Former NASA astronaut talks to more than 1,500 young people in Ho Chi Minh City

Former astronaut Michael A. Baker said that when flying into space, the surrounding is pitch black, the feeling is very lonely, requires strong determination to the end and young people with enough passion have the opportunity to become astronauts.

Former astronaut Michael A. Baker (69 years old), who has nearly 1,000 hours of space flight time, began his story with more than 1,500 students in Ho Chi Minh City during the Vietnam Space Week event series on the morning of June 7. He was one of seven astronauts who performed a 10-day space mission in January 1997 on the space shuttle STS 81. His and his crew's mission was to resupply more than 5,000 pounds (about 2.5 tons) of materials and fuel to the Russian International Space Station and conduct research activities.

Sharing his feelings when flying into space, he recalled that when he saw the deep black around him, he felt very lonely. But when he observed the Earth with its blue color and surrounding atmosphere, he felt a spiritual connection with the blue planet and told himself that he had to protect the only place with life in the Solar System. "I felt precious to our planet," Mr. Michael A. Baker recalled.

Former astronaut Michael A. Baker (left) and doctor Josefs Schmid at an exchange with more than 1,500 students in Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of June 7. Photo: Ha An

Before docking with the Russian International Space Station to refuel, Michael A. Baker's astronaut team had to circle around to perform a research mission. During this time, he took many pictures of the Earth with an infrared lens. It was an opportunity for him to see the blue planet, to admire and have many new perspectives in many places around the world .

He said that after 10 days in space on the STS 81 mission, returning to Earth was a challenge for him and his crew. At that time, the astronauts had to land at a speed of over 195 miles per hour, much faster than the speed of a commercial plane (about 125 miles per hour). The landing had to ensure minimal friction and reduced internal heat to ensure the safety of the astronauts.

A child asks for an autograph and takes the opportunity to chat in English with astronaut Michael A. Baker. Photo: Ha An

As a doctor who specializes in caring for astronauts, Mr. Josefs Schmid shared that when returning to Earth, they have to change from a state of weightlessness to a state of weight. This causes the fluids in the body, internal organs, and skeletal system to shift, making them feel dizzy and tired. It takes astronauts from several hours to several days to return to balance.

In addition to physical problems, astronauts must ensure the most comfortable mentality when participating in the journey in space. "Before boarding the spacecraft, you must have a comfortable mentality and always smile," shared Dr. Josefs Schhmid. Currently, astronauts have the opportunity to communicate with relatives and family during their missions in space as they are equipped with communication systems and the internet, so they can connect to Earth through the international space station.

Opportunity for young Vietnamese people to become astronauts

Sending a message to young people, Michael A. Baker said that to become an astronaut requires a process of nurturing passion and determination as well as an extremely persistent training process. He shared that he was lucky to have a father who was a navy soldier - an example of passion that made him join the navy training when he grew up to become a pilot.

What made Michael A. Baker decide to become an astronaut was when he attended a NASA exhibition in the 1980s. The captivating images of outer space made the young man apply and compete with 16,000 profiles, all of whom were pilots, to select 10 people. Michael A. Baker was one of those 10 people.

He believes that Vietnam needs to have its own program for aerospace training. Young Vietnamese people can study this field abroad and participate in the rigorous selection process to become astronauts. More than half of American astronauts serve in the military, the rest are in other fields.

Many students enthusiastically asked for autographs from the astronaut and other members of the delegation. Photo: Ha An

Referring to the challenges of the space science field, Mr. Michael A. Baker said that there are currently many satellites launched and when they complete their missions, they create debris, called space junk. According to statistics, there are currently about 200,000 pieces of satellite debris floating in the air. These pieces can cause collisions in space or fly into the atmosphere, friction with the air and can burn up when falling to Earth. "Countries are cooperating to solve this problem and this is a topic that needs young people to have ideas to clean up space junk," Mr. Michael A. Baker suggested.

Vnexpress.net