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 […]
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 […]
Steve Allan is one of my colleagues on the University of Calgary’s Board of Governors. In his outside life, Steve is a chartered accountant with a distinguished career in the Canadian tourism industry. He also has an admirable spirit of volunteerism that includes service with the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede and the Rotary Club of […]
In my April 13 blog entry I wrote about an experiment known as Reversible Figures that was performed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. I also asked your thoughts on how depth perception might change during spaceflight. The results of this experiment have recently been published so I am now at liberty to provide the […]
Last week, I was in Toronto participating in the annual general meeting of Tomatosphere. Tomatosphere is a Canadian project that promotes science learning at the grade school level (students aged 8 – 14). It connects students’ fascination with space travel and the role that green plants must someday play in the life support system of space […]
I mentioned in my June 22 blog entry that I had delivered a lecture entitled ‘What has space brought us?’ to the participants attending the summer session of International Space University. At the end of the lecture, I encouraged each student to prepare and practice a brief ‘elevator pitch’ to highlight a few benefits of the […]
It was impossible to share in my previous blog entry everything about Dr. David Kendall that makes him a superb choice as Chair of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Besides being a well-regarded leader, Dave also has a sense of humour. Throughout our careers in space, Dave and I have attended […]
Another University of Calgary alumnus has done us proud. Dr. David Kendall MSc’72, PhD’79 was recently appointed by the United Nations as incoming Chair of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). This is a big deal – the first time that a Canadian has held such a position. The Committee […]
Last Thursday, three astronauts aboard the ISS took emergency shelter in their Soyuz vehicle over concerns that a piece of orbital debris would pass alarmingly close to the Station.
My Russian cosmonaut friend Gennady Padalka just achieved an impressive career milestone. Today Gennady broke the record for total time in space – 804 days. Mind blowing. And a significant landmark in human spaceflight. I trained with Gennady for several years and then flew with him in 2009 aboard the International Space Station. He was […]