Freeze Dried

Ever since the age of 4, I knew I wanted to be an astronaut. I remember my parents making sure I saw the space shuttle take off, no matter what time that was here on the west coast (which meant often staying up late or getting up very early).

There was something about that machine that drew me in. It was the future but it was real right then. I remember in 1st grade, making a paper mache Space Shuttle to accompany my report for the Science Fair, and also of course getting the Lego Space Shuttle set for Christmas that year. I also found that Space Shuttle under my parent’s bed a few weeks before Christmas, and so when Santa gave it to me Christmas morning, well… the jig was up.

But that didn’t stop the dream.

I guess it was always the driving factor in my life: to get to space; to be an astronaut. Despite all the setbacks, I never forgot what it was like to see the shuttle lift-off and just be amazed.

This is why it’s so exciting to be able to report to you today that I am entering a training regimen to be a part of the Astronaut program.

I’ve already been put through a barrage of phone (and a couple in-person) interviews; applications, inspections (physical and mental) and I’ve made it this far. I am an astronaut candidate.

I don’t know what lies ahead (well not really, I do know, I just don’t know what it’ll be like when we get there). But it promises to be exciting.

Just tonight I was leaving a dinner gathering, I had to drop some more letters of recommendation in the post office box, and after that I felt like having a coffee, so I headed up to the West Side Starbucks.

I got up to the window after ordering, and struck up a conversation with the nice gal inside. She had on some kind of white polo shirt but also was wearing a tie I think under her Starbucks smock.

In typical Starbucks fashion, she asked me what I was up to tonight. Previously, in another Starbucks adventure, this particular window person and I discussed how I had re-arranged my apartment that afternoon (which was Memorial Day if I remember correctly) and how she had done some yoga.

My answer tonight however, seemed to strike a chord with her. She got really enthusiastic when I mentioned the astronaut paperwork I just sent in (more than the time where I told her about the furniture) and we eventually got to exchanging names (Hi Felicity).

She was kind enough to offer to pick up my drink (Venti Vanilla Iced Coffee with Cream) for me, to which I of course said “oh no, that’s alright” and she said she insisted, so I let it be. If this had been a date, I probably would have actually just paid for it and not let her done that, you know that sometimes-awkward dance of who pays for things, but this was kind of a weird situation.

NASA regulations say we can’t take gifts for being Astronauts, or even astronaut-candidates. It’s similar to the ethics rules at my job too. She told me it was ok, it wasn’t a gift, she said I could buy her a cup of coffee next time. I laughed, I think that’ll be fine by the regulators.

Part of my training of course, is the historical portion. That line of information you don’t get by watching Apollo 13 or The Right Stuff (though let’s be honest here, I can’t think of a single astronaut who hasn’t seen those movies about 9000 times). The briefing we got last week talked about the dietary habits of the astronauts on the last shuttle mission to fix the Hubble last month. We’ve all seen the freeze-dried food at science museums, but did you know astronauts are allowed to have actual coffee in space?

Coffee is known to provide several positive health effects in space; including helping restrict the blood vessels (thanks, caffeine) that otherwise would be almost too relaxed (thanks, zero gravity). It also helps increase blood flow to the stomach, which aids in digesting the kind of weird food astronauts have to eat.

In our dietary prep, we were given some of the bulk foods to try (mostly to get used to them) and actually after having a glass of coffee they were a lot better.

Also astronauts get to have m & m’s but that’s mostly just to have something fun and colorful to throw at each other in zero-g.