Exciting News — The Moon is Wet* — Video September 25, 2009
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*Well, wetter than we thought. The Moon’s surface is still much drier than any Earth desert.
South Pole terrain of the Moon measured by laser altimetry (NASA)
The Thursday announcement by the Brown University team (and co-workers) that water (in minute amounts) is widespread on the Moon led to my video interview yesterday (9/24) on Fox News Channel. Carle Pieters and her co-workers used the Indian lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1 and their Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument to detect tiny amounts of water and hydroxyl molecules in the top few millimeters of the lunar soil. Perhaps implanted by solar wind protons combining with oxygen in the surface rocks, the water could be trapped on extremely cold crater floors near the lunar poles. Although the water is transient on the Moon’s sunlit side, it is there, and future prospectors (robots and astronauts) could harvest this water by gently heating the soil and collecting the vapor.
This observational proof of lunar water will be added to the results of the LCROSS satellite impact on Oct. 9, with hopes that the impact plume will toss trapped ice into the view of observing telescopes aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Hubble, and ground-based instruments. Finding ice in the shadowed lunar craters would add additional excitement to this week’s discovery and build interest in going after what could be a practical resource for future explorers.
I liked Carle Pieters’ analogy: a baseball diamond-sized area of lunar soil might yield just a small sip of water. But that’s huge in terms of the Moon’s future importance to exploration.
Veteran Astronaut Shares His Thoughts on ΦBK September 15, 2009
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This month I was honored to be featured in Phi Beta Kappa’s “Key Reporter.” The text of my comments about the honor society is below:
Soaring through the U.S. Destiny lab aboard the ISS, STS-98, Feb. 2001. Mission Commaner Ken Cockrell follows my contrails! (NASA)
“I became an astronaut because America in the 1960s encouraged the dreams of its young people to reach for the stars. I work now to ensure that our children have that same opportunity to learn, excel and explore. The harsh environment and complex scientific problems confronting us in space will demand the best from our leaders, managers, scientists and engineers.
“Since Apollo 11 first touched down on the Moon 40 years ago, America has led the way in space exploration, a recognition that our nation cannot thrive without competing on the frontiers of science and technology. Maintaining that leadership is a fundamental and necessary investment in our future, rewarding us with new scientific discoveries, sources of energy and raw materials, and a competitive economic edge. Phi Beta Kappa recognizes the value of motivating our next generation of explorers, a skilled ‘corps of discovery’ trained to tackle our toughest 21st-century challenges.”
— Tom Jones
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Thomas D. Jones is a veteran NASA astronaut, scientist, speaker, author and consultant. He holds a doctorate in planetary sciences, and in more than 11 years with NASA, flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth’s orbit. On his last flight, Jones led three spacewalks to help install the centerpiece of the International Space Station, the American Destiny laboratory. He has spent 53 days working and living in space.
Jones was a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy before graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Arizona in 1988. He piloted B-52D strategic bombers, studied asteroids for NASA, engineered intelligence-gathering systems for the CIA and helped develop advanced mission concepts to explore the solar system prior to joining NASA’s astronaut corps.
His latest book is Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System (written with Ellen Stofan, Ph.D.; National Geographic, 2008). His other 2008 book is Hell Hawks! (with Robert F. Dorr; Zenith Press, 2008), a true story of an aerial band of brothers in WWII. The Wall Street Journal named his earlier book Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir (Smithsonian-Collins, 2006) as one of its “Five Best” books about space. Jones writes frequently for the Smithsonian’s Air & Space, Aerospace America, Popular Mechanics and American Heritage magazines.
His awards include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, four NASA Space Flight Medals, NASA Exceptional Service Award, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Jones is a member of the NASA Advisory Council, serves on the board of the Association of Space Explorers, and regularly supplies on-air commentary for television spaceflight coverage. He is currently active in the debate over our nation’s space exploration policy.
For more, visit www.AstronautTomJones.com.
Astronaut Tom Jones at Leesburg Airport (VA) Open House September 14, 2009
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The EAA's "Aluminum Overcast" B-17 visited Leesburg Airport on Aug. 29, 2009
On August 29 I enjoyed a book signing for Planetology, Hell Hawks!, and Sky Walking at the Leesburg Airport (KJYO) Open House. During the signing, while watching the EAA Boeing B-17 “Aluminum Overcast” rumble in and out on its sightseeing runs, journalist Elizabeth Kreft caught up with me for a brief chat. Ms. Kreft is an Air Force reservist and former public affairs officer for the USAF Thunderbirds.
