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Barbara Morgan
Age: 56
Astronaut since: 1985
Space time: One shuttle mission in 2007
Biology teacher Barbara Morgan waited a long time for her shuttle mission: 21 years. Originally chosen as a backup for the NASA Teacher in Space Program in the 1980s, she trained with Christa McAuliffe before the tragic Challenger accident in 1986. Afterward, Morgan returned to teaching elementary school in Idaho but remained hopeful that, as NASA's Teacher in Space Designee, she'd get to fulfill McAuliffe's mission someday. Finally, in August of 2007, she blasted off in the shuttle Endeavour for a 13-day mission, even operating the space station's robotic arms during space walks. Although a worrisome puncture in the heat shield diverted some of the crew's attention for a while, Morgan was able to teach lessons via onboard video about life in space. She left NASA in August this year to become an educator at Boise State University in Idaho.
The biggest surprise: "No matter how I was situated the first day, my body felt like it was upside down. That might've been because all your fluids shift up to your head. And what memory do we have of being in that situation? It's like when we're kids, hanging upside down."
Another surprise: "I slept really well, even on the first night. On earth, when my mind is going, it's hard to relax and go to sleep. But I was amazed on orbit because the minute I strapped myself in, I fell asleep right away. The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the alarm."
The power of food: "Food gave us teachable moments to show Newton's laws and properties of liquids. It was fun. My favorite thing to eat was beef Stroganoff. The Russians shared some of their beef and lamb dishes, caviar, and cheeses, and that was very nice."
Gut reactions: "I found that for the first couple of days, I was staying hydrated and I wasn't very hungry. My gastrointestinal system seems to rely on gravity to a certain extent, and it sort of shut down. But the body adjusts."
Bodily functions: "Kids always want to know about the toilet. It looks similar to what we have on earth, but there are bars you put over your thighs to hold yourself down, and it uses fans that pull body waste away. There's a hose with a personal funnel attachment for male or female anatomy. The trick is to keep it tightly sealed so that things don't get away and float around. When we get asked 'How do you go to the bathroom?' the answer is 'Very carefully.'"
What NASA'S Done for you Lately
Technologies and materials invented or developed in the space program have led to a host of things we use every day. Without NASA, we might not have:
- Portable cordless vacuums
- Wireless headsets
- Memory foam
- Invisible braces for teeth
- Online dating service software
- Nutrient-rich baby formula
- Large-venue plasma displays
- Quick-read ear thermometers
- Drag-reducing swimsuits used in the Olympics
- Water purification system for turning wastewater into drinkable water
- Ingestible toothpaste
- Scratch-resistant, UV-blocking sunglasses
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