News in Review February 2013 Teacher Resource Guide CHRIS HADFIELD: Return to Space

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1 News in Review February 2013 Teacher Resource Guide CHRIS HADFIELD: Return to Space MINDS ON ACTIVITY In 1969, a young Chris Hadfield watched a grainy television image of Neil Armstrong stepping off the ladder of the lunar module Eagle onto the Moon s surface. Seeing this scientific triumph was enough to inspire Hadfield to spend the formative years of his life becoming an astronaut himself. Three trips to space later, Hadfield stands out as one of Canada s most accomplished astronauts. 1. What inspires you? Have you been inspired to reach your potential by an event or person? 2. How difficult do you think it was for Hadfield to achieve his goal? 3. What kind of dedication and education do you think it takes to become an astronaut? SETTING THE STAGE To say that Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield s star is on the rise at a time when he is closer to the stars than anybody on Earth would be an understatement. Since rocketing into space and boarding the International Space Station (ISS) for his most recent voyage in December 2012, Hadfield has recorded a song with the Barenaked Ladies, virtually dropped the puck at the Toronto Maple Leafs home opener, had a lengthy chat with Captain Kirk of Star Trek, and positioned himself as Canada s greatest space ambassador all this in addition to his daily responsibilities as an ISS scientist and crew member. Oh, and one other thing, he is scheduled to become the first Canadian commander of the ISS in March 2013 (actually he will be the first commander of the ISS who isn t from the United States or Russia). Hello Twitterverse The affable Hadfield has become a household name since taking to space in late He reaches out to almost people down on Earth via his Twitter account, providing informative tweets and stunning photographs from his perch nearly 400 kilometres above the planet s surface. Actually to call his position a perch is a bit misleading the ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes at a speed of close to km/hr. That s 16 times around the planet a day. And there s Chris Hadfield following his gruelling astronaut regimen for the ISS space program while still finding time to snap a few pictures and tweet his perspectives to curious space watchers firmly grounded back on the planet s surface. News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 20

2 A Natural Leader While most Canadians may be just getting to know Hadfield, many others have been watching this bright Canadian star rise beyond the stratosphere for years. From life on an Ontario corn farm to the top of his class at the Royal Military College, Hadfield has consistently proven to be a person of distinction. An accomplished Canadian Forces pilot and scientist, Hadfield emerged from a field of over candidates to become an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in Since that time, he has taken on a variety of leadership roles with the CSA, NASA and in partnerships with the Russian space agency. Space Experience Hadfield has been in space on two previous occasions. In 1995, he served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. That was a voyage of Canadian firsts: Hadfield became the first Canadian mission specialist, the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm, and the first Canadian to board the space station Mir. In 2001, Hadfield returned to space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. On this mission, he installed the Canadarm2 onto the ISS, spending close to 15 hours working in near-zero gravity outside the station on two separate spacewalks. And the next Canadian first is set to occur in March 2013 when Hadfield takes over as commander of the ISS a role that he has been moving toward since he first made the decision to become an astronaut. Who knows what the future holds for this remarkable Canadian once he returns to Earth? To Consider 1. What is Chris Hadfield doing to grab the attention of so many people? 2. What efforts has Hadfield taken to promote his mission? 3. Why do many people think that Hadfield is a born leader who is more than ready to take command of the ISS? 4. Which experiences do you think will help Hadfield when he takes command of the ISS in March 2013? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 21

3 VIDEO REVIEW Pre viewing Question Canada became the third nation to venture into space with the launch of the Alouette-1 satellite in Since then, Canada has pumped billions of dollars into space exploration with the current investment sitting at $2 billion per year. Do you think it is worth the financial costs to continue sending people and machinery into space when there are other issues that need to be addressed closer to home? Viewing Questions 1. Who is Chris Hadfield? 2. How many times has Hadfield been in space? 3. a) How long will Hadfield be aboard the International Space Station (ISS)? b) What leadership role will Hadfield assume while on the ISS? 4. Why couldn t the cameras film the entire tour of the ISS mock up? 5. Describe Hadfield s attitude as the mission approaches. 6. How does the Russian approach to space technology differ from the U.S. approach? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 22

4 7. How long will it take Hadfield and his fellow astronauts to get to the ISS? 8. a) What parts of the body start to atrophy when an astronaut spends an extended period of time in space? b) What symptoms did Bob Thirsk experience after he returned from the ISS? 9. What did Chris Hadfield have to do to become an astronaut? What did he have to do to set himself apart from his competition? 10. What does Hadfield plan to do with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies at some point during his ISS mission? 11. Why does Bob Thirsk think that Hadfield s taking command of the ISS is an important step for the Canadian space program? 12. When did Hadfield and his crew dock at the ISS? 13. Describe Hadfield s conversation with his sons once he reached the ISS. 14. How busy will Hadfield be during his six months aboard the ISS? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 23

