CHRIS HADFIELD: Return to Space - News in Review - February 2013 - Teacher Resource Guide
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News in Review – February 2013 – Teacher Resource Guide
CHRIS HADFIELD: Return to Space
MINDS‐ON ACTIVITY
In 1969, a young Chris Hadfield watched a
grainy television image of Neil Armstrong
stepping off the ladder of the lunar module
Eagle onto the Moon’s surface. Seeing this
scientific triumph was enough to inspire
Hadfield to spend the formative years of his
life becoming an astronaut himself. Three
trips to space later, Hadfield stands out as
one of Canada’s most accomplished
astronauts.
1. What inspires you? Have you been
inspired to reach your potential by an
event or person?
2. How difficult do you think it was for Hadfield to achieve his goal?
3. What kind of dedication and education do you think it takes to become an astronaut?
SETTING THE STAGE
To say that Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s Hello Twitterverse
star is on the rise — at a time when he is closer The affable Hadfield has become a household
to the stars than anybody on Earth — would be name since taking to space in late 2012. He
an understatement. Since rocketing into space reaches out to almost 350 000 people down on
and boarding the International Space Station Earth via his Twitter account, providing
(ISS) for his most recent voyage in December informative tweets and stunning photographs
2012, Hadfield has recorded a song with the from his perch nearly 400 kilometres above the
Barenaked Ladies, virtually dropped the puck at planet’s surface. Actually to call his position a
the Toronto Maple Leafs home opener, had a perch is a bit misleading — the ISS orbits Earth
lengthy chat with Captain Kirk of Star Trek, and every 90 minutes at a speed of close to 28 000
positioned himself as Canada’s greatest space km/hr. That’s 16 times around the planet a day.
ambassador — all this in addition to his daily And there’s Chris Hadfield following his
responsibilities as an ISS scientist and crew gruelling astronaut regimen for the ISS space
member. Oh, and one other thing, he is program while still finding time to snap a few
scheduled to become the first Canadian pictures and tweet his perspectives to curious
commander of the ISS in March 2013 (actually space watchers firmly grounded back on the
he will be the first commander of the ISS who planet’s surface.
isn’t from the United States or Russia).
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 20
FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
A Natural Leader was a voyage of Canadian firsts: Hadfield
While most Canadians may be just getting to became the first Canadian mission specialist, the
know Hadfield, many others have been watching first Canadian to operate the Canadarm, and the
this bright Canadian star rise beyond the first Canadian to board the space station Mir. In
stratosphere for years. From life on an Ontario 2001, Hadfield returned to space aboard the
corn farm to the top of his class at the Royal Space Shuttle Endeavour. On this mission, he
Military College, Hadfield has consistently installed the Canadarm2 onto the ISS, spending
proven to be a person of distinction. An close to 15 hours working in near-zero gravity
accomplished Canadian Forces pilot and outside the station on two separate spacewalks.
scientist, Hadfield emerged from a field of over
And the next Canadian first is set to occur in
5 000 candidates to become an astronaut for the
March 2013 when Hadfield takes over as
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in 1992. Since
commander of the ISS — a role that he has been
that time, he has taken on a variety of leadership
moving toward since he first made the decision
roles with the CSA, NASA and in partnerships
to become an astronaut. Who knows what the
with the Russian space agency.
future holds for this remarkable Canadian once
he returns to Earth?
Space Experience
Hadfield has been in space on two previous
occasions. In 1995, he served as a mission
specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. That
To Consider
1. What is Chris Hadfield doing to grab the attention of so many people?
2. What efforts has Hadfield taken to promote his mission?
3. Why do many people think that Hadfield is a born leader who is more than ready to take command of
the ISS?
4. Which experiences do you think will help Hadfield when he takes command of the ISS in March
2013?
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 21
FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
VIDEO REVIEW
Pre‐viewing Question
Canada became the third nation to venture into space with the launch of the Alouette-1 satellite in 1962.
Since then, Canada has pumped billions of dollars into space exploration with the current investment
sitting at $2 billion per year. Do you think it is worth the financial costs to continue sending people and
machinery into space when there are other issues that need to be addressed closer to home?
Viewing Questions
1. Who is Chris Hadfield?
2. How many times has Hadfield been in space?
3. a) How long will Hadfield be aboard the International Space Station (ISS)?
b) What leadership role will Hadfield assume while on the ISS?
4. Why couldn’t the cameras film the entire tour of the ISS mock up?
5. Describe Hadfield’s attitude as the mission approaches.
6. How does the Russian approach to space technology differ from the U.S. approach?
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 22FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
7. How long will it take Hadfield and his fellow astronauts to get to the ISS?
8. a) What parts of the body start to atrophy when an astronaut spends an extended period of time in
space?
b) What symptoms did Bob Thirsk experience after he returned from the ISS?
9. What did Chris Hadfield have to do to become an astronaut? What did he have to do to set himself
apart from his competition?
