On Sunday, Dec. 11, WKTV 26 Government Channel and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99 will be featuring live coverage of the Orion spacecraft’s entry back to earth and the splashdown in the Pacific Ocean to complete the Artemis 1 Mission.
Live coverage starts at 11 a.m. with the splashdown scheduled at 12:40pm. Live coverage will continue through Orion’s handover from Mission Control in Houston to the Exploration Ground Systems recovery teams in the Pacific.
Afterwards, there will be an Artemis 1 Orion post-splashdown news conference at approximately 2:45 p.m.
Artemis 1 is the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, an un-crewed Orion spacecraft, and the ground systems at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida that is paving the way for a crewed test flight and future human lunar exploration.
For more information on NASA TV or the Artemis 1 Mission, log on to www.nasa.gov.
On Thursday, July 21, WKTV Government 26 will be featuring live coverage of the Russian/European Space Agency spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Coverage starts at 9:30 a.m. with the spacewalk scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are conducting the spacewalk to continue activating the ESA Robotic Arm that is part of Russia’s Nauka science module.
Much like a human arm, the ESA Robotic Arm has an elbow, shoulders and wrists. Astronauts and cosmonauts will use the robotic arm to save time and effort in performing maintenance for the International Space Station.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
Actor William Shatner’s emotional reaction to his brief ride into space on Oct. 13 was a fascinating, unfiltered response that gives new insight into how experiencing space affects humans, according to a Grand Valley State University cultural anthropologist.
Dr. Deana Weibel, who specializes in studying space exploration and religion, has conducted interviews with people who traveled to space to get their impressions on the experience.
The immediate, unfettered reaction from Shatner is a new element to observe, she said. His thoughts were not filtered through memory as they would be for an interview conducted later. And he also is not steeped in the cautious NASA culture, where those going to space are trained to communicate in a straightforward way.
“This is an outpouring of an instant reaction without time passing; it’s really fresh. I’m glad it’s recorded because it’s going to be influential,” Weibel said. “I know I’m going to make reference to this.”
The experiences of people traveling into space through private companies and as paying customers may present another channel of research on how people react to seeing space because they can be more open, Weibel said.
William Shatner (Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
Weibel was struck by how profoundly the 90-year-old Shatner was affected, noting that while there was an air of celebration with those around him as he exited the capsule, Shatner appeared to want to reflect.
“William Shatner didn’t want to pop the champagne and jump up and down,” Weibel said. “He just had his mind blown.”
She said she has encountered the cautious NASA culture when she interviewed active astronauts as part of her research on religion and space. They were hesitant to go far afield, even knowing personal details would be omitted.
“People have to be really careful about what they say,” Weibel said. “There’s an awareness among active astronauts that they may lose their next flight if they say something questionable.”
But Shatner freely and emotionally encapsulated his experience, describing his awe. And his references to the life on the blue of Earth along with the black of space, pondering if the latter was death, had religious overtones even if he didn’t talk specifically about religion, Weibel said.
She also noted that his words immediately after the flight indicated he experienced what author Frank White coined as the “overview effect.” She described it as a profound emotional response to seeing Earth from space and realizing its fragility; some astronauts have experienced it, while others haven’t.
“It’s recognizing the reality of living on this sphere suspended in space that hits you in a way that was so abstract before,” Weibel said.
The Space X CRS-3 Dragon cargo craft will launch on Saturday and arrive at the International Space Station on Sunday. (NASA)
By Kelly Taylor WKTV Program Manager
The Space X CRS-3 Dragon cargo craft will be carrying some very special supplies to the International Space Station this Saturday — experiments, essays and art from Girl Scouts.
The inaugural “Making Space for Girls Challenge” was a science competition presented by SpaceKids Global, a Florida-based, non-profit established to use space exploration to engage children in STEAM learning.
The call was put out through all of the Girl Scouts 111 councils with girls from 95 councils participating in three designated categories — science experiment, essays, and art. The competition has nearly 700 entries from across the country, as well as entries from Japan and Germany.
Some of the experiments include sending ants to space to see if they will still tunnel and build hills, while another looks at living micro-organisms processing carbon dioxide and waste on the International Space Station.
The Girl Scouts’ projects are part of several other new science experiments that will utilize a new research facility on board to study plants, ants, and brim shrimp in microgravity.
Live coverage of the launch will start at 3:15 a.m. with the launch scheduled for 3:37 p.m. on Saturday. The coverage continues on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for the rendezvous and docking of the cargo craft to the ISS. the docking is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m.
NASA TV can be seen on WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99. For more information on NASA or the International Space Station, visit www.nasa.gov.
