Two US space-shuttle astronauts will present some unique film footage of their missions, at an Academy Times lecture in Dublin, writes Dick Ahlstrom.
Not one but two astronauts will relate their experiences on board the US space shuttle at the next Academy Times lecture on January 12th, 2005. Astronauts Scott Kelly and Brian Duffy will be in Dublin in conjunction with the FÁS Science Challenge and will talk to the public and answer questions about their travels.
The lecture is organised by FÁS, The Irish Times and the Royal Irish Academy, and takes place in Trinity College Dublin's Burke Theatre on Wednesday January 12th at 7.30 p.m. The unique presentation will include spectacular footage from several space shuttle missions and first-hand descriptions of what shuttle flights entail.
Between them Kelly and Duffy have logged five shuttle missions. These involved a wide range of objectives including repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope, retrieval and repairs to an ailing satellite and visits to the International Space Station. Tony Gannon, director of education with the Florida Space Authority, will introduce the two.
Kelly is assigned to command shuttle flight STS-118, an assembly mission to the Space Station scheduled to launch in March 2006. He is a former US Navy test pilot and was selected by NASA in April 1996. He has logged more than 191 hours in space, serving as pilot on board shuttle flight STS-103 in 1999 for this eight-day mission which involved installing new instruments and upgraded systems on the Hubble Space Telescope. The flight involved 120 earth orbits and travelled 3.2 million miles before landing.
Duffy has spent more than 40 days and 17 hours in space and commanded several shuttle missions. Selected for the shuttle programme in June 1985, he retired from NASA and the US Air Force in 2001.
He has travelled on four space flights. He served as pilot on STS-45 in 1992 and on STS-57 in 1993. He commanded flight STS-72 on the shuttle Endeavour in 1996, a nine-day mission during which the crew retrieved a satellite, the Japanese Space Flyer Unit, which had been in orbit for the previous 10 months.
Duffy also commanded a crew of seven on STS-92 Discovery in 2000. This was a 13-day flight which entailed a visit to the International Space Station and four space walks to attach elements to the orbiting station.
The timing of their visit is significant given the shuttle's planned return to flight in May 2005. Shuttle missions were suspended after the re-entry break-up of the shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003, with the tragic loss of seven crew members.
NASA undertook an intensive safety analysis, both to understand how the break-up occurred but also to find ways of making the shuttle safer for astronauts, particularly when things go wrong. Damage at lift-off caused to Columbia's heat protection tiles resulted in the loss, but crew now have methods for repairing tiles during a flight.
With the shuttle fleet preparing for a return to space, the lecture will mean a great deal more. People attending the lecture will be able to put questions directly to the astronauts.
FÁS's Science Challenge is a competition that will bring 15 primary school pupils on a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The pupils were asked to answer science quiz questions and competition entries closed earlier this month. The winning places will be announced next month.
The lecture is free and open to the public, and young people are particularly welcome. Significant demand for the lecture is expected so please apply for tickets immediately. These are available by logging on to the Academy's website, www.ria.ie.
Learn more about the FÁS Science Challenge at www.fas.ie/science and more about the space shuttle at www.spaceflight.nasa.gov.