10. What does Hadfield plan to do with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies at some point during his
ISS mission?
11. Why does Bob Thirsk think that Hadfield’s taking command of the ISS is an important step for the
Canadian space program?
12. When did Hadfield and his crew dock at the ISS?
13. Describe Hadfield’s conversation with his sons once he reached the ISS.
14. How busy will Hadfield be during his six months aboard the ISS?
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 23FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE 15. How does Hadfield plan to keep his fans informed about what is happening on the ISS? Post‐viewing Questions 1. Based on Bob Thirsk’s description of the physical demands of living in space and adjusting to a return to Earth, do you think many people would say NO to a trip to space? 2. Do you think Hadfield’s use of social media is a kind of publicity stunt or do you think it is an important way to promote Canada’s accomplishments in space? News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 24
FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE ACTIVITY: Singing with the Barenaked Ladies Minds On Chris Hadfield is an accomplished musician as well as an astronaut. He released the first song ever recorded in space (Jewel of the Night) late in 2012 and plans on recording the first album in space at some point over the course of his six months in space. In other words, besides being a gifted astronaut, pilot, and scientist, Hadfield is also a talented musician. Consider this perspective and then read about his collaboration with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies. Space Jam On February 8, 2013, Ed Robertson and Chris Hadfield premiered a song they co-wrote for Music Monday 2013, a CBC Music initiative designed to promote music education in Canada. Joined by the rest of his Barenaked Ladies band mates and the Wexford Gleeks (a Toronto school choir), Robertson and Hadfield performed their song ISS (Is Someone Singing?). Robertson led the performance in a sound studio on Earth while Hadfield played his guitar and sang his parts from the cupola observation module on the International Space Station (ISS). The song marked the first time a song was performed and recorded on Earth and in space. Your task 1. Watch the performance at: music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2013/2/Space-jam-watch-the-premiere-of-ISS-Is-Somebody-Singing 2. How impressed were you by the performance? How difficult do you think it was to coordinate Hadfield’s space performance with the Barenaked Ladies/Wexford Gleeks performance on Earth? 3. What did you think of the song? What did you like or not like about the melody and lyrics? Did You Know? While performing in the cupola observation module of the ISS, Hadfield had to anchor himself to part of the station with restraining straps so he wouldn’t float around during his performance. He also performed without a guitar strap because he didn’t have to worry about earth‐strength gravity pulling his guitar to the ground. However, the absence of significant gravitational pull did mean that he had to careful using the frets of his guitar. In microgravity, the hand can easily miss its mark causing the musician to play the wrong notes. Hadfield said he Hadfield’s mission patch is shaped had to make some significant adjustments to learn how to play like a guitar pick, signifying the his guitar in space. importance of music in his life. News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 25
FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
ACTIVITY: Chris Hadfield – “Rock Star”
Minds On
When Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was assigned the job of commander for Expedition 35 on the
International Space Station, he knew he was in a position to promote the space program to his fellow
Canadians. It didn’t take long for Canadians to take notice as Hadfield grew to almost “rock star” status.
Be mindful of Hadfield’s surge in popularity as you read the article.
How Chris Hadfield Became a “Rock Star”
1. Traversing the Twitterverse 3. Connecting with Captain Kirk
Hadfield’s Twitter following rested at around 13 In the mid-1960s, actor William Shatner played
000 a few weeks before he was launched into Captain James T. Kirk on the hit series Star
space aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. That Trek. The television show sparked the
number grew to a little over 20 000 on the day imagination of many people around the world,
he left for the International Space Station (ISS). with the character of Kirk becoming an icon for
This modest following exploded early in 2013 science-fiction fans everywhere. To this day,
when Hadfield’s stunning photographs of Earth Shatner is connected with Kirk and, when he
began going viral on the internet and shortly contacted Chris Hadfield via Twitter in early
after he began a tweet exchange with Canadian 2013, a relationship was established between the
actor William Shatner. In fact, by early February fictional captain and the rea- life commander.
2013, Hadfield’s following grew to nearly 350 Eventually, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
000. Hadfield did not disappoint his new arranged a chat between the two men. The
audience, treating them to a daily dose of clever conversation explored everything from space
tweets and pictures that were literally out of this funding to the majesty of the universe with the
world. two setting an informal date to share a glass of
whiskey at Hadfield’s Ontario cottage upon his
2. Reaching out to the kids return to Earth. The conversation garnered a lot
During his mission training, Hadfield and his of media attention and led to a spike in
fellow crew members practiced doing live chats Hadfield’s Twitter following.
with groups, including school children. Near the
end of January 2013, he put this skill into action 4. Rockin’ with a rock star
when he spoke with students at Chris Hadfield Two days after the exchange with Shatner,
Public School in Milton, Ontario. He answered Hadfield performed a song he co-wrote with Ed
questions about his life on the ISS, how much he Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies. With
missed his family, and whether life exists Hadfield on the ISS and Robertson at a sound
elsewhere in the universe. The exchange was stage, the two performed their song with the help
fascinating as the down to earth astronaut of Robertson’s Barenaked Ladies band mates
delivered his message from outer space. This and the Wexford Gleeks choir. The performance
was an example of one of many appearances that of the song drew serious attention across Canada
Hadfield would make over the course of his time and created a mild buzz around the world.
aboard the ISS.
