Behind the Wings

In today’s show, we’re going to go Behind the Wings of a cutting-edge space vehicle – The Orion Spacecraft, and the Artemis Missions - with Lockheed Martin systems engineer and Integration senior manager Kerry Timmons.

Kerry leads a team of engineers at Lockheed Martin, working on Orion’s vehicle requirements - from the advanced electrical systems to human integration for the Artemis I and II missions. With the Artemis program we’ll be able to explore uncharted parts of the moon, and learn more about what it takes to not only explore the moon but deep Space. 

What an exciting time for human space flight. I remember as a kid the wonder of Apollo – In today's conversation, that excitement is back! 

Key Takeaways:

• Kerry Timmons is a second-generation Lockheed Martin employee. She has been working on the Orion spacecraft since 2008.
• Orion is the US and NASA's crewed deep space exploration vehicle, consisting of the crew vehicle, the service module, and the launch abort system.
• Orion uses the same blunt-body capsule as the Apollo spacecraft, but there are differences in the crew capacity (3 on Apollo, 4 on Orion), and mission length (Apollo 14 days, Orion 21 days).
• The Orion capsule is reusable, enabling more frequent missions.
• The Apollo missions were named after the Greek god Apollo, the god of the sun. The Artemis missions are named after Apollo's twin sister Artemis, the goddess of the moon.
• Artemis I is an uncrewed mission around the moon planned for launch in 2022. The spacecraft will go deeper than any crewed vehicle has before, based on the trajectory and orbit, to ensure the safety of the vehicle for Artemis II
• Artemis II will take the crew out for the first time in the Orion Spacecraft to orbit the moon. It is planned for 2024
• Artemis III will take the first woman and person of color to land on the moon. It is planned for 2025.
• Artemis IV will be another mission to the moon, possibly incorporating the upcoming Lunar Gateway. It is planned for 2026.
• NASA wants to build a sustainable lunar environment both on the surface and as orbiting an orbiting platform to grow our knowledge and experience living and working in space
• Lockheed Martin partnered with Amazon on the Callisto payload to bring the Alexa voice control and Cisco WebX video communication aboard Orion.
• When the Orion Spacecraft returns to Earth it will bounce off the atmosphere in a maneuver called a skip re-entry. This was conceived during the Apollo program but is only now technologically possible.
• Kerry Timmons's hope for the future of space exploration is for more people to be part of the space industry, a thriving Earth-Lunar economy, and for more people to be able to experience the wonder of exploration in space.

References:

• Orion (spacecraft) - Wikipedia 
• NASA Artemis 
• Orion | Lockheed Martin 
• The Next Frontier in Space | Behind the Wings on PBS
• Callisto (lockheedmartin.com)

Today’s show is a conversation with Allissa Battocletti Noffke – a 'professor' of spacewalking! Allie works for the flight operations directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center – NASA’s center for human space flight based in Houston Texas - where she specializes in EVAs or Extra Vehicular Activities.

Most of her work has focused on the International Space Station. Whenever astronauts need to make a repair, or check on maintenance issues, they need to exit the station and go for a space walk.  In this episode we explore what space walking is like, how astronauts train for EVAs and how important it is to make those extravehicular activities as safe as possible.

With these upcoming Artemis Missions to the moon, astronauts will soon be making new tracks in lunar regolith for the first time in about 50 years. We also discuss how moonwalking compares to space walking and what can we expect from the Artemis program. What a fascinating topic, and time to talk about spacewalking.

Key Takeaways:

• Allie Battocletti Noffke first got interested in Space as a girl when her dad taught her about the Apollo missions. Today she is the operational lead for Spacewalk preparation on the ISS. 
• Spacewalking began in the early days of the ISS during its assembly phase from about 2000-2011, with parts flying up on the Space Shuttle. Assembly was declared complete in 2011, but it continues to be upgraded and maintained.
• NASA had experimented with untethered Spacewalks with an MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit); an astronaut propulsion device used on only three missions in 1984. The units were retired and were deemed too risky compared to manipulator arms or tethered EVAs.
• Astronaut Candidates come from all different backgrounds. EVA training starts with introductions to basic mechanical skills, operational communication, and body positioning.
• Mission control handles things like positioning solar arrays to free up time for astronauts on board the ISS for research projects, and spacewalking for missions that can't be done complete by mission control.
• Thousands of NASA Spinoff projects have come off the ISS. NASA spinoff technologies are commercial products and services which have been developed with the help of NASA, often for use on Earth.
• With more than 20 years of constant activity on the ISS, the legacy of the ISS is about human exploration and being a proving ground for learning how to live and work in space for long durations.
• With the ISS set to retire around 2030, commercial space stations and transport are filling in as the next generation for low earth orbit activity.
• Creativity is a key aspect of conduction repairs with the limited tools and resources that are available on the ISS, and without launch on demand
• Spacewalking is a free-float, micro-gravity environment, whereas moon walking is at 1/6th gravity.
• The Russian cosmonauts have their own spacewalk operations and their own airlock and spacesuits. NASA's partners from Japan, Canada, and Europe all train on US spacewalks. Overall it is collaborative, sharing tools to complete missions.

