PRE-LAUNCH PRESSERS: Last night, as most of America slept, Christian was winging his way cross-country, from Seattle to the Space Coast, in Florida. There, first thing this morning he drove to Cape Kennedy to pick up his social media credentials to cover events related to tomorrow's planned SpaceX CRS-6 launch to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
One of the morning's highlights for Christian was touring the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA.
Imagine his surprise when inside he found a shout to our beloved Seahawks!
In the afternoon, Christian sat in on three press conferences.
The first was an ISS Science, Research and Technology Panel, featuring Mike Roberts, senior research pathway manager, CASIS; Kirt Costello, assistant International Space Station Program scientist for NASA; Dr. Marshall Porterfield, director, Space Life and Physical Sciences, NASA Headquarters; Noel Clark, principal investigator, Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands In Space (OASIS), University of Colorado; Dr. Paola D. Pajevic, principal investigator, Osteocytes and Mechanomechano-transduction (Osteo-4), Harvard University;and Stephanie Schierholz of NASA's communications office.
Christian had the opportunity to ask Mr. Costello about the ISS being a U.S. national laboratory given it's an international space station. https://youtu.be/PfiswssgaFE
He also asked the panel about plans to study how microgravity affects developing bones. Dr. Pajevic and Dr. Porterfield answered his question. https://youtu.be/olLDHFaYsYg.
The second presser was the ISS National Lab panel. Kirt Costello, International Space Station deputy chief scientist, NASA’s Johnson Space Center; Mike Roberts, senior research pathway manager, CASIS; Paul Reichert, principal investigator, Protein Crystal Growth-3, Merck Research Laboratories; and Lenore Rasmussen, RasLabs, Synthetic Muscle for Prosthetics and Robotics.
I could listen to Dr. Rasmussen all day! Ras Labs produces a Synthetic Muscle™, electroactive polymer (EAP) that contracts and expands at low voltages. The lab's mission is to use their Synthetic Muscle™ to make working robotics and prosthetics, especially for the hand, that feel and appear human.
Christian had a chance to ask Rasmussen about her product.
Press conference viewers and attendees learned more about CASIS, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. CASIS is the sole manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, and it has responsibility of inciting the imagination of entrepreneurs and scientists, accelerating and facilitating space-based research, and creating public awareness of National Lab research, while making space science more accessible to the world.
After the press conference, we watched this short video about CASIS
https://youtu.be/L2HuvS6XAw4
Christian got some cool CASIS swag at the #NASASocial.
The afternoon's third and final presser was the SpaceX Pre-Launch news conference. The panel was NASA communications specialist Mike Currie, Dan Hartman, deputy ISS program manager from NASA's Johnson Space Center; Dr. Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of mission assurance at SpaceX; and Dave Kraft, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron.
Christian asked Kraft for more details about making the call regarding no or no go on launch day. (The video feed lagged for a few seconds in the middle of the answer ... bear with it.)
Incidentally, no, weather can't be 'too good' for launch. ;) And as of right now, it's predicted there's a 60 percent chance of weather being a 'go' for launch tomorrow afternoon.
During the press conference, viewers learned that the Dragon capsule will be carrying 30 large bags of water up to the ISS. Christian asked NASA's Hartman about how water is recycled on station.
We are looking forward to Christian's reports tomorrow, and sure hope the rocket goes up as planned, at 1:43 p.m. Pacific time.
You can watch coverage on NASA TV, with pre-launch coverage starting at 12:30 p.m.
DAWG DAY: In other news, on Saturday, we had Big Fun at Pacific Science Center's annual Paws on Science event, which features dozens of scientists from the University of Washington and lots of hands-on, er, I mean paws-on, activities for the public.
Annabelle learned a bit about how filters help telescopes see certain things out in space.
And at one booth, the kids learned about how different cells were attracted to viruses.
Look at how colorful these viruses are!
The kids each made their own microbe. Googly eyes make everything better.
One station demonstrated how the body produces immune cells to battle viruses in the body.
At another booth, they experimented with infrared, and how well different materials do at shielding heat.
The takeaway lesson from the booth had to do with greenhouse gases.
At another station, CJ and Annabelle learned how bad they are at washing their hands. ...
Making "elephant toothpaste" is always big fun! But first, you have to dress like a scientist.
Then, it was time to mix up yeast, dish soap, and some strong peroxide.
Adding food coloring made it more fun.
And before long, it was a colorful, foaming fountain!
Paws on Science certainly lives up to its name!
BRAIN FREEZE: And let's not forget, Saturday was also special because it marked #BringYourOwnCup day for Slurpees(R) at 7-11.
The kids contemplated various containers but settled for a Mariners Moose meal bucket we had at home.
Happily, they filled it up with a mixture of Coke- and blue raspberry flavored Slurpee.
I would like to tell you they didn't drink it all, but that would be a lie.
Look at how colorful these viruses are!
Making "elephant toothpaste" is always big fun! But first, you have to dress like a scientist.
BRAIN FREEZE: And let's not forget, Saturday was also special because it marked #BringYourOwnCup day for Slurpees(R) at 7-11.
Happily, they filled it up with a mixture of Coke- and blue raspberry flavored Slurpee.
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