NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson is ready and excited for the future of space exploration.
Earlier this year (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic) Space.com met with NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, a three-spaceflight veteran who has logged more than 42 days in space, at the Cradle of Museum Aviation on Long Island, New York.
Wilson, who is one of 17 NASA astronauts eligible to become the first woman to set foot on the moon in 2024 as part of NASA’s Artemis program, shared her thoughts on the future of space exploration and her advice for newcomers. explorers who dream of joining the Artemis. Generation.
Regarding his lunar perspectives, Wilson said: “Of course, I am excited to be included in the group and I look forward to whoever is the first woman and women who follow as part of the Artemis program to continue our studies of the moon. We will continue descending to the surface in a lander and we hope to build a lunar base there on the moon and continue our journey from Gateway’s orbiting lab. ”
The “Gateway” Wilson refers to the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, a program proposed by NASA that would orbit the moon and allow astronauts to more easily travel back and forth from the lunar surface.
She added that Artemis’s explicit inclusion of women is “a wonderful testament to the progress women have made” in human spaceflight since women were first allowed to apply to the astronaut corps in 1978.
Wilson explained, immersing himself in the early days of his 24-year astronaut career and how the lives of women at NASA have changed over the years.
“I was very fortunate to have been able to study engineering and find my way to NASA, to join the NASA astronaut class in 1996,” said Wilson. “During that period of my career, I have seen increased opportunities for women. We now have women working at the mission control center, working as flight directors.”
The next generation
As a role model for young people looking to grow and become astronauts like her, Wilson shared some tips.
For young women seeking to follow in his footsteps, Wilson said, “There are now many opportunities for women in STEM. [science, technology, engineering and math], so I encourage these young women to study hard. If math and science are your interest, then you certainly can find your way to NASA for a career, “she said.
He added that aspiring astronauts seeking to go “the civilian route” (as opposed to astronauts who come from the military) must have STEM degrees. “And as for qualities or traits for the Artemis generation,” he added, astronauts must have what NASA calls “expeditionary skills.”
“Very similar to the generation of the space station, we are looking for people who are adaptable, who can work well in a team,” said Wilson. She added that astronauts must be able to make a good transition between being leaders and followers and, in addition, “make good decisions quickly and efficiently in an emergency situation or in a situation where resources are limited.” Astronauts must be able to “lead themselves and their teams to a successful and safe outcome,” he said.
Exploring the unknown
So why do people want to become astronauts? Why does our species want to explore the cosmos so much?
According to Wilson, “Being an adventurer and being explorers is in our nature. It is in the story of how we have developed the Earth, and therefore naturally continues to the space frontier.”
“But,” he added, “we also learn a lot about ourselves and we can bring that technology to earth.” She referenced all the research taking place on the International Space Station in fields including physical science, materials science, and medicine. Wilson added that space-based research can greatly improve our lives, as well as advance the technologies we have here on Earth.
Email Chelsea Gohd at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
