The Space Mission Adventure by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online

shuttles, mon?” Ziggy whispered to Cubby.
    â€œNot like the robots on space movies that you’re thinking about, Ziggy,” Cubby whispered back. “The astronauts use robotic equipment to reach things and go places that humans can’t safely go.”
    Ziggy nodded in understanding.
    â€œCan you tell them a little about your training, Ms. Washington?” Samantha asked.
    â€œWell, I’ve been in training to be an astronaut since 1999, but I’d worked for NASA for almost tenyears before that. I guess I’ve done about every job there is. I’ve been a CAPCOM—”
    â€œThat was me!” Rico interrupted. “Communications was my job on our mission.”
    She smiled at him. “Great! I’ve also run tests on payloads, worked on simulations to make sure the real deal would work in space, and done vehicle testing and troubleshooting.”
    â€œHave you ever seen a shuttle be launched?” Neil asked.
    â€œI have actively taken part in over fifty launches,” she replied quietly.
    â€œWow.” The voices of all the kids were filled with awe.
    â€œWhat’s it like,” Nicolina asked, “when the shuttle blasts off?”
    â€œIt’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever seen. The sky has to be clear blue—like today. The orbiter sits on the launchpad, its nose pointing to the sky, the two white solid rocket boosters sitting next to it, both of which are connected to the huge orangeexternal fuel tank, waiting to take it to the heavens.”
    â€œJust like the one in Rocket Park, the one that you thought aliens were hiding in, Ziggy,” Jerome said, teasing him.
    â€œYes,” Ms. Washington continued. “Just like that one. And I’m sure there are no aliens hiding there.” She chuckled. “In the control center, just like on the mission you guys simulated, the countdown begins. T-minus thirty minutes, then twenty, then ten.”
    Ziggy wriggled with anticipation.
    â€œIf everything is a go, the launch sequence continues to T-minus one minute. There’s a buzz of activity, and everyone is tense, but we all know our jobs, so it’s like controlled excitement. Each person has a specific and extremely important job, and critical decisions are made every single second.”
    â€œLike the flight director,” Amy said. “That was what I did. It was a lot of responsibility, and our mission wasn’t even real.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Ms. Washington replied. “The pressure is enormous. Finally, the launch sequence counts down to the final seconds. Ten, nine, eight,seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. . . .” She paused.
    â€œDon’t stop!” they all cried out.
    Ms. Washington smiled. “Even at this point, the launch could be aborted. But if everything is a go, you hear the words ‘We have liftoff,’ and the shuttle rises from the ground. It’s the most amazing sight in the world.”
    â€œWhat does it look like?” Alan asked.
    â€œThick, heavy plumes of white smoke as the fuel is burned. A sound louder than the voices of a million football fans screaming at the same time. And a vehicle soaring into the sky, getting smaller every second. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more awesome.” She took a deep breath and looked at the sky as if she was remembering.
    â€œWhat do you think it’s like when you’re inside the shuttle and it lifts off?” Rico asked.
    â€œYou know, I really can’t wait to find out. We do years of practice at the Johnson Space Center in Texas. We have simulators that look and act and feel exactly like the real thing. They’re a little like what you did today, except on ours, all the buttons anddials work and connect to real data equipment. Any mistakes we make could be disastrous, so we practice over and over again until we get it right.”
    â€œCan I be an astronaut one day?” Ziggy