Astronaut and SECARMY Talk Life on International Space Station
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B4 APG News • September 22, 2016 THIS WEEK IN APG HISTORY Take a look back in time as the APG News explores what made the headlines around APG during this week 10, 25 and 50 years ago. This week’s APG News masthead is from 1978. By YVONNE JOHNSON, APG News 2020 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 10 Ye ars Ago 25 Ye ars Ago 50 Ye ars Ago Sept. 28, 2006 Sept. 18, 1991 Sept. 12, 1966 From left, Majs. Sven J. Ljamo and Richard S. The new U.S. Army M561 “Gama Goat” Members of local military veteran motorcycle Broadhurst and Capt. David K. Gustavision, vehicle is set to undergo final procurement clubs ride onto the installation to lunch with new occupational medicine residents with the testing by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation the Soldiers of the 61st Ordnance Brigade. U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency, Command, or TECOM. examine info packets after a command briefing. Astronaut and SECARMY talk life on International Space Station By DAVID VERGUN Army News Service Retired Army colonel and astronaut Timothy Kopra discussed his experi- ences on the International Space Station on Tuesday, Sept. 13, during a Face- book Live hosted by ABC News. Joining him for the broadcast from the “Moving Beyond Earth” exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, was Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, who served as moderator during the discussion, taking questions from an ABC News studio audience and Facebook. Kopra returned from his second mis- sion on the International Space Station earlier this year, on June 18. Space food vs. MREs One of the most challenging issues with space travel is how to get suffi- cient amounts of food and water into space for the astronauts to consume during often lengthy journeys. Unsur- prisingly, the topic generated a num- ber of questions from the live stream audience. Processed and dehydrated food in space is well balanced and healthy, Kopra said, but it “clearly would be healthier if we could grow our own.” During his own space missions, NASA photo Kopra said, they opted to grow inedible Commander Tim Kopra, from Austin, Texas, poses inside the cupola as the station orbits over the Earth below, May 2016. flowers, but on previous space missions that he had not taken part in, astronauts Keeping in touch lenge, he said, because everything must “You see ships going through the had grown lettuce in the space station. Kopra made it clear that his family be done so meticulously. Suez and Panama Canals, you see the He told Fanning the astronauts reported was the thing he missed most, empha- “Not having to worry about that lev- contrails of planes, you see the roads that lettuce grown in space tasted pret- sizing that NASA did a remarkable job el of detail [now] is really a blessing,” of different cities connecting each oth- ty good. of connecting him with his loved ones. he said. “So I’m glad to be back.” er,” he said. Asked how astronaut food compared “NASA does a great job of keeping Returning to Earth gravity after both “Even more dramatic is seeing how to Army food, specifically “meals, family in touch,” he said. “They have missions was also hard, he admitted. black it is beyond our planet, so it really ready-to-eat,” or MREs, Kopra said an Internet protocol telephone so you “Your body adapts to space,” he said. makes you recognize that we’re alone,” both are OK. He had consumed MREs can call your family, and there’s a vid- “It loves zero gravity and doesn’t like he said. for five months during Operation Des- eo teleconferences once a week with 1-G when you get back, so the first day ert Storm. An MRE, he said, wasn’t On becoming an astronaut the family.” is very rough. After two weeks, strength “necessarily your favorite, but it was It takes a lot of hard work to join Asked about what his family thinks and balance return, and recovery comes good.” the space program, but joining the of him being in space, he replied, “They quickly.” The differences between dining on Army doesn’t hurt. So far, around 20 think it’s cool but they’re nonplused. Kopra said he also missed the fresh Earth and in space go beyond the food or so Soldiers have become astronauts. It’s business as usual for them,” since smells of Earth. itself, Kopra said. In space, astronauts Kopra recommended that young people he has been in the astronaut program “When we landed in Kazakhstan must be very careful when eating din- who are interested in becoming astro- since 2000. and opened the hatch, the smell of all ner in zero gravity, because things can nauts focus on excelling in subjects like He added that he has two children; that grass was almost overpowering,” float off and “make a big mess” in the math, science and engineering. a son who is a cadet at the U.S. Mili- he said. space station. One of the joys of com- When Kopra returned to Earth from tary Academy, West Point, New York, ing back to Earth, he said, was not hav- Interconnected his last mission, his replacement to and daughter who is attending Prince- ing to worry about that. “How are sunsets different in space?” command the International Space Sta- ton University. Everything needed for life on the asked Fanning. tion was another Soldier, Jeffrey Wil- space station, including water, is Missing gravity The views from space can leave you liams, who happened to set a U.S. brought from Earth, he said. With no Asked what he missed about Earth with a sense of how interconnected record for the most cumulative days in way to procure more water, the space during his time in space, Kopra made everything is, Kopra said, and the views space, 534. He returned just last week, station’s atmosphere is recycled to pro- it clear that he missed his family the of phenomena like the rising and setting beating Astronaut Scott Kelly’s record. duce water. Even urine and sweat are most, but gravity was a close second. sun and the coral reefs in the Bahamas recycled and purified for drinking. Working in zero gravity is a real chal- can be awe-inspiring..