June 18, 1983: Sally Ride Becomes First American Woman in Space
On this day in 1983, at the age of 32, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Her voyage came 20 years after Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. After the voyage, Sally Ride received many honors for her contributions to the field of science and space exploration.
In May 2012, Sally Ride became the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
On July 23, 2012, Sally Ride died at the age of 61 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
Visit PBS NewsHour to learn more about Sally Ride.
Photo: Courtesy of NASA
Reflections in the Great City of San Diego
(written 6/8/2013)
The deceivingly long adventure that spanned two weeks tested my resolve for everything I wanted to become in the future.
The stories of the few enlisted sailors and officers I have shadowed in the past two weeks not only inspired me to become the future naval officer I wish to be, but also confirmed some of my fears with the nature of my future job.
As a Midshipman, I strive to become a future officer and a physician in the Navy educated with the skills and leadership from the Academy. The idea of achieving that goal is quite daunting and unlikely.
I usually acknowledge the existence of failure, but I choose not to acknowledge my fear of failure. Fear is a choice. Seeing the real Navy for the first time unleashed a lot of reality for me.
Thoughts while watching the waves roll in by the pier
The longer I stay here, the more I wonder why I’m still here.
ARKYD: A Space Telescope for Everyone.
UPDATE: THIS POST will be edited and updated daily to reflect the project’s progress with its funding goal of $1,000,000.
Planetary Resources has also put together a MISSION SUPPORT HUB for assistance in promoting the project and learning more. Cruise on over to PR to educate yourself on how you can be a part of the project and help with this awesome process of bridging humanity with the cosmos!
As of June 12th, 2013, this is where we’re at:
Space is my Mistress,
and she beckons my return.
Since our departure I think of you and yearn to fly across the heavens arm in arm. I marvel at your figure, defined by the edges of continents.
You gaze at me with turquoise eyes, perhaps mistaken for ocean atolls.
You tease me to fall into your bosom, sculptured by tectonic rifts, only to move away as if playing some tantalizing game.
Time and time we turn together, through day, and night, and day, repeating encounters every 90 minutes with a freshness, as if we have never seen our faces before.
We stroll outside together, enveloped by naked cosmos, filled with desire to be one.
So close, you sense my every breath, which masks your stare through visor haze.
We dance on the swirls of cloud tops, while skirting the islands of blue. You know my heart beats fast for you.
Oh, Space is my mistress, and when our orbits coincide, we will once again make streaks of aurora across the sky.
Don Pettit, Astronaut, Scientist, Photographer, Poet; “Space Is My Mistress”
The poem, written for National Poetry Month in April, was posted on NASA’s website and on Pettit’s blog at the website for Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine.via space.com
A donor heart beating in a mechanical system which keeps it warm, oxygenated, with nutrient enriched blood pumping through.
via petitpoulailler
BREAKING NEWS: Contrary to popular belief, this is a simple organ, devoid of feeling, “breaking”, trusting, speaking or containing any such emotions or processes by which have been revealed and continuously studied and understood by neuroscience/biology. You may now remove such references and phrases such as, “trusting your gut”, “trusting your heart”, “believing your heart”, “having heart” (for obvious reasons), “giving your heart away” (for obvious reasons - unless you are an organ donor) and placing your hand over your heart as a form of sincerity/honesty. Direct all questions to…..any doctor or surgeon in the world. References can be provided by any biology book. Anywhere. Ever. Sincerely, SCIENCE.
Peter Diamandis | Peter’s Laws:
1. When given a choice, take both.
2. Start at the top then work your way up.
3. When forced to compromise, ask for more.
4. If you can’t win, change the rules.
5. If you can’t change the rules, ignore them.
6. When faced without a challenge, make one.
7. “No” simply means: begin at one level higher.
8. When in doubt, THINK.
9. You get what you incentivize.
10. Without a target, you’ll miss it every time.
11. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
12. The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.
This is a man with one lifelong dream: to evolve humanity into a spacefaring species.
Planetary Resources Kickstarter Project | ARKYD Space Telescope
Whether it’s $1-$25, Peter Diamandis expresses, “it’s not about the money.” Planetary Resources simply wants you - yes, you - to involve yourself in this project and not miss out on participating in such a historic event. The team of backers and worldwide connections the CEO’s have is bottomless. Money is a mere cosmic speed bump. The true nature and potential of this project is measured by the people, by you, by US, for once. Honestly, $1 or $5, participate: share this with someone, anyone, everyone. As Carl Sagan aptly put it, “when you’re in love, you want to tell the world.”
The home planet of an emerging technical civilization, struggling to avoid self-destruction. This world is observed from a temporary outpost near its lone natural satellite. The Earth travels some 2 1/2 million kilometers every day around the Sun; eight times faster than that around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy; and perhaps, twice faster still as the Milky Way falls toward the Virgo cluster of galaxies. We have always been space travelers.
Carl Sagan | Cosmos; Who Speaks for Earth?