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 26FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
5. His eloquence and attitude place that's in great turmoil, it's hard to
Since arriving on the ISS, Hadfield has made reconcile the inherent patience and beauty
frequent appearances via video link on television
and the Internet. His growing celebrity comes
from his ability to connect with almost any do to each other and to the Earth. „
of the world with the terrible things that we
audience. Whether he is singing a song, – Chris Hadfield, CBC News, January 10, 2013
speaking to an interviewer, or addressing a
group of students, Hadfield has an ability to
Certainly this eloquent astronaut will continue to
present his message in a clear and eloquent way.
impress his fellow Canadians when he assumes
Early in his mission, Hadfield gave reporters his
command of the ISS and when he returns to
perspective from space, saying
Earth. What’s next for Hadfield remains to be
“
seen but, one thing is clear, he left Earth a minor
To go around the whole world in just slightly celebrity and he’ll return a Canadian “rock star.”
over 90 minutes…you see it absolutely as
one place…. So when we look down at a
To Consider
1. What role did Twitter place in Hadfield’s growing popularity?
2. Why do you think Hadfield’s chat with actor William Shatner garnered so much attention?
3. What was so impressive about the Hadfield/Robertson song collaboration?
4. Why do you think Chris Hadfield became seen as a kind of “rock star” during his time on the ISS in
2012-2013?
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 27FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
ACTIVITY: The Right Stuff – Life in Space
Minds On
The 1983 movie The Right Stuff chronicled the efforts by the predecessors of the first astronauts to fly jets
at supersonic speeds. These test pilots made historic flights starting in the late 1940s right through to the
first U.S. orbiting of the Earth in the early 1960s. Overall, this character-driven film attempts to
demonstrate whether or not the first astronauts had “the right stuff” to fly into space.
Now that humanity has developed the ability to fly into space, it won’t be long before commercial flights
into orbit begin to happen. Let’s assume that you have “the right stuff” for the high-speed trek to the ISS.
Do you think you have “the right stuff” to live in space?
Life in Space
EATING – Astronauts eat
mostly moist and sticky foot
(like oatmeal) because dry food
(like cookies and bread) can
cause particles to float around
and contaminate the weightless
environment. Astronauts can still
use utensils to eat if they want
and individual astronauts can
pick certain foods before they
leave for their mission.
Many also secure their arms because the
SLEEPING – This can be a difficult prospect
sensation of having their arms floating away
on the ISS. Since the ISS orbits the Earth 16
from the body can be disruptive to a restful
times a day, astronauts are never really sure
sleep.
what time it is. Imagine experiencing 16 sunrises
and sunsets over the course of a normal day. To EXERCISING – Astronauts aboard the ISS
combat these constant changes, ISS crew need to exercise for at least two hours per day.
members follow Greenwich Mean Time and are They need to exercise because living in
scheduled for 8.5 hours of sleep a day (with microgravity can cause muscles to shrink and
most opting to sleep around six hours). bone density to lessen (bone density can
Astronauts use sleeping bags and secure decrease by as much as six per cent on a six-
themselves to the spacecraft with restraints so month mission). Experts note that astronauts
that they don’t float around while sleeping. will recover most of what they lose once they
return to Earth, but a lack of exercise would
make their recovery a lot more arduous and
potentially dangerous.
News in Review ∙ CBC Learning ∙ newsinreview.cbclearning.ca 28FEBRUARY 2013 — CHRIS HADFIELD: RETURN TO SPACE
HYGIENE – The water supply on the ISS is GOING TO THE BATHROOM – This is the
extremely limited so astronauts use it sparingly. greatest hygiene challenge for an astronaut.
Instead of showering, they give themselves They use a special toilet for bowel movements
sponge baths. They use no-rinse shampoos and that vacuums the waste into a waste
rub the shampoo into their scalp with a towel. compartment. They have to use restraints so they
When they brush their teeth, they spit the excess don’t float while using the toilet. When they
paste and saliva into a towel. When they shave, urinate, they use a cup-like device that vacuums
most use an electric razor. Astronauts have to be the urine into a waste compartment.
extremely careful that hair doesn’t float away
Source: The Canadian Space Agency
from them when they are cleaning themselves asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living.asp
because the hair can clog air filters and disrupt
air circulation on the ISS.
To Consider
1. What do you think? Could you handle a trip to the ISS? How long would you stay if you went?
2. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has volunteered to take part in a trip to Mars. The mission would
take two years to complete. How challenging would it be for Hadfield to stay healthy while on this
lengthy expedition?
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