K2S Part 1 - Planning To Go To Space
From The Space Library
Is there anyone who hasn’t stood outside in the still of a star-canopied night, caught up in the infinite wonder of the Universe? Imagination gives us the freedom to time-travel to faraway places where we can land on an asteroid or stand on the Moon. Someday when we prepare to visit destinations in space, how will we feel? Will it be scary? Will we decide to go? To be among the first to explore new places is very exciting, but it will take preparation and courage. How are we going to go where we have never been before? Who is going to help us figure everything out? As the possibility of space travel progresses from science fiction fantasy to foreseeable reality, let’s investigate the things we may need to know before we go to space. The great thing about being ahead of our time is: when the time comes, we’ll be ready! The more we explore, the more we will learn about the Universe and about ourselves. And even if some of us later decide that we would rather stay at home on Earth, we can all have fun planning together now. After all, we’re very good at asking questions – and as we travel into the future, who knows where our questions may lead!
| Chapters | Sample Topics | Experts |
| GENERAL | Will average people be able to go on this trip? | Geoffrey I. Crouch, Ph.D. |
| ASTRONAUTS | Could we become astronauts? | Col. USAF (Ret.) Rick Searfoss |
| AGE | How old do we have to be to go? | Sheryl L. Bishop, Ph.D. |
| EXPECTATIONS | What is the experience like? | Dennis Tito |
| ENVIRONMENT | Will it harm our environment? | Robby Gaines |
| ADMINISTRATIVE LOGISTICS | How do we sign up to go? | Sir Richard Branson; Jim Zebrowski |
| TRANSPORTATION | How will we get to space? | David Gump; Gary Hudson |
| CAPACITY | Could we all go at the same time? | Sir Richard Branson |
| AVAILABILITY | When will we be able to go? | Sir Richard Branson |
| GROUP DYNAMICS | Who will we be going with? | Sheryl L. Bishop, Ph.D. |
| HEALTH and MEDICAL | Will there be any special restrictions or requirements? | Col. USAF Dr. Richard S. Williams |
| MEDICAL | Does anyone ever get hurt? | Col. USAF Dr. Richard S. Williams |
| GOING TO SPACE WITH DISABILITIES | Would it be easier for us to get around in space? | Kimberly S. Bertele, MS, OTR; Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR; Mark A. Riccobono; Robert Shelton, Ph. D. Virgin Galactic |
| ANIMALS, FISH, INSECTS & BIRDS | May we take our pets along with us? | Bijal Thakore |
| EDUCATION | What is there to learn in space? | Pam Leestma and Brad McLain |
| SPORTS and GAMES | What will there be to do? | US Space and Rocket Center |
| SPACE HOTELS | Where will we be staying? | Robert T. Bigelow |
| DURATION | How long will it take to get there? | Hazel McAndrews |
| COMMUNICATIONS | How would we stay in touch with home? | Lonnie Moffitt; Cdr. USN Robert L. Curbeam |
| TRAINING | How will we prepare and train? | Tim Bailey; Loretta Hidalgo |
| PACKING | What should we take with us? | Roger Crouch, Ph.D. |
| CAMERA EQUIPMENT | What cameras will we need? | Barbara Morgan |
| ATMOSPHERE | What is atmosphere like? | Robert P. McCoy, Ph.D. |
| SPACEPORTS | Where will they be located? | Derek Webber; Eric Anderson |
| LAUNCH | Is lift off scary or exciting or both? | Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) William G. Gregory |
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