
NASA evacuated astronauts from its side of the International Space Station Wednesday after an alarm indicated a possible toxic leak. Officials later said a false sensor set off the alarm, rather than an actual leak of ammonia. In the meantime, the...
Astronomy
Are Times a Changin?
There is a side of me that is celebrating the many advances of my female colleagues in recent months. As a former NASA employee I am truly heartened by the leadership roles taken by women in two of my favorite projects, the Fermi Gamma Ray Observatory where the NASA Headquarters Program Scientist, the NASA Goddard Project Scientist and Deputy Project Scientist are all women and on the new Gravity and Extreme Magnetism SMEX (GEMS) mission where most of the leadership roles are occupied by women.
Then we hear that Space shuttle Discovery launched recently to deliver spare parts and science experiments to the international space station contains among its crew three women.
With its crew of seven astronauts, this mission is carrying supplies and science equipment for the international space station's laboratories. The 13-day mission includes three planned spacewalks, replacing an ammonia tank assembly and retrieving a Japanese experiment from the station's exterior. NASA said Discovery's mission will mark the first time four women have been in space at one time: Three women -- mission specialists Stephanie Wilson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger and Naoko Yamazaki -- comprise part of the Discovery's crew, while NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson is already at the space station.
I cannot help but ponder the question. Is something going on here? I know over half of these women and I am here to tell you that they were selected based on merit and competence, without question. These are not connected events and yet it would seem to be a significant advance. My overwhelming reaction is to be disappointed in myself for even wondering about it because just perhaps we are getting closer to the point where the gender of the participants will no longer hit the consciousness of male old timers like me. Then why is NASA making such a big deal out of it? Maybe I should be wondering why the latest Shuttle crew only contains three women if I give it a thought at all.
- Astronauts Do Last Inspection Of Atlantis Before Wednesday Landing
The astronauts in Atlantis have done the final inspection of the shuttle as it will re-enter the atmosphere of Earth on Wednesday after spending 7 days in International Space Station. The crew of Atlantis have spent 7 days in ISS where they installed...
- Shuttle Endeavour Cleared For Launch Next Week
While the shuttle Endeavour's crew reviewed emergency procedures at the launch pad June 3 , NASA managers held an executive-level flight readiness review and cleared the ship for blastoff June 13, at 7:17:15 a.m., on a complex space station assembly...
- Good Morning From The International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, currently on a year-long mission on the International Space Station, took this photograph of a sunrise and posted it to social media on Aug. 10, 2015. Kelly wrote, "#GoodMorning to those in the western #USA. Looks like there's...
- Space Station Evacuation Ends, Astronauts Return To The Work.
Crew-members returned to the US side of the International Space Station after the false ammonia leak alarm caused on Wednesday. In response to the alarm, astronauts had evacuated the US side of the International Space Station and taken shelter...
- Nasa Evacuates Its Crew On International Space Station After Ammonia Leak Alarm.
NASA evacuated astronauts from its side of the International Space Station Wednesday after an alarm indicated a possible toxic leak. Officials later said a false sensor set off the alarm, rather than an actual leak of ammonia. In the meantime, the...