The Apollo 11 Moon Landing Party At The Ontario Science Centre
Last weekend, I attended a celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the first moon landing, the Apollo 11 mission. This party was held at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto. I took notes, of course. (grins) And I thought maybe you might be interested in some of my highlights.
Dr. Robert Thirsk, Canadian Astronaut
Dr. Robert Thirsk, a Canadian Astronaut who was part of the STS-78, and Soyuz TMA-15 (Expedition 20/21) missions, who had flown on the space shuttle Columbia and also spent 6 months on board the International Space Station, shared his experiences in space.
He stressed that accomplishments in space have benefited us here on Earth. The technology used for the Canadarm, for example, form the basis for robotics being utilized today for neurosurgery. This science is saving lives.
Astronauts are expected to perform at a high level but they’re also expected to have fun. Being in space should be a joy. It is a special experience. Yet there are important tasks to accomplish.
He says his body’s reaction to takeoffs took some getting accustomed to. There’s a rush of bodily fluids rising up in his body. He could feel his intestines lift.
It takes 2 to 3 days to adjust to being in space. After 3 to 5 days, he felt like he was born there. Once he returned to space, there was another 2 to 3 day adjustment period. He couldn’t get out of his seat by himself when they landed on Earth. He had to be assisted.
Dr. Robert Thirsk spoke about how watching the Apollo 11 Moon Landing made him want to become an astronaut. However, there were no Canadian astronauts at the time. They were all Americans or Russians. So he didn’t think that was possible for him. I thought it was interesting how this lack of representation impacted him.
He is excited about the future of space exploration. He’s certain we’ll visit an asteroid in 10 years or less and we’ll be walking on Mars in 15 to 20 years. Those Mars astronauts are alive today, which is a fascinating fact. If you’re a teacher, you could be teaching the first being who steps on Mars.
Dr. Robert Thirsk talked about how being an astronaut is a lifelong role. He’ll be a spokesperson for the space program for life. It will always be part of him.
Cailin Gallinger, Planetary Geophysicist
Cailin Gallinger, a planetary geophysicist and a member of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s (LRO) Diviner instrument science team, relayed some interesting facts about the moon.
The same side of the moon always faces us (which is why folks talk about the dark side of the moon). The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth. It is also shrinking as it emits heat.
That’s one of the reasons why eclipses are so special. Many years ago, the moon would have appeared much larger than the sun. Many years from now, the moon won’t cover our view of the sun. It is only during this special slice of time that the moon perfectly covers the sun during an eclipse.
The surface of the moon can be either extremely hot or extremely cold, depending on what we perceive here on Earth as its fullness (the amount of its illuminated surface). Below the moon’s surface, the temperature is moderate, however. This makes me suspect that any future settlements on the moon will be situated at least partially below the surface.
One of the missions of LRO was to search for water. Water can be used for rocket fuel. They did detect water in the South Pole of the Moon. Cailin Gallinger believes that will be the site for a future permanent base on the Moon.
Wilfred Buck, Science Facilitator For The Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre
Wilfred Buck, Science Facilitator for the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre and a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, talked about First Nations’ contributions to astronomy.
He stressed that every group of people on Earth has names for the stars and an interest in science. They experimented, tested theories, used science in everyday life and it factors in their beliefs about themselves.
The Cree, for example, believe themselves to be star people, spirits learning to be human. Their origin stories are very similar to wormhole theory (based on the theory of relativity). They believe their people traveled through holes in space to reach Earth.
One of the Crees’ constellations, that of a bear, is also rooted in a story about how the bear went around the Earth four times, picking up the momentum necessary to fly into the sky. That’s the slingshot effect, something astronauts use today.
Wilfred Buck shared that members of the First Nations were extremely interested in the Apollo 11 moon landing. The astronauts landed on terrain that was special to his people. They weren’t surprised that water was eventually found there. Their stories foretold there would be.
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