See the interview here.
And catch up with more Leesburg Airport news (and great flying instruction) at Aviation Adventures, where I do my local flying.
Aug. 10 Radio Interview — Tune in to Astronaut Tom Jones August 7, 2009
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OUTER SPACE THINKING WITH ASTRONAUT TOM JONES – HOW IN THE WORLD DOES IT HELP US?
Guest:
THOMAS JONES - Dr. Thomas D. Jones is a scientist, author, pilot, and former NASA astronaut. He holds a doctorate in planetary sciences, and in more than eleven years with NASA, flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth orbit. On his last flight, Dr. Jones led three spacewalks to install the centerpiece of the International Space Station, the American Destiny laboratory. He has spent fifty-three days working and living in space.
His latest book is Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System (written with Ellen Stofan, PhD; National Geographic, 2008). Hell Hawks! (with Robert F. Dorr; Zenith Press), a true story of an aerial band of brothers in WWII, is the top-selling title at the National Air & Space Museum . The Wall Street Journal named his Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir (Smithsonian-Collins, 2006) as one of its “Five Best” books about space.
He is an aerospace consultant, a member of the NASA Advisory Council, serves on the board of the Association of Space Explorers, and is a regular on-air contributor to television spaceflight coverage. He is currently active in the debate over America’s future space exploration plans.
Tom Jones’s website is www.AstronautTomJones.com
***
Host: ERNEST G. TANNIS, Solicitor and Mediator (www.adrcentre.org) Ottawa, Canada
Co-Host: GARY MICHAELS, Station Manager, Chin Radio, Ottawa , Canada (gary@chinradio.com)
THE ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION RADIO PROGRAM
LISTEN TO THIS RADIO PROGRAM LIVE, or OVER THE INTERNET
CHIN Radio can be heard worldwide over the internet www.chinradio.com
To listen to this ADR radio program go to the Chin Radio website, click at top right—-“LIVE – Ottawa – 97.9 FM; Mon., Aug. 10th. and Tues., Aug. 11th. at 12:30 1:00 p.m. EDT
Apollo 11 moonwalk — Glad we cleared that up! July 22, 2009
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"And That's the Way it Was." My neighbor, Jim Telmanowski, shot this 35mm slide image from his TV during the Apollo 11 moonwalk on July 20, 1969.
On the anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch last Thursday, July 16, I talked with Jon Scott of Fox News Channel to discuss the NASA release of enhanced video from the historic Apollo 11 moonwalk. Watch the clip here: Video
An interesting background discussion of the “missing” Apollo 11 moonwalk tapes can be found here.
I do think the new NASA enhanced videos are a significant improvement. I look forward to watching the entire moonwalk once the clean-up work is done. Seeing it online will be much more accessible than commercial DVDs or occasional TV broadcasts.
STS-68 launch pad abort at T-1 second – Video June 28, 2009
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The last shuttle pad abort after main engine ignition was on my second flight, STS-68, on Aug. 18, 1994. My crew (Baker, Wilcutt, Wisoff, Bursch, Smith, and me) was to operate Space Radar Lab 2 for 11 days, and we were keyed to go. In fact, I’d flown SRL-1 just 4 months earlier, in April on STS-59, and I was eager to put my recent experience into practice.
Endeavour's engines reach full thrust just before our RSLS abort, Aug. 18, 1994 (NASA)
At T-6 seconds, Endeavour’s three main engines rumbled into life. I was strapped into my center seat on the middeck, just to the right of classmate Jeff Wisoff, as we felt the orbiter rumble and shake under the thrust of a million pounds of liquid-fueled thrust. Out the hatch window I could see the gantry apparently sway — it was actually Endeavour “twanging” under the thrust. I mentally counted: 5…4…3…2…1…waiting for the giant kick from the boosters’ ignition.
Instead, the Master Alarm blared in our headsets as the three main engines fell silent. Instead of liftoff, we were left swaying atop the orbiter as the launch team announced an RSLS (redundant sequence launch sequencer) abort – an automatic shutdown due to some as-yet unknown problem. Terry Wilcutt declared “Right engine down”, and he and Mike Baker swung into their abort checklists. Jeff and I threw off harness straps and prepared to roll out of our seats, onto the middeck’s back wall (the temporary “floor”) and heave the hatch open for an emergency egress. We might even have to hit the slidewire baskets for an escape to the blast bunker a quarter mile — and a long zip down the slide wire — away.
