tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15734909651559817942024-03-12T20:27:42.977-07:00Dave Pressler Going To SpaceDave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-38686872840359379842016-04-04T13:20:00.001-07:002016-04-04T13:20:19.128-07:00The New Space Ship Is Here.The new Spaceship is here! I received this great card with a picture of the VSS Unity. This year I will be going to visit the Spaceship in person. Hopefully I can take some pics, very exciting that we are starting on the voyage towards space.<br />
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-62083044441922220292015-06-25T15:11:00.001-07:002015-06-25T15:11:16.613-07:00Always Something Amazing With Virgin Galactic<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xAdV9fqllRk" width="480"></iframe></div>Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-90139534588232248522015-05-22T11:40:00.000-07:002015-05-22T11:41:31.703-07:00VIRGIN GALACTIC VISIT!<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Once in a while you get to something that is expected to be amazing then turns out to be so much more spectacular then you could imagine. Last week was one of those moments. Virgin Galactic had organized a tour of the Space Ship Company where they build and maintain White Knight II and the next version of Space Ship II in Mojave California. Of course I signed up immediately, and brought along my friend Don. We arrived at the VG building at 9am. T</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(50, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">he facility is named Final Assembly, Integration and Test Hangar, or FAITH. I had been to the last big gathering of future astronauts in September of 2013 with 300 people. This was a more intimate tour getting to see the facility in full operation up close, and talk to many of the engineers, pilots, and members of the team.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">My level of confidence in the project is higher then before the accident, not that I had any lack of confidence then. It's just a reminder of the enormous task, we are going </span>into<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> space and through this </span>endeavor paving the way for all people to be able to travel to space with the ease of a flight to Vegas.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We were only aloud to take one picture in the </span>facility with White Knight II which was just amazing to have that proximity to the aircraft.<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> In the pics, myself, then with Don, then the VG group: Enrico, Myself, Future Astronaut Allen, Beth, and Rose. A great day and another step closer to space.</span>Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-80280962244499662802015-05-13T13:31:00.001-07:002015-05-13T13:31:06.272-07:00The New Space Ship IIVery soon I will be going to the Mojave Desert to tour the Virgin Galactic assembly facility and see the progress of the new Space Ship II under construction. As soon as I return I will post what ever information and photos that I can. I'm very excited to see the progress.Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-29587135183502909272015-01-28T10:21:00.002-08:002015-01-28T10:22:54.572-08:00Astrophotography.Lately I've been learning about astrophotography. Between my 8" SC telescope and my Canon Digital SLR I'm starting to get some interesting results.<br />
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Last night the moon was in good form and we had clear skies in Los Angeles </div>
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The Orion Nebula is good practice, easy to find and the photo shows some nice colors. Still working on focusing techniques.</div>
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After days of looking I was finally able to get a decent shot of the Lovejoy comet two weeks ago. </div>
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Very hard to find in our light polluted skies, with the help of a friend looking with binoculars and the telescope we eventually saw what looked like a dim smudge. Only after a long exposure with the camera did the ghostly green comet come into view. Can't wait to get out in the dessert for some really dark skies and see what I can find.</div>
Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-54111142790003435722014-11-05T10:20:00.002-08:002014-11-05T10:20:55.119-08:00Virgin Galactic Crash<br />
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Many people emailed me about the Space Ship Two crash on Friday October 31st, I wanted to take time and think about about it before I had a response. First and foremost my heart goes out families of both pilots, and the entire Virgin Galactic team. Since I have become a member of the "Future Astronaut Community" we have all gotten to know many of the dedicated people that work on the various aspects of the program and share the excitement of the successes as well as the grief. As I've stated in the past I believe in the Virgin Galactic mission and will remain part of the team, this is just a reminder that going to space is still a challenge and not to be taken for granted. If this means the commercial space flights will be delayed for a few more years, that's fine, I'll be here ready to go.Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-73736287060483129402014-06-25T22:57:00.000-07:002014-06-25T22:57:04.480-07:00Mars!<br />
