The space shuttle Atlantis launched into orbit on June 8, from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral. Among the seven crewmembers onboard is FAU alumnus Dr. Steven Swanson, who is making his first trip into space to work on the International Space Station.
Swanson, who graduated in 1986, never dreamt of becoming an astronaut until receiving his master’s degree. Showing his devotion to his alma mater, Swanson brought FAU’s banner with him into orbit.
“As a kid I loved to go in the woods and just go off and explore different areas,” Swanson told NASA during a pre-flight interview. “It just kind of hit me [after graduation] that this is the job I’m going to have for 30, 40 years. That was kind of an eye opening when I really started thinking about life and really what I wanted to do.”
While the launch appeared to go without a glitch, it was soon discovered that a piece of the shuttle’s thermal blanket, which protects the shuttle from the extreme heat of Earth’s atmosphere, peeled away during take-off. The crew inspected the damage with the aid of a robotic arm and plans to repair the gap during their fourth and final spacewalk.
“Getting into those spacesuits [for spacewalks] is not the easiest thing in the world,” and often requires the help of another crew member, Swanson told NASA. “We definitely don’t want to make a mistake when somebody’s going out on a spacewalk. It could be very hazardous to their health.”
During the mission’s first spacewalk this past Tuesday, the crew installed a set of rotating panels (called solar arrays) onto the space station which are similar to solar panels found on Earth. These panels absorb the sun’s rays and ultimately provide the space station with more energy.
Although the astronauts will devote much of their time to working on the International Space Station and repairing Atlantis, they still have plenty of opportunities to take in the view from space during their 13-day mission.
“I’m very much looking forward not only to turning around and looking at Earth,” Atlantis crewmember Danny Olivas told NASA. “but also turning around and looking into space, because the only thing separating you and the rest of the universe is, you know, a thin visor.”
The shuttle is expected to return to Earth on next Thursday, June 21. This is the space shuttle’s 28th mission into space since 1985.