Launch control soon verified we had no fire and no explosion risk. The engines had shut down at T-1 second, due to an overheating LOX turbopump on SSME #3. Its discharge temperature had violated redline limits; had we launched with that violation, we might have lost an engine right after liftoff, sending us into a very hairy Return to Launch Site abort.
Wisoff and I had readied the hatch for opening, then settled in on intercom to wait for the ground crew to come out and open up from the White Room. We debated (in colorful terms) how long our mission delay would be — “We should have been gone!” Jeff lamented. When the ground crew arrived, I was sitting moresely on my middeck seatback, munching a peanut butter and jelly sandwich the crew quarters staff had packed for orbit. We eventually launched six weeks later, on September 30.
Enjoy the video from Switched.com — and imagine what the experience was like for our families, watching from three miles away with little insight into the orbiter’s condition and safety.
I wrote about this episode in Chapter 8, “The Only Man Available,” in Sky Walking. Not a distinction I relished, but the pad abort does show how well the shuttle’s automatic safety systems do work.
Engines replaced, we finally get underway, September 30, 1994.
Astronaut Speaker Tom Jones — Appearances Summer 2009 June 24, 2009
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Here are a few upcoming events where I’ll be signing Planetology, Hell Hawks!, and other books:
- June 27 — Barnes & Noble, Webster, TX — 7 pm — “Planetology” book signing
- July 6 — Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum — Baltimore, MD — “Future Space” – http://www.marylandaviationmuseum.org/events/index.html
- Sep. 16 — Linda Hall Library of Science and Technology — Kansas City — “Planetology” – http://space.lindahall.org/lecture3.shtml
- Sep. 22 — Air Force Academy Society of Washington, DC — Arlington, VA — “Hell Hawks!” –
http://www.afasw.org/ - Sep. 23 — National Museum of the U.S. Air Force — Dayton, OH — “Hell Hawks!” –
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Calendar/default.aspx - Oct. 9 — Healthcare Financial Management Association — Atlantic City, NJ — “Sky Walking & Teamwork”
Tom Jones speaks at the Maryland Science Center, June 2009 (APL)
For more details about a speaking event with astronaut Tom Jones, contact his speakers bureau, or visit www.AstronautTomJones.com
A Planetology Interview with Ellen Stofan and Tom Jones June 24, 2009
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National Geographic Books published our new Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System, in late 2008. Noted planetary geologist Ellen Stofan and I discussed our interests in the solar system and our dynamic home planet in these June interviews with comet hunter and noted astronomer David Levy. His popular radio show, Let’s Talk Stars, featured our mutual interests in the forces that shape the Sun’s family. Listen here. Scroll to June 9 and June 16.
June 12 2009 eruption of Sarychev Peak in the Kurile Islands (photo by ISS astronauts, NASA)
For an overview of Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System, see www.AstronautTomJones.com.
Endeavour on the pad, Friday June 12, ‘09 June 16, 2009
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Shot during NASA tour, Friday, June 12. More on STS-127 here. Mark Polansky, commander, was my crewmate on STS-98. Dave Wolf, my 1990 astronaut classmate (the Hairballs) is the lead spacewalker. Tom Marshburn, also going EVA, helped care for me and my family during shuttle mission training. Read more at Sky Walking.
STS-127, Endeavour, on launch pad 39A. I flew her twice. (author photo)
Also toured Vehicle Assembly Building, with Ares I-X hardware ready to stack.
Orion crew module mass simulator, for Ares I-X flight, with launch abort system. All are inert steel mockups. (author photo)
The real test for the countdown tonight will be just before midnight, when fueling of Endeavour is nearly complete and we’ll see if the fix on the ground umbilical carrier plate is working. Best outcome would be to get Endeavour off on time, Wed, and then send LRO off about 36 hours later. Thanks to the Air Force for agreeing to such a short switch on the range equipment. Great can-do attitude! Go Endeavour!
For terrific images from Space Radar Lab on my two Endeavour missions. go here to JPL’s radar imaging site. Some of these beautiful images are favorites in my book, Planetology.
Become A Pilot Family Day — June 20, 2009 June 15, 2009
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With Astronaut Speaker Tom Jones:
Join me for a book signing (Planetology, Hell Hawks!, and Sky Walking) on Saturday afternoon, 12-4, at the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, Virginia.
More info on the event is here. Hope to see you at the Museum for a great day for future aviators and astronauts!
