In Rhea’s blogs, she shares the adventures of her journeys into space as well as the many other experiences in her lifetime! We know you will find each one a bit unique and enjoyable as well as a bit educational.
From small-town southern girl to space traveler, Rhea Seddon experienced a life that was on a trajectory of its own from an early age.
One of the first six women Astronauts accepted by NASA, Dr. Seddon, a surgeon by training, married Navy Captain Robert “Hoot” Gibson becoming the first Astronaut couple. Their three children became the world’s first Astrotots. A woman of many firsts, Rhea’s compelling story of achieving the American Dream carries a universal message to all that overcoming obstacles of any kind is possible if we persevere and carry the torch of our vision.
Her memoir, Go For Orbit, tells of one American woman’s personal journey that will inspire you to reach amazing heights of your own.
Imagine, if someone turned off gravity and everything floated. How would you keep things in place? Welcome to the world of VELCRO and duct tape. Was VELCRO a spin-off from the space program? No, but we sure learned how to make good use of it. Like many great inventions, it came about serendipitously. In 1941, Swiss electrical engineer George de Mistral went for a walk in the woods and was bothered by the burrs that stuck to his trouser legs and to his dog. Was he a little crazy to wonder if these pests could be turned into something...
Soldiers have worn patches, called insignias, on their uniforms from as far back as World War I. I got to learn all about the importance of patches at NASA. Following the lead of military men of yore, there were hundreds of patches commemorating human space flight. Many of the things that appear on patches have special meaning. When I came to NASA at the beginning of the Space Shuttle era, I learned that each crew had to have its own patch. My husband Hoot Gibson and I have eight—and there was a story that went with...
The year after the Challenger accident in 1986 was a difficult, busy, and sad one for NASA’s Astronaut Corps. What could we do for fun? Why not a Sock Hop? For those who don’t remember the 1950s, high school dances were often held in the school gymnasium. Dancers had to remove their shoes, so they wouldn’t scratch the hardwood floor. Everyone in the astronaut office was told to plan skits and wear the poodle skirts and bobby socks that were the fashion of the era. Four astronauts decided they would form a band. Brewster Shaw was on rhythm...
Spacefest—the June 9-12 event for space enthusiasts of any stripe (astronomy, manned and robotic space exploration, commercial space development, and space history enthusiast) — in Tucson, Arizona was amazing. Never have I seen so many space fans, especially today when people may believe that we no longer have a United States space program. The International Space Station is in orbit, we do send astronauts up there. But their numbers are few, they must launch on a Russian rocket from Kazakhstan, and they receive little press coverage. Hoot...
The Reality of Launch Nothing would ever compare to my first Shuttle launch: the noise, the vibration, the acceleration, and those crushing g-forces…and their sudden surrender to the onset of weightlessness. Having watched my friends’ and my husband’s fiery baptisms, my anxiety for my first launch was about getting into space at last, as well as the pressure to perform to the best of my ability. That perspective changed after January 28, 1986. As we all witnessed the Challenger accident and its aftermath – both public and private, nothing...
That is one of the most frequent questions I am asked about my Space Shuttle launches. Would you be scared perched atop four and a half million pounds of explosives with someone about to light the fuse? I had been named as a crew member on a flight that was to launch in June, 1984. Through many twists and turns in NASA’s schedule, I ended up training for three different flights until an April 12, 1985 launch date was locked in. We had practiced the flight in every way possible. The simulators at the Johnson Space Center could be rotated so...
On January 12, 1986, the crew of STS 61C suited up and headed for the Space Shuttle launch pad. They had been trying get into orbit since December 18…with many grueling attempts that had worn them (and their families) out. But this day was the right day: no malfunctioning equipment, no boats in the restricted area off the coast, no weather problems in Florida or at the overseas emergency landing sites. The countdown proceeded, and soon they were in orbit. Since crewmember Franklin Chang was the first astronaut from Costa Rica, there was a...
Throwing up is never pleasant. Imagine what it would be like in weightlessness. Two thirds of space travelers have some form of motion sickness, ranging from dizziness to nausea to vomiting. It might have been present in the early days of spaceflight, but it became more apparent with the Space Shuttle. From sitting on the launch pad to being weightless took eight and a half minutes. Unlike astronauts who flew in cramped capsules, Shuttle crew members could unstrap immediately, float around, and soon fly headfirst downstairs to the living...
Nuts and Bolts… Most people think that the Space Shuttle vehicle itself sat on the launch pad ready for launch. It didn’t. Only the nozzles of the Solid Rocket Boosters were attached to the launch platform. Like a giant fat bird, balanced on two tiny feet, the boosters were holding up the entire thing. Here’s the tale of how they were held securely in place – and let go for launch. There were over a million moving parts on the Shuttle: more than any other human invention! Many of these bits and pieces had to work in harmony—perfectly—to...
As can be imagined, the NASA managers and engineers were careful about what went on board the Space Shuttle. Each piece of equipment, each item that went into the stowage lockers, each widget or pair of socks had a part number and was catalogued in voluminous detail for each mission. Nothing could be left behind on the ground; nothing could be there that shouldn’t be. All astronauts understood this was a necessary attention to detail for mission success…but were forever finding ways to get around the rules. They had willing allies. Astronauts...
No part of the information on this Web site may be reproduced in traditional print or online without the expressed written permission of the author, Dr. Rhea Seddon.
