The James Webb Space telescope—decades in the making—finally launched from Earth recently and promises to unlock some of the deepest mysteries of the universe. Who better about this milestone in astronomy than astronaut veteran of 5 space flights and former NASA science administrator, John Grunsfeld.
The JWST moves must further into the infrared. It will allow us to peer into dust that Hubble can’t see through where baby stars are being born.
John Grunsfeld became known as the Hubble Telescope’s repair man, logging more than 58 hours in 5 space walks and three repair trips to the Hubble before being the last person to touch it in 2009. We talk about the risks of space flight.
And I ask John how he felt flying in the space shuttle after the 2nd total crew loss in the 2003 Columbia accident.
The weakness of the shuttle which we always known is the heat protection. You’re enveloped in a 2000 degree plasma. If that thermal protection is compromised then it’s a very bad day.
Would we solve the environmental crisis that we face if world leaders had the chance to see the earth’s fragile bubble from space, the way John has?
Over the course of five space flights flying around the world many many times. Other than occasionally over the open ocean everywhere that you look out the window you can see evidence of humans changing the earth.