On Thursday, April 15, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the Change of Command Ceremony of the International Space Station Expedition 64-65, where cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov turns over the space station command to astronaut Shannon Walker. The ceremony begins at 3:45 p.m.
NASA Astronaut Shannon Walker (NASA)
On Friday, April 16, for the Expedition 64 farewells as NASA astronaut Rubin and Roscosmos cosmonauts Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov prepare to return to earth on the Soyuz MS-17. Coverage of the farewells begin at 5:45 p.m., with the hatch closure of the Soyuz MS-17 scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Coverage continues at 11:30 p.m. with the deorbit burn and landing of the Soyuz MS-17. The deorbit burn is scheduled at 12:01 a.m. with the landing near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan scheduled for 12:56 a.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA’s Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos’ Oleg Novitskyand Pyotr Dubrov head off to the International Space Station. (NASA)
By Kelly Taylor WKTV Program Director
On Friday, April 9, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the launch of the International Space Station Expedition 65 Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft. Coverage starts at 2:45 a.m., with the launch scheduled for 3:42 a.m. The coverage includes video b-roll of the crew’s launch day pre-launch activities.
NASA’s Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos’ Oleg Novitskyand Pyotr Dubrov head off to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The docking of the Expedition 65 Soyuz MS-18 will take place at 6:15 a.m. and the hatch opening at 8:30 a.m.
At 1 p.m., NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter prepares for takeoff. For it’s first flight, the helicopter will take off a few feet from the ground, hover in the air for about 20-30 seconds and land.
This will be a major milestone as it is the very first powered flight in the extremely thin atmosphere of Mars.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter will take it first flight on Mars on Friday. (NASA)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University announced today that the annual Roger That! conference and event is returning on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20. Roger That! celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day virtual experience, hosted by both organizations.
“The Museum is thrilled to partner with GVSU for the fifth year to celebrate the life of Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration through a series of free public events,” said Rob Schuitema, the GRPM’s Director of Public Programs. “Although the celebration is virtual this year, attendees are going to be fully engaged and intrigued by the incredible lineup of guest speakers and presentations that address space, science, art and more.”
GVSU will host a virtual academic conference consisting of a diverse lineup of panelists including meteor scientists, engineers, artists, experts on virtual reality, physicists, space collection curators and astronauts. Registration required. For more information on GVSU’s guest lecture lineup, schedule and to register, visit gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Roger Chaffee died with his fellow astronauts in a training exercise. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)
“Going virtual has allowed us to include speakers from around the country and around the world (Australia and Vatican City) and will also allow conference participants to tune in from everywhere,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology. “For instance, we have a visual effects panel composed of Hugo, Emmy and Oscar awardees. Since this year’s event is virtual, we felt it was important to include discussion from members of an industry that helps take us where we can’t be.”
Public events hosted as part of Roger That! include a livestream of a 1925 sci-fi silent film “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the acoustics of the GRPM’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ; a webinar led by Dr. Brent Bos, who is a West Michigan native and NASA scientist; and a science fiction panel discussion featuring Hollywood special effects artists. To learn more about public presentations taking place as part of Roger That! visit grpm.org/RogerThat.
Public Virtual Events
The GRPM will kick off its public celebration on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. with a special virtual presentation of the 1925 sci-fi German silent film, “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the dynamic sounds of the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ. This performance will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.
On Saturday, Feb. 20, at noon Dr. Brent Bos, West Michigan native, senior research physicist at NASA Goddard Flight Center, and camera operator of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission, will host a webinar titled Bombshells at Bennu: Revelations from NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission. This webinar will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.
The celebration will conclude with a panel discussion, Art and Special Effects in Science Fiction, on February 20, starting at 3 p.m. The panel will be led by four Hollywood special effects artists: Vincent Di Fate, Ron Miller, Robert Skotak and Rick Sternbach. This group of artists have produced Oscar, Emmy and Hugo winning achievements, and will discuss the role of art in science fiction, while focusing on the introduction of special effects in silent films. The panelists will reflect on Friday’s silent film of “Our Heavenly Bodies” as well as share their own stories, experiences and artwork. Q and A will follow. The panel discussion will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Visitors are encouraged to continue celebrating space exploration by visiting the GRPM’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium, which features a new show Incoming! that explores asteroids, comets and meteors. A live show, created by the GRPM, will accompany the movie portion of Incoming! in partnership with NASA scientist Brent Bos. In addition to the show, the GRPM also partnered with Brent Bos and created a set of new interactive experiences outside of the Chaffee Planetarium. These include a lunar crater station, meteors under a microscope and a meteor pinball machine.
The Planetarium lobby also features an exhibit with Roger B. Chaffee related artifacts that tell a detailed story of his life.