References:

• Allie B Covering MDM Long - YouTube
• Allie B NBL Run Overview - YouTube
• Purduette Becomes a “Professor” of Spacewalking | Purdue 150th (takegiantleaps.com)
• EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY (EVA) (nasa.gov)

We are all familiar with the name Amelia Earhart, but do we really know what she was like or what she believed in?

Today’s show is a conversation with Sammie Morris. Sammie is the Head Archivist at the Purdue University archives and special collections where they hold some of the most extensive collections on Amelia Earhart, one being donated by Amelia’s husband, George Palmer Putnam, himself. Amelia also worked with and taught at Purdue University just before her last flight.

We are going to discuss the interesting and radical life of legendary aviatrix, Amelia Earhart! She was the first woman and second person to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932. Now, that was one of her most famous records, but she set so many more! Of course, a lot of us know her for her mysterious disappearance, but in this episode, we are going to dive deeper into the woman behind the mystery, how she blazed her own path in early aviation, and the legacy she left behind. 
 
Key Takeaways:

• The Purdue University Archive is a great resource for researchers interested in the life and legacy of Amelia Earhart. They hold two collections on Amelia Earhart, one collection on her husband, George Palmer Putnam, and one on her navigator, Fred Noonan.
• Earhart's energetic, adventurous, brave personality was ahead of her time. She shared her radical beliefs about women's roles in the home and in the field of science, for example, yet she was able to not shock the public and alienate herself.
• The Friendship Flight in 1928 was the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman. Amelia was a passenger, alongside co-pilots Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gordon. The journey took 20 hours and 40 minutes, which is also the title of the book she wrote about this flight.
• Amelia Earhart was the first woman and second person to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932.
• Amelia Earhart befriended First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who became an advocate for aviation, women in flight, and Amelia's endeavors
• Amelia Earhart co-founded the 99's - an organization still around today that is dedicated to inspiring women pilots since 1929 - and became their first president
• Multiple factors influenced Amelia Earhart's disappearance on the last stretch of her world flight, such as low fuel, weather, and lost radio connection

References:

• Earhart, Amelia, 1897-1937 | Archives and Special Collections (purdue.edu)
• https://flightpaths.lib.purdue.edu/blog/2016/09/13/amelia-earhart-the-flying-feminist/ 
• https://www.ninety-nines.org/our-history.htm
• https://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2009b/091019CordovaEarhart.html 
• https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1895&context=purc
• https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lockheed-vega-5b-amelia-earhart/nasm_A19670093000
• Speech by Amelia Earhart | Library of Congress (loc.gov)

Today’s show is a conversation with Robert Arnold, the grandson of Hap Arnold – the Father of the air force. Arnold urged an independent air arm which he lived to see authorized in 1947 – he started flying with the Signal Crops in what could be described as a ‘wild west’ era in aviation - setting altitude records, and in WWI was the first aerial observer to report his observations using Radio. 

In WWII, he directed air activities for the nation's global war against Germany and Japan. Under him the air arm grew from 22,000 officers and men with 3,900 planes to nearly 2,500,000 men and 75,000 aircraft. An amazing accomplishment that shows how much was changing during this time, and Arnold’s influence on the development of air power.

Key Takeaways:

• Hap learned to fly in the Wright Brothers ground school and became one of the first military pilots worldwide.
• Hap grounds himself after a near death experience in a Wright Model C flying the first ever aerial spotting of artillery during an accelerated stall.
• After testifying for Billy Mitchell and leaking information to the press, Hap and his family are forced to decamp for Fort Riley Kansas after Mason Patrick refuses Haps own request to court marshal himself after getting caught. 
• He directed the expansion of the US Air Force upon entry into WWII to create the most powerful air force in the world.
• Hap Arnold was the only officer to hold a five-star rank in two different US military services, the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Air Force.

References:

• HENRY. H. ARNOLD > Air Force > Biography Display (af.mil)
• Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold > National Museum of the United States Air Force™ > Display (af.mil) 
• Here’s why Hap Arnold, a practical visionary, became the ‘father of the Air Force’ (airforcetimes.com) 
• Become A Member | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (wingsmuseum.org)

Today’s show is a conversation with Jonna Doolittle, the granddaughter of James H. Doolittle – who shares great insights into the American military general and aviation pioneer. It was great to get the family insights from Jonna, and as always, the historical context.  Doolittle won air races, was a test pilot, completing the first outside loop, something most people thought was impossible. In WWI he was active with the Signal Corps’ Aviation Section, but never saw combat. In WWII, Doolittle was chosen by Hap Arnold – the subject of our next episode, so stay tuned - to lead the planning of the first aerial raid on the Japanese mainland and retaliation for Pearl Harbor.

