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Happy Holidays!!! December 2000 Cosmonotes Décembre 2000 The Newsletter of the Canadian Alumni of the International Space University Le Bulletin des Anciens Etudiants Canadiens de l’Université Internationale de l’Espace reminiscing on an Aerospace Medicine docked to the Station, three HAPPY Elective at KSC, and an article from the spacewalks will be conducted to busy, busy, busy MSS6. Another deliver, assemble, and activate the opinion piece is included in this issue, U.S. electrical power system on board HOLIDAYS!!! this time on The Dreams our Star Stuff the ISS. The electrical power system, Here is the December 2000 edition of is Made of – thank you to Eric Choi which is built into a 47-foot integrated your CAISU newsletter, Cosmonotes, (SSP 99) for polling the alumni and truss structure known as P6, consists again packed with many fascinating writing a delightful article from all of solar arrays, radiators for cooling, articles from alumni and friends. This responses received. batteries for solar energy storage, and electronics. P6 is the first section of a issue of Cosmonotes was slightly Thank you to all alumni who system that ultimately will deliver 60 delayed to include an article on the volunteered to write articles for times more power to the ISS research November 30th launch of STS-97 with Cosmonotes! It is thanks to the facilities than was possible on Mir. Canadian Astronaut Marc Garneau on constant willingness of alumni to board, a launch that many CAISU contribute that this newsletter keeps Mission Specialist Marc Garneau members were present in Florida to getting better (and thicker!) with each (Ph.D.) will attach P6 to the evolving view thanks to an invitation from the issue. ISS using the Shuttle’s Canadian-built Canadian Space Agency! Thank you to robotic arm in coordination with As this is the last issue of the year Audrey Robinson-Seurig (SSP 91) for spacewalking Mission Specialists 2000, on behalf of the 1999-2000 writing me the launch article on a tight Joseph R. “Joe” Tanner and Carlos I. CAISU Board of Directors, I would like deadline while in the midst of her move Noriega (Lt. Col., USMC) who will to wish everyone un Joyeux Noël et to Germany! make the final connections. The une Bonne Année!!! Recent CAISU activities also include spacewalkers will then prepare P6 for Chantal Lamontagne SSP 95 the subsequent deployments of the our Annual General Meeting, our yearly 2000 CAISU Membership Director large solar arrays and radiator, which Roadshow, the CSA merchandising Editor, Cosmonotes project, and the CAISU Day are important steps in the activation of Conference Workshop held in the electrical power system. The 120- conjunction with the CASI Astronautics CAISU Members See foot solar arrays will provide a five -fold Conference in Ottawa at the beginning increase in power, which is needed for Spectacular Space the first ISS crews to live and work in of November. Although a preliminary conference report was ready for Shuttle Launch the U.S. segment of the Station. Later publication, it was decided to wait until in the mission, the Space Shuttle by Audrey Robinson-Seurig (SSP 91) astronauts will be the first to visit the the full, detailed final report on the CAISU Day Conference Workshop was About 20 CAISU members and their three Station crew members, astronaut completed to present it to our guests gathered at NASA’s Kennedy Bill Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, members. The final report will be Space Center (KSC) and Cocoa Beach mailed out to CAISU members and in Florida recently to experience the who have resided on the Station since conference participants in the new Space Shuttle launch of the STS-97 November 2, 2000. year. mission which features Canadian Space Agency astronaut Marc Launch Day Events You will also find in this issue articles Garneau. on the MSS5 Team Project, the 2 SSP On the morning of November 30, 2000, CAISU members took a five-hour 2000 Design Projects, the ISU Chile- STS-97 Mission cruise on the Canadian Navy vessel Kourou Space Center Tour, many alumni updates, a message from During this 11-day mission, the Space HMCS Glace Bay for a sea-side view of the Space Shuttle on launch pad 39-B, CFISU President Rod Tennyson, a final Shuttle orbiter Endeavour will initially which was five miles away at closest report on the Mars Society Convention, rendez-vous and dock with the an update on ADAM events, inhabited International Space Station approach. Membership News and alumni (ISS), which is traveling about 200 Later in the afternoon at the Hilton gatherings in Ottawa and Toronto, a miles above the Earth at more than Coc oa Beach Oceanfront, we joined report on the 1st Annual ISU*USA 17,000 miles per hour. Commander about 300 guests at an outdoor Pre- Alumni Congress, an article on Brent W. Jett, Jr. (CDR, USN) and