Monday, April 09, 2007

As we await tomorrows meeting.....

Tomorrow, the program managers will meet to decide which external tank to use for STS-117. The meeting is to occur no earlier than 6pm. We shall await the outcome!

So let me recap the week.

One of the classes I am taking is called Aviation & Aerospace Accident Investigation & Safety Systems. I love the class. I had to turn in an interesting assignment in which I kept a record over 4 days to determine my sleep debt. My professor considered 7 hours to be the norm for sleep in this assignment. To make a long story short, I only get 5 hours of sleep a night. We had to keep record of the effects of fatigue from lack of sleep and let's just say I can use more sleep! Haha. The assignment was in the form of a sleep matrix (below).














I commented to the professor that a schedule similar to this is used for astronauts during missions. The whole mission is planned out with a detailed schedule which includes their sleep time. Making sure astronauts obtain enough sleep is critical during a mission as it could effect their task performance, EVA's, and crewmembers working together. So the sleep matrix is definitively a useful tool.

So school has been going well with the exception of me having a little difficulty with my graduate research paper. It's been a little difficult forming my problem statement and hypothesis. Today I had a little help from a fellow coworker so I will see if my professor thinks my new problem statement/hypothesis is acceptable.


The best news last week was that my niece was born on Friday. Her name is Haley Ann. My sister is coming from Seattle for a whole month in June so I can spend time with both of my nieces. I love when my niece comes to visit because she watches the NASA channel with me. Ha ha! She knows the word "Space" and says astronaut like "Atronot". The coolest thing is that we both have matching astronaut toothbrushes. I know, I know, kinda cheesy....but I love it!



By the way...If you are or know someone who is an undergraduate student enrolled in a Florida university or community college..see if they may me interested in the Space Academy Program. I found the site while doing some research! Website

1 comment:

Becca said...

Yeah, your Houston counterparts (including me) are also anxiously awaiting the outcome of tomorrow's disturbingly late afternoon meeting...