 
Key Takeaways:

• Jimmy Doolittle was highly educated, as a mechanic, engineer, and pilot, which set up his career as an aviation pioneer
• Doolittle's innovation with blind flying and landing paved the way for landing in bad weather
• Doolittle helped organize the Air Force Association and was elected its first president
• Doolittle lobbied successfully to make the Air Force its own branch of the military

References:

• GENERAL JAMES HAROLD DOOLITTLE > Air Force > Biography Display (af.mil)
• I Could Never Be So Lucky Again by James H. Doolittle (goodreads.com)
• Become A Member | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (wingsmuseum.org)

Today’s show is a conversation with Steve Lindsey who is a former U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot and NASA astronaut with more than 30 years of flight test experience. Today, he is VP of Strategy at Sierra Space where he leads design, development, testing and operational employment of the Dream Chaser® spacecraft, a modern, reusable, lifting-body space system for uncrewed and crewed transportation to low-Earth orbit. We have a Dream Chaser HL-20 mockup at Wings Museum – so it’s a great opportunity to go Behind the Wings of this cutting-edge spacecraft.

During his 15+ year tenure at NASA, Lindsey completed five space flights and logged more than 1,510 hours in space. He last served as chief of the astronaut corps, overseeing spacecraft development, crew selection and training and flight test/crew operations in support of the space shuttle, International Space Station (ISS) and Constellation Programs.

Steve Lindsey is also featured in our latest season 4 of Behind the Wings on PBS, live now on Rocky Mountain PBS and Wings Over the Rockies YouTube Channel – so you can see Steve and the dream chaser in action!

Key Takeaways:

• Astronaut was the perfect job for Lindsey at the intersection of his passions for flying and engineering
• Lindsey learned from the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster to never accept something when it's not supposed performing like its supposed to
• Collaborating with Russian cosmonauts in Space was a success in international collaboration, in contrast to geopolitical challenges on Earth
• Following NASA's commercial cargo and crew programs, private space exploration is enabling a new era of greater access and sustainability in space exploration
• The Dream Chaser spacecraft is in 24/7 production and is likely to have its maiden flight in 2023
• Sierra Space is partnering 50/50 with Blue Origin to create Orbital Reef, a mixed-use commercial space station
• Lindsey's vision for the future of space exploration is to talk into a classroom and say, "I'm an Astronaut" and for the students to say "Big deal, half of our parents have been to space."

References:

• Dream Chaser® | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (wingsmuseum.org)
• Dream Chaser® Spaceplane | Private Space Travel for All | Sierra Space
• Become A Member | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (wingsmuseum.org)

This will be our first show with two guests – Kyle Sanders and Dawn Zoldi - and we’re talking drones! We’ll explore new E-Sports like drone soccer, artificial intelligence, the role of drones in combat, and the legal issues that arise with drone law.

Students are getting involved with drones at the high school level and even younger. There's so much opportunity with this growing field. U.S. Drone Soccer co-founder Kyle Sander discusses how drone sports get young people involved with building, and flying drones. But drones today extend past the soccer field into so many different industries. To learn more we spoke with Dawn Zoldi.

Dawn’s had a fascinating career spanning 25 years as a military attorney, an internationally recognized expert on un-crewed aircraft systems and advanced air mobility law and policy. She is founder of P3 Tech Consulting, and hosts the Dawn of Drones Podcast. From her experience as a military lawyer, to Electric Take off and Landing Vehicles, there's a lot to explore.

This one's going to be cool!

References:
https://www.dronesoccer.us/
https://www.p3techconsulting.com/
https://pratt.duke.edu/faculty/missy-cummings

Today’s show is a conversation with Sharon Caples McDougle, a modern-day hidden figure, crew chief, and manager of the Space Shuttle Crew Escape Equipment Processing Department. She is the first Black woman to serve in those roles. She has had an amazing career and we’re going to dive into her journey.

Sharon is a former NASA spacesuit technician. She suited up Mae Jaemison, the first Black Woman to go to Space, worked on the SR-71 with pressure suits, and now tells her story in all kinds of ways – she authored a Children’s book “suit up with Shay” and we are happy to have her tell her story today on Behind the Wings! This was a really fun conversation.

Today’s show is a conversation with Mike Rabens who is president of the F-14 Tomcat Association  –  who’s mission, they say, is to to preserve the history of the greatest fighter jet the US Navy has ever flown. Membership is open to anyone who has flown, worked on, or just plain loves the F-14 aircraft.

Mike is graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, Top Gun, a commander on US Naval Test Pilot School, with more than 4,700 flight hours in 58 aircraft, and more than 700 carrier landings. Today he is the Director of System Integration Test & Evaluation at Northrop Grumman— Sound familiar? It’s the same company that built his beloved Tomcat.

This one's going to be cool!

https://www.f-14association.com

General Carl A. Spaatz was the first chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and one of the most influential people in early U.S. Air Force History. Born in Boyertown, Penn. on June 28, 1891, Spaatz had a full career, beginning with the newly formed air corps and was one of the first military aviators in the U.S. Army. In this episode, we look at Spaatz' biography, but also what his story meant for the formation of the U.S. Air Force that we know today.

General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum (spaatzmuseum.org)