5 15. How does Hadfield plan to keep his fans informed about what is happening on the ISS? Post viewing Questions 1. Based on Bob Thirsk s description of the physical demands of living in space and adjusting to a return to Earth, do you think many people would say NO to a trip to space? 2. Do you think Hadfield s use of social media is a kind of publicity stunt or do you think it is an important way to promote Canada s accomplishments in space? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 24

6 ACTIVITY: Singing with the Barenaked Ladies Minds On Chris Hadfield is an accomplished musician as well as an astronaut. He released the first song ever recorded in space (Jewel of the Night) late in 2012 and plans on recording the first album in space at some point over the course of his six months in space. In other words, besides being a gifted astronaut, pilot, and scientist, Hadfield is also a talented musician. Consider this perspective and then read about his collaboration with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies. Space Jam On February 8, 2013, Ed Robertson and Chris Hadfield premiered a song they co-wrote for Music Monday 2013, a CBC Music initiative designed to promote music education in Canada. Joined by the rest of his Barenaked Ladies band mates and the Wexford Gleeks (a Toronto school choir), Robertson and Hadfield performed their song ISS (Is Someone Singing?). Robertson led the performance in a sound studio on Earth while Hadfield played his guitar and sang his parts from the cupola observation module on the International Space Station (ISS). The song marked the first time a song was performed and recorded on Earth and in space. Your task 1. Watch the performance at: music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2013/2/space-jam-watch-the-premiere-of-iss-is-somebody-singing 2. How impressed were you by the performance? How difficult do you think it was to coordinate Hadfield s space performance with the Barenaked Ladies/Wexford Gleeks performance on Earth? 3. What did you think of the song? What did you like or not like about the melody and lyrics? Did You Know? While performing in the cupola observation module of the ISS, Hadfield had to anchor himself to part of the station with restraining straps so he wouldn t float around during his performance. He also performed without a guitar strap because he didn t have to worry about earth strength gravity pulling his guitar to the ground. However, the absence of significant gravitational pull did mean that he had to careful using the frets of his guitar. In microgravity, the hand can easily miss its mark causing the musician to play the wrong notes. Hadfield said he had to make some significant adjustments to learn how to play his guitar in space. Hadfield s mission patch is shaped like a guitar pick, signifying the importance of music in his life. News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 25

7 ACTIVITY: Chris Hadfield Rock Star Minds On When Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was assigned the job of commander for Expedition 35 on the International Space Station, he knew he was in a position to promote the space program to his fellow Canadians. It didn t take long for Canadians to take notice as Hadfield grew to almost rock star status. Be mindful of Hadfield s surge in popularity as you read the article. How Chris Hadfield Became a Rock Star 1. Traversing the Twitterverse Hadfield s Twitter following rested at around a few weeks before he was launched into space aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. That number grew to a little over on the day he left for the International Space Station (ISS). This modest following exploded early in 2013 when Hadfield s stunning photographs of Earth began going viral on the internet and shortly after he began a tweet exchange with Canadian actor William Shatner. In fact, by early February 2013, Hadfield s following grew to nearly Hadfield did not disappoint his new audience, treating them to a daily dose of clever tweets and pictures that were literally out of this world. 2. Reaching out to the kids During his mission training, Hadfield and his fellow crew members practiced doing live chats with groups, including school children. Near the end of January 2013, he put this skill into action when he spoke with students at Chris Hadfield Public School in Milton, Ontario. He answered questions about his life on the ISS, how much he missed his family, and whether life exists elsewhere in the universe. The exchange was fascinating as the down to earth astronaut delivered his message from outer space. This was an example of one of many appearances that Hadfield would make over the course of his time aboard the ISS. 3. Connecting with Captain Kirk In the mid-1960s, actor William Shatner played Captain James T. Kirk on the hit series Star Trek. The television show sparked the imagination of many people around the world, with the character of Kirk becoming an icon for science-fiction fans everywhere. To this day, Shatner is connected with Kirk and, when he contacted Chris Hadfield via Twitter in early 2013, a relationship was established between the fictional captain and the rea- life commander. Eventually, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) arranged a chat between the two men. The conversation explored everything from space funding to the majesty of the universe with the two setting an informal date to share a glass of whiskey at Hadfield s Ontario cottage upon his return to Earth. The conversation garnered a lot of media attention and led to a spike in Hadfield s Twitter following. 4. Rockin with a rock star Two days after the exchange with Shatner, Hadfield performed a song he co-wrote with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies. With Hadfield on the ISS and Robertson at a sound stage, the two performed their song with the help of Robertson s Barenaked Ladies band mates and the Wexford Gleeks choir. The performance of the song drew serious attention across Canada and created a mild buzz around the world. News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 26