The GRPM is open during regular business hours with capacity limits. Advance tickets are required for entry. Planetarium lobby interactives and displays are included with general admission. Planetarium shows are an additional cost and can be purchased at grpm.org/planetarium.
Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy
On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.
Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, MI, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.
The launch and docking of the Soyuz MS-04 will be aired on WKTV Government Channel 26 on April 20.
This will mark the transition for the International Space Station Expedition 51 to 52.
At 2 a.m., There will be a showing of the crew’s launch day pre-launch activities. The crew heading to the station includes Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and American astronaut Jack Fischer.
At 8 a.m., there will be video of the pre-launch, launch and post-launch interviews.
Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and American astronaut Jack Fischer preparing to head for the International Space Station.
At 8:30 a.m., will be coverage of the docking of the ISS Expedition 51-52/Soyuz MS-04 to the International Space Station.
At 10:30 a.m., will be the hatch opening and the welcoming ceremony.
Expedition 51 is the 51st expedition to the International Space Station, which began upon the departure of Soyuz MS-02 on April 10 and is scheduled to conclude upon the departures of Soyuz MS-03 in June. Peggy Whitson is commander of the expedition and is the first woman to command two expeditions to the International Space Station, having previously commanded Expedition 16.
Along with Whitson, Yurchikhin, and Fischer, the crew includes Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and French aerospace engineer Thomas Pesquet.
Whitson will be extending her stay through the 52nd Expedition with Fischer and Yurchikhin, returning home in September rather than June. Novitsky and Pesquet will return in June.
The reason for this is Roscosmos’ temporary decision to reduce its number of cosmonauts to two which left a seat open on the return flight. Whitson’s extension will ensure a full complement of six astronauts — rounding out the crew will be U.S. astronaut Randy Bresnik, cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky, and Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli — on board the station and increase the amount of valuable astronaut time available for experiments.
“I love being up here,” Whitson said through a NASA press release. “Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here. Having three more months to squeeze is just what I would wish for.”
On April 24, Whitson will break the standing record U.S. record of 534 cumulative days in space. She also holds the record for most spacewalks by a female. To follow Whitson’s space station journey, go to http://www.twitter.com/AstroPeggy.
For more on NASA and upcoming missions, visit nasa.gov.
So what does the Black & Decker Dustbuster vacuum have to do with the exploration of space?
It actually has to do with drilling. Black & Decker was tasked with creating a self-contained drill capable of extracting core samples for the Apollo program. The company later would use the drill’s computer program to develop the cordless miniature vacuum cleaner.
It this type of “spin-off” technology that the space program has on everyday life, said U.S. Senator Gary Peters, who made a stop in Grand Rapids to celebrate the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum’s current exhibit “SPACE: A Journey of our Future,” which runs through May 29.
Check out a piece of the moon in the “SPACE: A Journey of our Future.”
“We know that when we invest in science, we will get a higher return for taxpayers,” Peters said.
And as the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, that higher return is something Peters and the Subcommittee are banking on with the mission to Mars.
“Similar of what you think about President Kennedy — I am sure you have studied this in that President Kennedy made the claim that we would get to the moon by the end of the decade and really set this goal, this bar of which everyone one was trying to achieve,” Peters said to a group of high school students during a lecture at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
“The same thing is happening to the Mars mission in it is in the process of moving forward.”
While the Mission to Mars is still about 15 years away — the target year is 2030 — the work toward making that happen has lead to innovation not only through out the United States, but right in Michigan, Peters said, adding that several Michigan companies are involved in developing technology and even constructing the SLS rocket that will carry the astronauts to Mars.
In the “SPACE: A Journey to Our Future,” there is an up-close look at NASA’s new Constellation Program with a model of the Ares I launch vehicle and the Orion crew capsule, which is planned to be used in in the Mission to Mars. Other highlights of the traveling exhibit including a Lunar Habitat, where visitors can experience what it would be like to live and work on the Moon, a look at the Hubble telescope, an illustrated timeline 0f NASA’s 50 years of space exploration, and the multimedia 360-degree “Future Theatre.”
Peters discussed some of these items in the lecture such as it being a costly venture to have people living on the moon, but that NASA is looking to use the moon as sort of a laboratory by pulling an astroid into the moon’s atmosphere so as to be able to study it and its components.
Learn how to pack for a trip into space.
“It is believed that astroids that slammed into the earth brought the basic building blocks for life,” Peters said, adding it is exciting to be able to study those “seeds of life.”
The Hubble Space Telescope has served the United States well bringing incredible images, but soon the James Webb Space Telescope — scheduled to be launched in 2018 — will study the phases in history of the universe. “It is said that if the James Webb telescope was on earth, pointing to the moon, it would be able read the heat signature of a single bubble bee…that’s how powerful it is,” Peters said.