Pilot Launch Reception to honour Marc Enhancing Youth Participation in Space Michael J. Bloomfield (Lt. Col., USAF) Garneau and to celebrate the STS -97 Activities, another on the Space will be responsible for catching the launch. Television sets placed around Generation Advisory Council, an article Station, docking with it and then the oceanfront deck and a video departing from it. While the Shuttle is Page 2 projection on the outer wall of the hotel slight range problem that was quickly slow but successful docking of the displayed the latest updates from resolved. Space Shuttle orbiter and the ISS, was NASA Select TV, including the a popular pastime. Relaxing on the Following the Pre-Launch Reception, astronauts donning their flightsuit beach and playing sports, such as the guests boarded buses that helmets and walking to the bus that beach volleyball and swimming, were transported them to the different transports them to the launch pad. The other favourite activities. At KSC, some vivid pink-orange sunset overhead at viewing sites. CAISU members CAISU members observed wildlife, watched the launch from a site along the reception matched the NASA ranging from alligators and turtles to Select TV broadcast of the heavenly the causeway that was about five miles eagles with a 1,000-pound nest. Other from the launch pad. The cloudless backdrop behind the Space Shuttle CAISU members visited wildlife at evening sky was illuminated by a waiting on the launch pad. Near the Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando. myriad of stars and planets. We end of the reception, Marc Garneau’s wife Pamela (née Soame) shared her listened to the audio broadcast of Uplifting Music NASA Select as the countdown insight about the launch and mission, and a pre-recorded videotaped continued. At the scheduled time of On the way to the Space Shuttle 22:06 p.m., the Shuttle soared upward launch, several CAISU members message from Marc Garneau was from the launch pad on a blazing pillar entertained us on the slow bus ride with presented. of orange fire. After the Shuttle was songs involving various feats of During his third Space Shuttle flight, visibly well off the ground, we heard the physical and verbal dexterity. To close Garneau will operate the Shuttle’s delayed thunderous roar of the this article, I would like to share the robotic arm to help deploy the first powerful rockets. Shortly after the lyrics from my song entitled “A Vision of section of the giant solar arrays that will launch, a flash of light outlined a Tomorrow: Go, Shuttle, Go!”, which I provide power for the orbiting concentric arc around the Shuttle. This composed for a contest that involved International Space Station (ISS). As event looked like a “shooting star,” or writing a theme song for the “Teacher Canada’s first astronaut, Garneau meteor, piercing the atmosphere. in Space” Space Shuttle mission. The previously logged over 437 hours in However, from its location and timing, it contest was sponsored by Jim Rowley, space aboard STS -41G (Challenger) in could have been a solid rocket booster a teacher from my high school who was 1984 and STS-77 (Endeavour) in 1996. re-entering the atmosphere after it one of the “Teacher in Space” finalists After his initial flight, he served as burned out and separated from the from Ohio. The selected “Teacher in spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in external tank about two minutes Space” astronaut Christa McAuliffe flew Mission Control during Shuttle flights. A following the launch. Because of the on the tragic Challenger mission (STS- native of Quebec City, Canada, clear nighttime conditions, it was 51L) that was launched on January 28, Garneau earned a B.S. degree in possible to watch the Space Shuttle 1986 (which happens to be my engineering physics from the Royal ascend and accelerate away from us birthday). The destroyed Challenger Military College of Kingston and a until it appeared to shrink into a star- orbiter was replaced by Endeavour, Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the sized pinpoint of light that finally which carried Marc Garneau back into Imperial College of Science and disappeared at the horizon. According orbit on November 30, 2000. I would Technology in London, England. He to Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk, who like to dedicate this transcription of the also attended the Canadian Forces attended the CAISU post-launch party, lyrics to all astronauts past, present, Command and Staff College of the Shuttle was visible for seven and future. Toronto. minutes before it reached the horizon. “A Vision of Tomorrow: Go, Shuttle, He usually sees the Shuttle after Go!” ...3...2...1...Lift-Off! launch for only four minutes until it vanishes from sight. For more Lyrics and Music by Audrey A.
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