8 5. His eloquence and attitude Since arriving on the ISS, Hadfield has made frequent appearances via video link on television and the Internet. His growing celebrity comes from his ability to connect with almost any audience. Whether he is singing a song, speaking to an interviewer, or addressing a group of students, Hadfield has an ability to present his message in a clear and eloquent way. Early in his mission, Hadfield gave reporters his perspective from space, saying To go around the whole world in just slightly over 90 minutes you see it absolutely as one place. So when we look down at a place that's in great turmoil, it's hard to reconcile the inherent patience and beauty of the world with the terrible things that we do to each other and to the Earth. Chris Hadfield, CBC News, January 10, 2013 Certainly this eloquent astronaut will continue to impress his fellow Canadians when he assumes command of the ISS and when he returns to Earth. What s next for Hadfield remains to be seen but, one thing is clear, he left Earth a minor celebrity and he ll return a Canadian rock star. To Consider 1. What role did Twitter place in Hadfield s growing popularity? 2. Why do you think Hadfield s chat with actor William Shatner garnered so much attention? 3. What was so impressive about the Hadfield/Robertson song collaboration? 4. Why do you think Chris Hadfield became seen as a kind of rock star during his time on the ISS in ? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 27

9 ACTIVITY: The Right Stuff Life in Space Minds On The 1983 movie The Right Stuff chronicled the efforts by the predecessors of the first astronauts to fly jets at supersonic speeds. These test pilots made historic flights starting in the late 1940s right through to the first U.S. orbiting of the Earth in the early 1960s. Overall, this character-driven film attempts to demonstrate whether or not the first astronauts had the right stuff to fly into space. Now that humanity has developed the ability to fly into space, it won t be long before commercial flights into orbit begin to happen. Let s assume that you have the right stuff for the high-speed trek to the ISS. Do you think you have the right stuff to live in space? Life in Space EATING Astronauts eat mostly moist and sticky foot (like oatmeal) because dry food (like cookies and bread) can cause particles to float around and contaminate the weightless environment. Astronauts can still use utensils to eat if they want and individual astronauts can pick certain foods before they leave for their mission. SLEEPING This can be a difficult prospect on the ISS. Since the ISS orbits the Earth 16 times a day, astronauts are never really sure what time it is. Imagine experiencing 16 sunrises and sunsets over the course of a normal day. To combat these constant changes, ISS crew members follow Greenwich Mean Time and are scheduled for 8.5 hours of sleep a day (with most opting to sleep around six hours). Astronauts use sleeping bags and secure themselves to the spacecraft with restraints so that they don t float around while sleeping. Many also secure their arms because the sensation of having their arms floating away from the body can be disruptive to a restful sleep. EXERCISING Astronauts aboard the ISS need to exercise for at least two hours per day. They need to exercise because living in microgravity can cause muscles to shrink and bone density to lessen (bone density can decrease by as much as six per cent on a sixmonth mission). Experts note that astronauts will recover most of what they lose once they return to Earth, but a lack of exercise would make their recovery a lot more arduous and potentially dangerous. News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 28

10 HYGIENE The water supply on the ISS is extremely limited so astronauts use it sparingly. Instead of showering, they give themselves sponge baths. They use no-rinse shampoos and rub the shampoo into their scalp with a towel. When they brush their teeth, they spit the excess paste and saliva into a towel. When they shave, most use an electric razor. Astronauts have to be extremely careful that hair doesn t float away from them when they are cleaning themselves because the hair can clog air filters and disrupt air circulation on the ISS. GOING TO THE BATHROOM This is the greatest hygiene challenge for an astronaut. They use a special toilet for bowel movements that vacuums the waste into a waste compartment. They have to use restraints so they don t float while using the toilet. When they urinate, they use a cup-like device that vacuums the urine into a waste compartment. Source: The Canadian Space Agency asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living.asp To Consider 1. What do you think? Could you handle a trip to the ISS? How long would you stay if you went? 2. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has volunteered to take part in a trip to Mars. The mission would take two years to complete. How challenging would it be for Hadfield to stay healthy while on this lengthy expedition? News in Review CBC Learning newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 29