This week in Earth Science - an Exemplar by Mrs. Colpitts
September 2, 2017
US astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson returned to Earth on Saturday, Sept 2nd, 2017 after a record-breaking stay at the International Space Station. After 288 days in space, Dr. Whitson, and 2 other astronauts landed in Dzherkazgan, Kazakhstan.
Dr. Peggy Whitson is a highly accomplished astronaut and has spent 665 days in space, more than any other American and any other woman in the entire world. At age 57, she is also the oldest space woman. In her three trips to space, Dr. Whitson did a total of 10 space walks – more than any other woman. She was also the first woman to command the space station two times. During this latest 288-day mission, Dr. Whitson travelled 122.2 million miles and 4,623 orbits of the Earth.
Dr. Whitson has a doctorate in Biochemistry and completed numerous experiments in space including an antibody investigation designed to help increase the effectiveness of cancer treatment chemotherapy drugs, an advanced plant habitat designed to student plant physiology and food growth in space and an investigation of magnetized cells and tolls designed to improve the reproducibility of experiments in space. Time in space is difficult on an astronaut's body and the astronauts themselves are often their own experiments. On this mission, one of points of research included studies to physical changes in an astronaut’s eyes caused by extended stays in a microgravity environment. Once she has adjusted to life back on Earth, she will continue her research and evaluate the data that has been gathered and work to mentor young aspiring astronauts..
This event is interesting to me because I love hearing about female scientists and their impressive accomplishments.
Dr. Peggy Whitson is a highly accomplished astronaut and has spent 665 days in space, more than any other American and any other woman in the entire world. At age 57, she is also the oldest space woman. In her three trips to space, Dr. Whitson did a total of 10 space walks – more than any other woman. She was also the first woman to command the space station two times. During this latest 288-day mission, Dr. Whitson travelled 122.2 million miles and 4,623 orbits of the Earth.
Dr. Whitson has a doctorate in Biochemistry and completed numerous experiments in space including an antibody investigation designed to help increase the effectiveness of cancer treatment chemotherapy drugs, an advanced plant habitat designed to student plant physiology and food growth in space and an investigation of magnetized cells and tolls designed to improve the reproducibility of experiments in space. Time in space is difficult on an astronaut's body and the astronauts themselves are often their own experiments. On this mission, one of points of research included studies to physical changes in an astronaut’s eyes caused by extended stays in a microgravity environment. Once she has adjusted to life back on Earth, she will continue her research and evaluate the data that has been gathered and work to mentor young aspiring astronauts..
This event is interesting to me because I love hearing about female scientists and their impressive accomplishments.
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What happens to Astronaut bones in space? |
References:
Biography.com (2017). Peggy Whitson. The Biography.com. www.biography.com/people/peggy-whitson-052617
Dunn, Marcia. (2017). Record breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson returns to Earth. PhysOrg. phys.org/news/2017-09-record-breaking-astronaut-peggy-whitson-earth.html
NASA. (2016). Peggy Whitson. Astronaut biography. www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/whitson.pdf
Dunn, Marcia. (2017). Record breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson returns to Earth. PhysOrg. phys.org/news/2017-09-record-breaking-astronaut-peggy-whitson-earth.html
NASA. (2016). Peggy Whitson. Astronaut biography. www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/whitson.pdf