All of these advancements lead to new technology such as autonomous or self driving cars, which could impact space programs on a variety of levels, Peters said.
“We do not know what the next big thing is,” Peters said as he talked about research and advancements. “We know that if we continue to invest in the basic chemistry, basic biology, basic physics, that kind of basics that are being done in our research universities, of which Michigan has several in Grand Rapids and throughout, that it will lead to the next big thing that will transform life as we know it know.”
“SPACE: The Journey to Our Future,” which explores the past, present and future of space exploration, is at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, through May 29.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters will join the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for the opening of its new interactive exhibit, “Space: A Journey to Our Future” on Thursday, Nov. 10.
At noon Peters will hold a forum with Grand Rapids-area students, who are focused on science, technology, engineering and math to discuss future career and education opportunities related to the space program. At 7 p.m., Peters will deliver the opening lecture for the exhibit, where he will discuss the future of NASA and Michigan’s role in its missions.
Peters serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness, which oversees agencies such as NASA, the National Science Foundation and is responsible for science, technology, engineering and math research and development. In his role as Ranking Member, he is working to pass bipartisan legislation to increase investments in basic science and research; expand opportunities for science, technology, engineering, and math education; and further NASA’s missions in science, space technology, aeronautics, exploration and education.
The new exhibit focuses on the past, present and future of the U.S. space program and will be on display at the Museum until May 29. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located at 303 Pearl St. NW.
The Grand Rapids Symphony will perform the score to Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming masterpiece “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial” as the film is projected on a huge HD screen.
The classic story follows the friendship of a lost alien and a 10-year-old boy named Elliott who end up on a series of adventures to help E.T. go home.
The movie magic happens at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 4 and 5, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Tickets start at $18 with student tickets $5. For more information, click here.
Jeff Musial
Kid Zone
Kidabaloo takes over DeVos Place Saturday, Nov 5. From a 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. there will be a host of activities for children along with special guests stopping by.
One of those guests is animal expert extraordinaire Jeff Musial. Musial has appeared on a number of shows including “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” “Today,” and most recently “Steve Harvey” for the Harvey’s Halloween special. Musial has made a name for himself as an animal educator along with helping his animal sanctuary. He will be presenting at 2 p.m. Other stars scheduled to come include several from popular television shows on Nickelodeon and Disney.
Tickets are $7/children 3 – 11 and $5/for those 12 and older. There are family four packs for $20. For more information, click here.
Holiday Shows
Get a jump start on that holiday shopping by attending the Holiday Gift Show at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE.
The show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, and features items from more than three dozen regional artists and vendors. There will be items from home décor, gardening gear, jewelry, culinary wares, logo items, books, music and toys for all ages, wine and wine accessories.
The Holiday Gift Show is free admission. For more information on the show, meijergardens.org. For information on other upcoming arts and crafts show, click here.
Lost in Space
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will open its newest exhibit, “SPACE: A Journey to Our Future,” Friday, Nov. 5.
The exhibition, which runs through May 29, is designed to immerse visitors in the discoveries of the past and introduces them to today’s explorers. Visitors will have the opportunity to ride a lunar module simulator on a journey to the surface of the moon and visit a simulated scientific base camp on Mars.
The clouds cleared enough to see Venus and Jupiter during Night School at Endeavor Elementary on a recent Tuesday.
About 300 first- through fifth-grade students stayed up all night, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., to watch the wonders of the night sky, study astronomy and participate in star- and planet-themed activities tied to all subjects. “We learned about the planets and the solar system,” said fourth-grader Diego Saldivar.
“The fun thing is being able to stay up until 6 in the morning,” added fourth-grader Luke Elyea. “I drank three cups of hot chocolate.”
Night School, started in 1999 by fourth-grade teacher Susan Stapleton, is held every four or five years to make sure all students have a chance to experience the event during their years at Endeavor.
It takes place during the Leonid meteor shower, which peaked November 18 this year.
Tired students got some sleep, but most stayed up all night long
Stapleton grew up in Ludington, where she saw the Northern Lights and many starry nights. Stapleton started Night School because she wanted her students to see twinkling stars, streaking meteors and glowing planets.
“If it even makes them aware of the night sky, we’ve gained something,” she said. “So many of us never look up.”
Hundreds of volunteers worked two-hour shifts during Night School. Students went out to look at the sky, which was too cloudy for much viewing.
A volunteer from James C. Veen Observatory, in Lowell, provided information on planets and constellations,
Students painted Northern Lights with oil pastels; made constellation telescopes, studied constellations in a blow-up planetarium, and played games like Meteor Math.
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