|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gee, I wonder what's behind this door? September 3, 2008Leave a comment  View More Images Not the typical sign you might see during a bike ride. If it were, I wouldn't need a headlight. I'd be glowing all the way down the road... My last day in Missoula started at the Hellgate Elementary School and finished with a short ride from Don's to my new SAG wagon (Support And Gear) ie, mom and dad wagon... I guess since they have been supporting me for the past few years, doing it at age fifty should be just fine! Does this mean I pay them an allowance? I gave two presentations at Hellgate and then sat down and had lunch with 12 students and did some one on one questions and answers. Lots of fun. Once again, the teachers and students were great. Lots of enthusiasm and many good questions. It's very reassuring to know that kids have an interest in learning and space stuff really gets them energized. A good loud video of a launch, astronauts living and working (playing with food is always a crowd pleaser) in space are perfect ingredients to motivate students to ask good questions. From Hellgate, Don gave me a lift down to the Saint Patrick Hospital Cancer Treatment Center where his wife Kim works. I met the staff and I was given an awesome tour of the facility. The technology they have at their disposal is quite remarkable. I discussed some of the aspects that the astronauts have to be concerned about regarding radiation exposure and how we measure the levels of radiation we are exposed to. During an EVA(space walk) we are required to wear three dosimeters on our body which provide our flight surgeons with a measure of radiation exposure. As astronauts, we were required to track the amount of exposure we incur during flight so that we would ensure that we did not exceed a certain level. Exposure to high levels of radiation can lead to some forms of cancer, so it is in our best interests to know just how much radiation comes our way. For our science questions of the day, what exactly is radiation and from what sources does it come? Is there an acceptable level of radiation that we can incur over the course of a year? How is a dose of radiation measured? Can radiation be used to treat cancer? I've included some pictures of the equipment that is used to treat some forms of cancer (that answers the last question). The white mask that I am wearing is used (with lasers) to pinpoint exactly on the body (in this case my head) where the radiation is directed to attack the cancer. Amazing piece of hardware!! Thanks to the staff (and Kim Lange) for taking time to share your facility with me. Following my hospital tour, I dropped in on the folks at Adventure Cycling Association (http://www.adventurecycling.org/) and discussed the best route out of Missoula and on through MT, WY and CO. Lots of great information. I also picked up the picture of Rob and his dog Patty (Cleopatra). See, I told you there was a dog! I will head back in tomorrow with my bike on the way out of town and take a picture of the entrance to the shop. They have a wall of pictures of everyone that has come through this year on a bike tour. Remarkable number of people on the road touring! I missed a couple from Norman, OK that is pedaling to the center of every state in the union. I believe they have visited 41 states to date. Sorry I missed you guys when I was in town. Planning on WY or CO anytime soon? I made my final stop back at Don's house, packed up my gear and hopped back on the bike. It was great to get back on the pedals, even if it was only for a few miles. Don and his kids joined me for the ride to the KOA campground. Don will join me for the ride out of town tomorrow and lead me up Hwy 200 for about 30 miles. He has been a great source of information and become a good friend. I will value his friendship and advice for years to come! Thanks so much for making my stay in Missoula a memorable one! See everyone on the road tomorrow! More Images:           6 Comments
Sep 5, 2008 9:05 am - Bob W wrote : Enjoying your excursion. If it is possible to structure rocketrek so that when a picture is clicked on, it enlarges, that would be helpful. Keep rolling.
Sep 4, 2008 10:07 pm - Sara wrote : Thank you for presenting at Hellgate Elementary. There's nothing in the world better than kids excited about learning. I read the article about it in the newspaper. I'm a senior at Sentinel High School. I wish I had had the chance to meet you. Even, and maybe especially, high school students need motivation. I'm really impressed that you are biking too. Does the sheer amount of fossil fuel it takes to get a spaceship off the ground ever concern you ?
Sep 4, 2008 8:54 pm - Emme Voth wrote : Hello! I really liked your visit to our school Hellgate Elementary in Missoual, MT . That night I was able to tell my mom some stuff that she didn't know. Thanks for the info. I would like to travel in space. Maybe Pluto or Mars. I was inspired. Bye!
Sep 4, 2008 5:40 pm - shawnie wrote : Hi John, I'm not so sure the trek is as incredible now w/ your SAG Wagon. :- just jibing!!!! Hey did your flight time ever surpass the allowable radiation?
Sep 4, 2008 7:23 am - Ashley wrote : Hi. I am one of the students you are going to be visiting at Fox Meadow Middle School in CO. Mr. Aldner said you were going to take a plane to visit your daughters birthday party and then go back. When is/was that? Add a comment: |
 RSS
Follow John on his trek via
Google Earth! 
PLEASE SUPPORT
THESE SPONSORS 
View Clip Now! >> |
Linn Productions.
Yay! Science time! What gets a spaceship off the ground? It's pretty cool. You know that giant cloud of smoke you see as it takes off? Well, it's not smoke. Funny enough, it's actually a big cloud of steam. It doesn't use "fossil fuels" the way cars do. That's called a "combustion engine". The shuttle is launched by liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. Two solid rocket boosters provide the main thrust to lift the space shuttle off the pad and up to an altitude of about 150,000 feet. The SRBs are the largest solid-propellant motors ever flown and the first designed for reuse. Each is 149.16 feet long and 12.17 feet in diameter and weighs approximately 1,300,000 pounds at launch. The propellant mixture in each SRB motor consists of an ammonium perchlorate oxidizer, 69.6 percent by weight , aluminum fuel, 16 percent , iron oxide a catalyst, 0.4 percent , a polymer a binder that holds the mixture together, 12.04 percent , and an epoxy curing agent 1.96 percent . The shuttle is operated by electricity while it's in space. It's the fanciest electric vehicle on the planet...or off? Each of the three fuel cell power plants is reusable and restartable. Here's a super cool word: frustum. I know, it sounds like it's made up. But say it 10 times really slow - it's pretty funny. See if you can find out what that word means. Here's good easy links to more information about the propellant and systems. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/srb/srb.html http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/et.html http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/orbiter/eps/pwrplants.html http://blog.nola.com/tpmoney/2008/07/the_latest_new_orleansmade_spa.html