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What an amazing thing to see such a clear high rez photo from another planet.</div>
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-28024005827094454302014-06-19T10:51:00.002-07:002014-06-19T10:53:21.408-07:00Seven Minutes In Space!Check out a great article on <a href="http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/brief-history-of-artists-in-space.html">KCET Art Bound</a> by Shana Nys Dambrot. She dropped by my studio and we chatted about being the first artist in space, robots, and other futuristic things.<br />
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The model of the White Knight II and Space Ship II was very useful in describing how the flight actually works. Every time I tell the tale it gets me more excited for the event, which is still probably about 2 years away. Check out the article, hopefully there will be more interesting space news as the year goes on. The photo was taken by the ultra talented <span class="entity _586o" data-fulltext="Eric Minh Swenson" data-group="all" data-icon="null" data-select="group" data-si="true" data-text="Eric Minh Swenson" data-type="ent:user" data-uid="599503784"><a href="http://thuvanarts.com/">Eric Minh Swenson</a>.</span>Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-89739956660304419262014-05-19T23:07:00.003-07:002014-05-19T23:10:18.131-07:00Barron's Magazine An Animation Artist In Space.Writing is not my thing. The blog is as close as I get, that said I was given the opportunity by Ed Finn the editor of Barron's Magazine to write a piece about my trip to space with Virgin Galactic. I was more then happy to give it shot, but a bit daunted by the task since I am not a writer. More then then that I find writing to be difficult, the writers I work with in my industry are so talented funny and smart I couldn't even compare what I have done to the work they do.<br />
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It helped that at the time I was laid up with a broken leg and had some time to focus on a new task. Also I created an illustration to go with the piece. From a pencil sketch and finished in digital using the same techniques that I use with acrylic paints. Pick up the latest issue or read it online <a href="http://online.barrons.com/news/articles/SB50001424053111903843804579533960495729406?mod=BOL_twm_fs">here</a> enjoy!Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-26618705508106001792014-03-26T11:15:00.001-07:002014-03-26T11:17:49.063-07:00Virgin Galactic Mission Control.<br />
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While in London I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to finally meet some of the Virgin Galactic staff at Mission Control. Gemma was there to greet me and my wife Lisa and give us the grand tour.<br />
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You can't walk more then a few feet until you run into something cool, I wanted to swipe this but it was a bit too big to hide under my jacket.<br />
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Gemma shows us the finer points of the Space Port in New Mexico. This is just a computer rendering but it is built and spectacular.<br />
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The lens wasn't quite wide enough to fit in the whole slogan "Space Is Virgin Territory". Along with Gemma and another amazing model of Space Ship Two. This year will be busy for the Virgin Galactic team, hopefully more to report soon....<br />
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-79624348664102049382014-02-05T15:22:00.000-08:002014-02-05T15:25:43.522-08:00LET'S START 2014.2014 is up and running. The most exciting bit of space news was the third <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwm3leZu-O0">powered flight of Space Ship Two.</a> One more step closer to going to space. I understand that VG plans on starting the commercial flights by the end of this year. Also towards the end of last year I received this amazing model of the Knight One and Space Ship Two. After all these years I am still such a model geek this was the perfect gift for me.<br />
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Later this spring we are going on a trip to London, while I'm there I am excited to visit Virgin Galactic Mission Control this should be an amazing experience. Also for those who have asked my recent broken leg should not effect my space flight at all. Considering I'll be back to walking and completely normal activity by June that should be enough time.Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-41615896985536261712013-11-15T17:57:00.001-08:002013-11-15T18:00:28.830-08:00Amazing Astronaut Weekend.If you have not heard of the <a href="http://astronautscholarship.org/">Astronaut Scholarship Foundation</a> it an amazing organazation started by the Mercury 7 astronauts. They have an annual event to raise money every Nov there's an autograph show, lectures, dinners and other events where you get to hang out with astronauts. These guys are my heros and the idea of getting to drink and talk with them is amazing!<br />
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I just got back from the latest event and saw the new Space Shuttle Atlantis on display.<br />
You get to be unbelevebly close to it.<br />
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The Gemini 9 capsule was the other thing I really wanted to see. I've always been facinated with the Gemini program and all the things they acomplished to make Apollo possible.<br />
