Topic: Has It been 20 years already?

[Sirgod]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2004-10-06-spacewalk-fix_x.htm

20 years later, female astronaut recalls a spacewalk 'first'
By Cristina Abello, USA TODAY
As Kathy Sullivan nears her 20th anniversary as the first American woman to walk in space, her adventurous spirit is still alive.The former astronaut says she supports a manned expedition to Mars primarily because it would give the United States the technological edge it needs.

"And, I would love to go."

Sullivan, 53, walked in space on Oct. 11, 1984. (A female Russian cosmonaut walked in space in July of that year.)

She is now president and CEO of the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio, which will honor the anniversary in a weekend celebration featuring speakers such as former astronauts John Glenn, Sally Ride and Dave Leestma, Sullivan's spacewalk partner.

Sullivan, who speaks regularly about continuing human space exploration, flew on the shuttle Challenger, which exploded after liftoff in 1986, killing seven astronauts. Even with the loss of colleagues and friends, she says, space exploration is worth the risks.

"To lose your life in pursuit of a form of service you really believe in is very poignant and moving, but it doesn't say to me 'Stop' or 'Go back' or 'Quit doing it,' " she says.

Technological advancements suggest that using robots in place of humans will become viable. In August, NASA gave approval for engineers to start planning a robotic mission to repair the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.

Sullivan says today's robots would be best for tasks such as mapping the surface of a planet, but they are not a substitute for human understanding.

It is difficult to substitute robotic technology for the fine movements of a human that are necessary for tasks such as repairing delicate space equipment, says Howard McCurdy, a space historian and professor at American University in Washington, D.C.

Sullivan, who has been on three space missions, says she enjoyed her travels aboard the shuttles. "The cabin is a little bit like a camping trip," she says. "It's not what people would call roomy, but you can get out of the way by hovering close to the ceiling if you want to."

The view of Earth from space left an indelible impression.

"It's one of the great delights and memories for me," she says. The Earth exuded a "fragile elegance" in its size and the intricate patterns of clouds, water and land.

"I felt like I was seeing, woven together, the power and scale of the entire world."

NASA hired Sullivan for astronaut training in 1978 in a large class that was the first to include women and blacks. Most of the NASA hierarchy were supportive of the newcomers, she says.

"This was very new to them, to have someone who looked (different) coming at them as a technical peer," she says. "Now and then you'd see someone who was a bit conflicted with it, but we'd find a way to laugh it off and go on."

Sullivan says there always will be a need for humans in space.

"I am that kind of hands-on personal explorer. I think there will be some niches in the tasks that will still be human-done."

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stephen