University Daily Kansan, October 29, 1984
Page 6
CAMPUS AND AREA
KU grad achieves childhood dream of working in space
By MARY CARTER Staff Reporter
Steve Hewley used to read about the stars while growing up Salina. In September, he took a closer look as he watched the sunrise from the space shuttle Discovery.
He said he never thought he would be one of 35 people selected from a pool of 9,000 applicants to become civilian astronauts.
"I applied with the intent to become a finalist and to get an all-expenses-paid trip to the space center." Hawley said last week from his office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Hawley, a 1973 KU graduate, will be on campus Nov.8 and 9 to talk about his work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
HE WILL SPEAK at p.m. on Nov.
8 in the Big Eight and Jayhawk
rooms of the Kansas Union. During
his stay, he will talk to Lawrence
elementary school students and visit
the KU Space Technology Center. He is expected to attend the KU-
Nebraska football game on Nov. 10.
"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone," he said. "My memories of going to KU are fun ones. The department of physics and astronomy was relatively small then. It was an opportunity for a number of us with astronomy interests to develop in a war you don't at a big school."
As a boy, he read astronomy textbooks for fun, but he never aspired to be an astronaut, Hawley said. But he dreamt of working among the stars as a scientist in space.
"I assumed I would study astronomy from space, on a space station."
he said. "From my reading, I knew that one day trained scientists would go up. I knew that if I studied hard and kept myself in pretty good shape, I would have a chance."
NOT UNTIL HE was about to receive a doctorate in astronomy from the University of California at Santa Cruz did he learn that NASA applied applications from civilians for admission to the space program.
He applied, became a finalist, got his trip to the space center — and was asked to stay. In 1977, he became an astronaut. One year later he was an astronaut.
About four years after being accepted into the program, he was assigned to the first flight of Discovery.
The flight was originally scheduled for March of this year, but technical problems postponed the mission. The
mission was rescheduled for June,
but two more times the countdown
was stopped — once only four
seconds before lift off.
Hawley said NASA was developing plans for a permanent space station that would offer scientists an opportunity to conduct long-term experiments.
Hawley said he would like to work on such a space station.
"WE'RE EXPLORING ALL different areas and will ultimately pick the most feasible ones and continue them in terms of a space station," he said. "We'll use the shuttle to build the space station. That's enough to keep us busy for 20 years."
"I think I would, for maybe two to three months at a time," he said. "That would be a good period of time to do it in the new conditions. It takes an a week to
get used to dealing with three dimensions instead of two."
Hawley said the simulators NASA used to train astronauts for weightlessness were close to the real thing
"Space is a fairly bizarre atmosphere, and when you're up there, you need to be able to react right away. You need to react by instinct," he said. "We deployed the satellite it was, sometimes I had to wait thousands times before in the simulator. My response was the same as in the simulator."
THE POPULAR IMAGE of astronauts spending all the time between missions in space simulators is not accurate. Hawley said. Atonars also rotate working as engineering consultants on NASA projects, and the control room room and making appearances on behalf of NASA.
flight, around six or eight months from it, then we get into highly intensive technological training." he said.
"When we're getting close to a
Hawley is working as assistant to the director of flight crew assistance, and he said he was eager to get back into flight training.
He also travels a handful of days a month and does interviews, he said. The only questions that bother him are about his personal life.
"I don't equate the fact that I'm an astronaut with people's right to know about my personal life," he said.
HAWLEY'S WIFE, SALLY Ride, was the first American woman to travel in space. Although they both work at the Johnson Space Center, they don't see each other often during the day, he said.
"We're seldom in the same building." he said.
This unique college campus is limited to only 500 students...
Presentation From 12 noon to 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 29 Governor's Room In the Kansas Union
...maybe you'll be one!
Study around the world, visiting Japan, Korea, Taiwan Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India, Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Spain.
Choose from 60 voyage-related courses to earn 12.15 transferable hours of credit from the University of Pittsburgh. Develop an awareness of our relationship with other countries and a first-hand understanding of world issues.
Semester at Sea admits students without regard to color, race or creed.
For details, write or call:
(800) 854-0195
toll-free
SEMESTER AT SEA
Institute for Shipboard Education
University of Pittsburgh
2E Forbes Quadrangle • Pittsburg, PA 15260
Use Kansan Classified.
TONIGHT! SUA FORUMS
presents
Jim Maher Kansas Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate "Issues and Ideas"
7 p.m.
Monday, October 29
Big Eight Room
Level Five Kansas Union
FORUMS
TREAT YOURSELF TO THESE HALLOWEEN SPECIALS
ayhawk Painter Cap reg. $2.95 SALE $1.75
Scratch Pads 20% off assorted colors and sizes
Memorex Audio Tapes
Reg Price SALE
C-30 $2.98 $2.55
C-45 $3.20 $2.70
C-60 $3.39 $2.90
C-90 $5.10 $4.35
C-60 2 pack $5.55 $4.35
C-90 3 pack $11.00 $8.70
im Processing $1.75
All C-41 color print processing
110, 126, 135, Disc. Any number exp.
Typewriter Paper
Eaton corrasable 16lb. bond $1.55
25% rag 50 sheets reg $1.95
$1.05
Liquid Paper reg $1.29
While Supplies Last!
Free Campus Packs containing various product samples See ad for coupon in Monday UDK, Oct. 29th
SALE DATE Oct. 29-31, 1984