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Love the controls!</div>
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Later that night at the big fancy dinner we were treated to Eugene Cernan, Richard Gordon and flight nurse Dee O' Hara share their stories about the Gemini program.<br />
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Some guy stood up right when I took the picture and blocked Gene Cernan. I wanted to get autographs of Cernan and Tom Staford the crew Gemini 9 it turned out Titan rocket models in the middle of the table were signed by both of them and for sale! SOLD! I had to get it.</div>
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Our table was hosted by Space Shuttle pilot Greg Johnson. </div>
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Then I got to meet Gene Cernan Gemini 9 and last man on the moon!</div>
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And Richard Gordon, Gemini 11 and Apollo 12.</div>
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Earlier that day we took a tour of the cape and went to the original launch site of the Freedom 7 capsule back in May of 61. This is the flight that was close to what the Virgin Galactic flight will be. Wow how far we have come. There hasn't been any new training or experiences to report I know that NBC announced they will be covering Richard Branson's first flight with his two kids next year. I can't wait to see that!<br />
<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-91437948359180323402013-11-07T13:09:00.004-08:002013-11-07T13:11:58.774-08:00A REAL ASTRONAUT?<a href="http://www.amazon.com/An-Astronauts-Guide-Life-Earth/dp/0345812700">An Astronauts Guide To Life On Earth</a> is my latest favorite book. Written by Col Chris Hadfield it his journey from when his was a boy in Canada watching the moon landing to becoming an astronaut and all of the work and dedication in between.<br />
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In the book he refers to people like me who are going on paid space tourism flights as "Space flight participants" as opposed to full fledged astronauts. The definition of an astronaut used to be a person trained to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member on a spacecraft. In 2004 a new category was created for the commercial space traveler by the FAI ( <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span dir="auto">Fédération Aéronautique Internationale ) the world governing body who decides what the criteria is for going into space. The FAI code recognizes any flights that exceed an altitude of 100 Kilometers or 62 Miles the participants are awarded astronaut wings. So technically I will be an astronaut when I do go, but I could never with a straight face say that when compared to people the go through years of training and a lifetime of dedication to achieve that goal. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span dir="auto">That said just the chance to taste a little bit of what these men got to experience would be amazing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span dir="auto">Last November my friend Don Asher and I participated in the <a href="http://astronautscholarship.org/">Astronaut Scholar Ship Foundations</a> annual fund raising dinner. One of the memorable moments was the photo with 10 Apollo Astronauts, 6 of them moon walkers. Top row L to R: James McDivitt, Dave Scott, Charlie Duke, Edgar Mitchell, Richard Gordon. Bottom row L to R Buzz Aldrin, Tom Stafford, Eugene Cernan, Don Asher, Me, Alan Bean and Fred Haise. An amazing group to be standing in the middle of.</span></span></div>
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I would just feel too self conscience and like a poser to go around saying I'm an astronaut. So maybe I'll just go with a simpler idea of just experiencing the dream flying into space, just for a moment. </div>
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Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-37326632574809056382013-10-23T15:43:00.001-07:002013-10-23T15:43:49.515-07:00I MADE IT!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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NASTAR Training is complete. Last night I flew home from Philadelphia after our last morning of flights and tests. The three in my group were doing really well, myself Mark and Luis had been getting through the flight programs exposing our selves to various levels of G Forces on the X and Z and using our training to combat passing out also known as "G LOC" (<span class="st">G-Force induced </span>Los Of Consciousness) and nice steady breathing under high pressure.<br />
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Tuesday we were performing the longer flights with X and Y G forces combined. A bit tricky now we were to also combine the techniques for countering the effects. So far I had not had one hint of nausea, you would thing with all of the high speed twisting and turning it would have happened early on. Actually there a couple minor moments in the program that brought it on, small moves where there was nothing on my viewing screen except blue sky, but my brain could still feel movement.<br />
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They had these tiny little barf bags in the cabin of the gondola. I fell in love with the little elf graphic! He's not so happy to be bringing the bag, but then ecstatic when he has his bag full of gark.<br />
