Space Quotes / Souvenirs d'espace: Interview de l'astronaute Clay Anderson

mercredi 1 octobre 2014

Interview de l'astronaute Clay Anderson

Clayton ‘’Clay’’ Anderson est ingénieur aérospatial.

Il est sélectionné en 1998 dans le groupe 17 de la NASA comme astronaute.

Il effectuera deux vols spatiaux :

- Expedition 15-16 entre le 8 juin et le 7 novembre 2007 (STS-117 et STS-120)

- STS-131 en avril 2010

Clay Anderson a également effectué 6 EVA pour un total de 38 h 28 min.

Il aura passé en tout 166 jours 21 heures et 10 minutes dans l’espace

Clayton Anderson quitte la NASA en 2011.

Interview réalisée en septembre 2014.

How many years were you connected to the space program prior to your flight ?

I began my career at NASA and the Johnson Space Center in 1981, as Summer Intern in the Data Systems and Analysis Division (DSAD).

I was selected as an astronaut with the Group 17 Class in 1998.

My first flight was June 8, aboard Atlantis and I traveled to the ISS for a 152 days mission.

How did you feel prior to the flight ?

I was a little bit anxious as I would be away from my family for so long.

I wanted to perform all of my mission responsibilities perfectly, so I was foucused not so much on the launch as I was on performing successfully.

What kinds of sensations did you experienced during take-off ?

Much excitement !

The shuttle launch was loud and shaking … with thing falling from the walls. I sat on the middeck, so U had no windows from which to see, and I had to imagine everything based on mu understanding / training of the timeline and the verbal calls being made from the flight controllers and our crew commander C.J Sturckow.

What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you think about during the flight ?

I was Superman every day ! I flew to breakfast. I flew to work. I flew to the bathroom and I even flew while I was going to the bathroom !

What were your feeling when you walked outside the station, when you walked in space during your 1^st EVA ?

I felt that I was born to be there, at that very moment, performing a spacewalk.

It was an honor and a privilege.

The spacewalk was mentally taxing … I focused on each individual task so as to perform them all without error.

What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

The ISS food is very good. I was partial to the Russian cuisine as it had more salt and fat content, making it more than the American food.It worked out well as my Russian crewmates really enjoyed the American food and that is what they chose first.

To me, everything tasted quite real, although some foods tasted much better than others !

What was re-entry like ?

Re-entry on the space shuttle is relatively benign.

I did two re-entries, but the first, on Discovery again had me on the middeck with no windows. We watched a tiny camera, but it was difficult to truly understand what was happening and appreciate the sensations.

My second re-entry had me on Discovery’s flight deck (STS-131), so I was able to see the glow of the atmosphere during on entry and the beautiful colors involved as our temperatures went upwards of 2500 degrees F !

(Retour de STS-120)

Were you glad to be back on Earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

I loved my time aboard the ISS, but could not have lived there forever.

Many of the task were mundane and the science experiments were not as they are today.

I truly missed my wife and children, so while we probably could have been apart for another few weeks or so, being on the ground with my family was where my heart was.