Proximate causes and technical faults are rarely the sole explanations for system failures. In many cases, a flawed organizational culture is at the heart of the problem.
Our health care system can learn from NASA’s 2003 disaster
NASA
Celebration of a Life Well Lived
Bjarni Tryggvason was a superb astronaut – technically brilliant, operationally skilled – and a dear friend. His recent passing leaves a big hole in my heart.
Planetary Defence, Healthcare & the Future of Humanity
I recently participated in an enjoyable interview with Senior Editor Ivan Duran of the Harvard Health Policy Review . Ivan’s questions were wide-ranging. Besides asking me about my experiences in space, he also asked my thoughts on the delivery of remote healthcare, benefits to Earth from investments in space, and planetary protection.
Planning for the Best; Preparing for the Worst
On December 3, David Saint-Jacques will launch with two crewmates from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station. David will spend six months aboard the Station as part of the ‘C3’ expedition, Canada’s third long-duration mission. Preparation for an ISS expedition is a significant undertaking requiring the […]
Returning Home in Soyuz – a Wild, Wild Ride
A second edition of the book ‘The Farthest Shore: A 21st Century Guide to Space’ has just been published by Apogee Books (a Canadian publisher). http://www.cgpublishing.com/ The original book was a paperback that served as a textbook for the students of International Space University. It covered all aspects of space exploration and development. The new […]
Golden records may someday communicate with extraterrestrials
Since their launches in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft have captured my interest. The Voyager missions gave us stunning, close-up views of the outer planets and provided insights about phenomena at the edge of our solar system. Voyager 1 left the solar system in 2013 and is now interstellar, speeding outward through empty […]
Astronaut selection requires Gideon-like wisdom
One of my favourite Old Testament heroes is Gideon. Gideon was a prominent judge who led the Israelites in several key battles around 1150 BCE. In one story, Gideon recruited 32,000 Israeli volunteers in preparation to fight the Midians. This army, however, was deemed by God to be much too large so Gideon was directed […]
Congratulations to UCalgary’s space weather researchers
I was delighted to read UCalgary’s announcement about new funding for space research. As part of the Canadian Space Agency’s Geospace Observatory Canada initiative, $1.4M has been granted to three universities, including the University of Calgary, for research into space weather. Weather in space! Who knew? There are, of course, no visible clouds or blizzards in […]
A week in Australia with SH-SSP students
I am in Adelaide, Australia this week participating in International Space University’s ‘Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program’ (quite a mouthful!). SH-SSP is a fast-paced, five-week academic experience for senior undergraduates, grad students and young professionals from southern hemisphere nations. The Program curriculum covers the multidisciplinary aspects of space exploration and development. This year’s participants include […]
Guest blogger Tim Meagher shares his thoughts on the Undergraduate Research Symposium
There is a paragraph in the University of Calgary’s ‘Eyes High’ strategic plan that talks about enriching the quality and breadth of learning: “At the University of Calgary, learning takes place in a research environment. Students will learn research skills through their courses, assignments, fieldwork and as members of research teams. As a result, they […]