The NASTAR engineers actually gave me one to take home. Happy to report that Lil' Sic Sac did not have to come to my rescue. The people at the center believe these might be original from the 50's.<br />
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There's a waiting area with monitors so we can watch each other get fuged. I'll be uploading video from the cockpit of the more intense rides. I'm smiling in this one but not all.<br />
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Up in the right corner of the split screen you can see the GZ and GX readouts 6.0 G's definitely felt my face flattening out along with my lungs. It does tickle in a strange way.<br />
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Afterwards we took a couple group pics, from left: Greg, Johnene, Luis, Me, Mark, Amer, and Tarah.</div>
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An amazing crew that gave us every confidence we could do it.</div>
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Sitting on the stairs of the gondola. The stairs close and become the rear bulkhead of the cockpit. You can see the back of the chair with the 5 point harness and some of the control screen.</div>
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And of course I got the patch. Someday I'll get a jacket to sew it on.<br />
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-28927309511661201602013-10-21T18:38:00.004-07:002013-10-21T18:38:59.325-07:00Excentrifugal Forz.Today was the be work day at he NASTAR Center. It was a nice small group of three two flight surgeons and the operators of this amazing G Force Centrifuge. We performed a combination of G Force maneuvers, the first dealing with the "Y" axis. The Y axis being straight up and down from your toes to your head. This is the one that can make you pass out! The blood can get pushed straight out of your brain which makes it very hard to think and see.<br />
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The flight doctors Tarah and Johnene got us hooked up (Literally) with sensors on our chests and back. There was a sports bra type apparatus the held another set of sensors. We had to carry around our leads looking something a bunch of lost robots looking to recharge.<br />
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Considering that this centrifuge; the Johnsville Centrifuge at one time was the state of the art.<br />
Just down the street from where we are training now. The Johnsville Centrifuge was the G Force training center for the mercury seven astronauts.<br />
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We have been training on the amazing machine, which I would say is the Cadillac of G force trainers. I will ultimately have video of me in the cockpit getting spun around. The Y Axis was the toughest. We were only pulling 3 to 4 G's. Feeling that drop down feeling then tensing my legs and gluts to keep the blood in the upper part of my body. I didn't get tunnel vision but had to focus, I felt a very strange brain tickling sensation that was making me laugh. After a lunch break we all went again this time working on the "X" Axis straight from your front to your back. You don't get the pass out concern, this more like a heavy weight being laid on your chest. Controlled breathing is the key. It was 6 G's on the X Axis. It felt like my lungs were completely flat. But I still was able to breath and concentrate, even with the feeling that my brain was going to the back of my head, I couldn't imaging that there are people that have pulled 12 G's and more! Video tomorrow.<br />
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-28921987055376740642013-10-20T21:41:00.001-07:002013-10-21T18:04:00.372-07:00TOMORROW G-FORCE TRAINING.inI'm in Philadelphia. Just arrived a few hours ago. tomorrow morning I'll heading over to the NASTAR center for two days of training and medical studies. Very exciting. It was a coincidence that I was in Boston yesterday and had the opportunity to go to the JFK Library and Museum. On exhibit is Freedom 7 the second space craft to carry a man into space.<br />
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The picture isn't that great there was so much light in the background. But then it seems I'm joining the image in a ways, the past reflecting the future. This truly paved the way for for what I am participating in now.<br />
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I love the old controls. So functional. Tomorrow when I return from NASTAR I'll let you know how it went. Hopefully nothing too noteworthy.Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-81929176535732197102013-10-16T16:14:00.001-07:002013-10-16T16:14:10.563-07:00BE THE MONKEY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In mid September the “Future Astronauts” that’s how Virgin Galactic refers to us, went out to the Mojave Desert to see Space Ship II and Knight I in person. <br />
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My good friend and fellow Space nerd Gary Kramer came with me for the event.<br />
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This was a big group picture of everyone, about 300 Future Astronauts. Richard Branson is up front, I'm way in the back. Gary was taking pictures up front but then realized his sunglasses were missing in the pic he's off to the right turning around looking for them. <br />
