FIRST MOM IN SPACE DREAM BIG, ASTRONAUT TELLS KIDS.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer GLENDALE - Dreams, says Dr. Anna Fisher, can take you far - far enough to reach the stars. Fisher's own dreams of seeing Earth far below her as she orbited the planet became a reality in 1984, when she landed the opportunity to serve on the second flight of the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. Discovery. Now on the public-speaking circuit, Fisher, 53, recounted her experiences and shared tidbits TidBITS is an award-winning electronic newsletter and web site dealing primarily with Apple Computer and Macintosh-related topics. Internet publication TidBITS has been published weekly since April 16, 1990, which makes it one of the longest running Internet publications. about space travel on Monday for about 100 fifth-graders at Edison Elementary school Edison Elementary School is the name of many primary schools, with most of them named after Thomas Edison. They include:
The school district serves the city of Glendale, portions of the city of La Cañada and the unincorporated communities of Montrose and La Crescenta. . ``It takes eight minutes to reach space, about the same time it might take you to walk from your classroom to this auditorium,'' Fisher told the Edison students during a slide presentation. ``The first 7.5 minutes, you feel the engines accelerating, and your weight is three times that on Earth. When you reach eight minutes, the engines turn off, and in seconds you are weightless.'' Before liftoff, astronauts sit in chairs on their backs for three hours, she told the students. They endure motion sickness motion sickness, waves of nausea and vomiting experienced by some people, resulting from the sudden changes in movement of a vehicle. The ailment is also known as seasickness, car sickness, train sickness, airsickness, and swing sickness. for about three days, eat freeze-dried food and learn how to sleep while free-floating throughout the shuttle. ``We have checklists taped up all over the place, including how to go to the bathroom,'' Fisher said. Fisher, who grew up in San Pedro, said she always wanted to be an astronaut. The first working mom in space, she was the only woman on the second flight of the Discovery. This was the first space-salvage mission in history, and the crew retrieved the Palapa pa·la·pa n. 1. An open-sided dwelling with a thatched roof made of dried palm leaves. 2. A structure, such as a bar or restaurant in a tropical resort, that is open-sided and thatched with palm leaves. B-2 and Westar VI satellites in addition to deploying two satellites. Fisher is a medical doctor who earned her M.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , where she also did her undergraduate work and a year of postgraduate studies in chemistry. She was chosen as an astronaut candidate in 1978 and successfully completed a year of training and other assignments for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), civilian agency of the U.S. federal government with the mission of conducting research and developing operational programs in the areas of space exploration, artificial satellites (see satellite, artificial), before her Discovery mission. Her appearance was arranged by Rep. Adam Schiff
Adam B. Schiff (born June 20 1960) is an American politician. He first served in the California State Senate. , D-Pasadena, who said he plans to have astronauts visit every school in his congressional district Noun 1. congressional district - a territorial division of a state; entitled to elect one member to the United States House of Representatives district, territorial dominion, territory, dominion - a region marked off for administrative or other purposes . ``We were able to bring an astronaut to the Burbank School District, and it was terrific to see the students' faces light up,'' Schiff said. ``I think Anna Fisher is a great role model. She's the first mom in space, and she's a pioneer all the way. I love the way kids look up to her and say that could be me. This is a good age to spark their imagination.'' During her presentation, Fisher showed slides of the International Space Station, a larger version of the Russian Mir station that was in orbit for 15 years. Views of Earth from space elicited an enthusiastic chorus of ``Whoa'' from students, who saw the Middle East, Los Angeles, and Texas from a distance. Later about 20 small hands shot into the air. ``How hard is it to land a space shuttle?'' one girl asked. ``It's pretty challenging,'' Fisher told her. ``When you do your business, doesn't it fly out into space?'' a boy told friends he wanted to ask, but didn't dare. ``Aren't you scared that something will go wrong?'' asked 10-year-old Ani Barsegyan. ``You'd have to be foolish not to be scared,'' Fisher replied. Eleven-year-old Edvin Novshadyan asked if Fisher saw any planets other than Earth. ``We haven't been able to get that close to any planets yet,'' Fisher told him. Before she left, Fisher told the students that in their lifetime, they will see the completion of the International Space Station and stations built on the moon and Mars. ``It's important to dream, and I hope you share that dream with NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. ,'' she said. ``I'm truly envious of what you will see.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Astronaut Anna Fisher talks to students at Edison Elementary school about her 1984 experience as the first mom in space. John McCoy/Staff Photographer |
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