Astronaut Chris Hadfield has found fame as the man with the guitar in space- the video of him singing Space Oddity in the International Space Station has been viewed on YouTube over 31 million times! However, before he became a weightless singing sensation, Commander Chris Hadfield is first and foremost a pioneering astronaut. The first Canadian in space, he is an engineer by trade and a former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. Chris has also flown two space shuttle missions, and served as commander of the International Space Station. His experience with NASA is a once in a lifetime opportunity: chosen as one of four astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants, Chris spent much of his life working for NASA and closely with the ISS, returning to Earth for the final time in 2013. Now retired, Chris is also a successful author. Making full use of technology, he skyped with Shiplake College to answer all of the burning questions our pupils had…
Johnny Pearson opened the questioning, asking Chris if ‘it’s cool with zero gravity’. The moment that Chris started talking, the audience was utterly entranced: talking of the effects of weightlessness in zero gravity, he explained how you can move anything with the touch of a finger; you can somersault over and over and float through the air- it’s ‘magic’. The thoughtful and perceptive questions from the packed audience went from anything to exercising in space to the inspiration for becoming an astronaut. Chris spoke at length about reading science fiction books by authors such as H G Wells, and becoming inspired by programmes such as Star Trek. The inspirational statement ‘I decided to become an astronaut when it was impossible’ was absolutely hair-raising for the enthralled audience.
Chris went on to suggest that equipment in space isn’t perfected yet; there is still a lot out there that we don’t know, and work is needed on developing space equipment, as well as our understanding of the surface of the world and the chemistry of space. There is definite room for improvement, but with modern advances in technology those gaps in the human knowledge are closing, and with pioneers such as Chris himself, the understanding of such matters is growing at an astronomical rate.
Chris spoke candidly to the packed Lecture Theatre. His experiences were inspirational and completely fascinating. He described witnessing sunsets from the Space Station, growing plants in zero gravity, and the effect of fear on a body. He even showed the audience his space suit, and revealed that the guitar which featured in his now world-famous Space Oddity video actually belongs to the ISS psychologist, and has been around the world 14 times.
The Skype session was a phenomenal success, and the pupils left feeling inspired and encouraged. Chris was honest and open about his experiences and the trials and tribulations that accompany the challenge of being a world-famous astronaut. Although his air travel for the foreseeable future is likely to be in a plane rather than a spaceship, Chris has not ruled out a return to infinity and beyond, looking with optimism towards a mission to Mars.