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<br />How they are getting us to space is an innovative plan. Following on the foot steps of the Space Shuttle Knight I actually carries Space Ship II to 50,000 Ft where it releases SSII the rockets ignite and propel the space ship into low earth orbit. <br />
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That’s where the G-Forces come in. The rocket powered ride will exert about 3.5 to 4 G’s. That’s is about as much as the astronauts feel when the Space Shuttle would take off. G force is a measurement of acceleration felt as weight. When the rocket is cut there will be amazing silence and 7 minutes to un buckle from the seat and experience weightlessness. It would be nice to bring my bathroom scale with me just for that moment. After enjoying the micro gravity we strap back in for re-entry glide. Glide sounds nice and smooth but we will be again being exposed to up to 6 G’s on re-entry into the atmosphere.<br />
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Before the space flight we undergo three days of training, safety training, zero gravity training as well as G-Force training. There are techniques to deal with this and not letting the G-Forces make the blood rush out of your head and passing out. <br />
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Since this is a new program and everything is being developed from scratch, the medical team is also working on their criteria for passengers. I have high blood pressure, genetic gift from my ancestors. What I found is the program needed volunteers for medical studies on G- Forces and high blood pressure.<br />
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Sounds like my kind of thing! I could be an experimental space monkey.</div>
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So next week I will be at the NASTAR (National Aerospace Training and
Research Center) facility in Philadelphia PA for 2 days of medical
studies, and being spun around in a G-force centrifuge. I will make
sure and send pictures and reports. </div>
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Participating in these types of activities really make me feel like I am doing some pioneering and helping to build something for the future, and allowing myself to just be the monkey.<br /> </div>
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<br />Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-60916624528587728892013-10-15T10:45:00.002-07:002013-10-15T14:40:04.041-07:00Tin Cans On Bombs.When I think of the first Wright Brothers flight being just a scant 100 years ago, maybe it doesn’t seem unusual that we have gotten this far. The chance for a regular guy who had no chance of being an astronaut actually getting to make just about the same trip that Alan Shepard took in 1961.<br />
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Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 Capsule for a suborbital mission that took him 187Km or 613,517.06 Ft above Earth. Last year I took a tour of the original launch site of Freedom 7 at Kennedy Space Center. This is a picture of the original launch site was. Gus Grissom and Alan Shepard both launched from this site. Such primitive tin cans balanced on the tops of bombs. </div>
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The Space Ship II Flight will go 110 Km - 360,892 Above Earth. Not quite as high, but who’s counting. I'm sure my flight will be much more comfortable and safer than the first.</div>
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I talked to a couple of people who flew on the Concord back in the day. The maximum cruising altitude for that aircraft was 60,00 Ft. My sister in law was one of those people, she told me about being able to see the curvature of the earth and finding that experience transforming. </div>
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So, as number 722 I wonder if there will be anything for me to express as an artist from my experience.<br />
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Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1573490965155981794.post-26111775694459085502013-10-13T21:30:00.001-07:002013-10-13T21:30:29.816-07:00Going To Space.I have been waiting for the right time to start sharing the experience I am undergoing. In May my wife Lisa got me the best birthday present ever, a trip to space on the Virgin Galactic Space Ship II.<br />
Most wives want to send their husbands into space at some point, but it looks like I have an excellent chance of of returning from this trip. <br />
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This is the Virgin Galactic "Future Astronaut Pin" I was sent as my confirmation that I am number 722 and have reserved a seat. Being a kid of the 60's I was obsessed with the space program and anything space travel related. The idea of actually going some day was too far fetched to imagine.<br />
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When I think of space travel I always believed I would look more like this. Aurora 7 with a Scott Carpenter mannequin strapped inside. It will be a bit more plush then this, but there will be training involved and that to me is part of the attraction. More stories and entries to come on this adventure of lifetime.Dave Presslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00270154253352998279noreply@blogger.com0