Celebrating Station Science with T.J. Creamer | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Former astronaut TJ Cramer discusses his journey to becoming an astronaut, his experiences on the International Space Station, and the importance of teamwork and language skills.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🚀 TJ Cramer's journey to becoming an astronaut was influenced by his family background in the military, his exposure to teamwork, and his curiosity about aviation.
• 🌇 His experiences on the International Space Station included floating in microgravity, conducting experiments, working with international crews, and witnessing beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
• 👨‍🚀 Language skills, particularly Russian, are crucial for astronauts as they communicate with Russian counterparts and deal with emergency situations on the space station.
• ☠️ Exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital for astronauts in a microgravity environment to combat the loss of calcium in bones and adapt to the absence of gravity.
• 🫵 TJ Cramer's favorite part of the International Space Station was the cupola, a windowed module through which astronauts can view the Earth and experience its breathtaking beauty.
• 👾 Preparation for space missions involves training in extreme environments, such as underwater habitats, to simulate the challenges of living and working in space.
• 🧡 Astronauts continue to conduct experiments on the International Space Station, ranging from the effects of microgravity on the human body to plant growth and material science.

Transcript

good afternoon everyone and welcome to selling station science with tj kramer i'm lindsey thornton and i'm an education specialist at nasa langley research center today we'll be talking to tj cramer former international space station astronaut and payload's operation director and retired army colonel and current space station flight director atj go... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did TJ Cramer choose to attend MIT for college?

TJ Cramer chose to attend MIT because it was the strongest school that could offer him the opportunity to study with them and because he had always wanted to go to Boston.

Q: How did TJ Cramer feel about looking down on Earth from space?

TJ Cramer described the experience of looking down on Earth as breathtaking, heart-stopping, and overwhelmingly beautiful. He emphasized the beauty and fragility of Earth's atmosphere.

Q: Did TJ Cramer ever bring animals to space or encounter any animals on the International Space Station?

During TJ Cramer's time on the International Space Station, there were no animals brought to space. However, more recent missions have involved experiments with fish, spiders, mice, and other animals to study their adaptation to microgravity.

Q: What were TJ Cramer's favorite experiments on the International Space Station?

TJ Cramer enjoyed experiments with well-designed hardware and controls. He particularly enjoyed working with robotics and the small fine arm extension of the Japanese robotic arm.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• TJ Cramer, a former astronaut, shares his journey from being born into an army family to becoming an astronaut.

• He discusses his experiences on the International Space Station, including floating in microgravity, conducting experiments, and witnessing sunrises and sunsets from space.

• Cramer emphasizes the importance of teamwork and language skills, particularly Russian, in astronaut training and mission success.