Resilience - Blog Posts

I remember being depressed for as long as I can remember being in school. I thought about going to the underworld several times, but I ended up calling my father to pick me up the moment I had those thoughts. Colleagues refuse to be around me, but it was worth it, I fought back against the aggression. Next time you have a meltdown or cry, don't be afraid to fight back or let it out. You are a human being too, your fingers can hold scissors and your fists are there to punch. I learned that punching isn't that bad after all!

NASA Spotlight: Astronaut Mike Hopkins

Michael S. Hopkins was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2009. The Missouri native is currently the Crew-1 mission commander for NASA’s next SpaceX launch to the International Space Station on Nov. 14, 2020. Hopkin’s Crew-1 mission will mark the first-ever crew rotation flight of a U.S. commercial spacecraft with astronauts on board, and it secures the U.S.’s ability to launch humans into space from American soil once again.  Previously, Hopkins was member of the Expedition 37/38 crew and has logged 166 days in space. During his stay aboard the station, he conducted two spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 58 minutes to change out a degraded pump module. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering. 

He took some time from being a NASA astronaut to answer questions about his life and career! Enjoy:

What do you hope people think about when you launch?

I hope people are thinking about the fact that we’re starting a new era in human spaceflight. We’re re-opening human launch capability to U.S. soil again, but it’s not just that. We’re opening low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station with commercial companies. It’s a lot different than what we’ve done in the past. I hope people realize this isn’t just another launch – this is something a lot bigger. Hopefully it’s setting the stage, one of those first steps to getting us to the Moon and on to Mars.

You served in the U.S. Air Force as a flight test engineer. What does that entail?

First off, just like being an astronaut, it involves a lot of training when you first get started. I went to the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and spent a year in training and just learning how to be a flight test engineer. It was one of the most challenging years I’ve ever had, but also one of the more rewarding years. What it means afterwards is, you are basically testing new vehicles or new systems that are going on aircraft. You are testing them before they get handed over to the operational fleet and squadrons. You want to make sure that these capabilities are safe, and that they meet requirements. As a flight test engineer, I would help design the test. I would then get the opportunity to go and fly and execute the test and collect the data, then do the analysis, then write the final reports and give those conclusions on whether this particular vehicle or system was ready to go.

What is one piece of life advice you wish somebody had told you when you were younger? 

A common theme for me is to just have patience. Enjoy the ride along the way. I think I tend to be pretty high intensity on things and looking back, I think things happen when they’re supposed to happen, and sometimes that doesn’t necessarily agree with when you think it should happen. So for me, someone saying, “Just be patient Mike, it’s all going to happen when it’s supposed to,” would be really good advice.

Is there a particular science experiment you enjoyed working on the most while aboard the space station?

There’s a lot of experiments I had the opportunity to participate in, but the ones in particular I liked were ones where I got to interact directly with the folks that designed the experiment. One thing I enjoyed was a fluid experiment called Capillary Flow Experiment, or CFE. I got to work directly with the principal investigators on the ground as I executed that experiment. What made it nice was getting to hear their excitement as you were letting them know what was happening in real time and getting to hear their voices as they got excited about the results. It’s just a lot of fun.

Space is a risky business. Why do it?

I think most of us when we think about whatever it is we do, we don’t think of it in those terms. Space is risky, yes, but there’s a lot of other risky jobs out there. Whether it’s in the military, farming, jobs that involve heavy machinery or dangerous equipment… there’s all kinds of jobs that entail risk. Why do it? You do it because it appeals to you. You do it because it’s what gets you excited. It just feels right. We all have to go through a point in our lives where we figure out what we want to do and what we want to be. Sometimes we have to make decisions based on factors that maybe wouldn’t lead you down that choice if you had everything that you wanted, but in this particular case for me, it’s exactly where I want to be. From a risk standpoint, I don’t think of it in those terms.

Can you describe your crew mate Soichi Noguchi in one sentence?

There are many facets to Soichi Noguchi. I’m thinking about the movie Shrek. He has many layers! He’s very talented. He’s very well-thought. He’s very funny. He’s very caring. He’s very sensitive to other people’s needs and desires. He’s a dedicated family man. I could go on and on and on… so maybe like an onion – full of layers!

Star Trek or Star Wars?

I love them both. But can I say Firefly? There’s a TV series out there called Firefly. It lasted one season – kind of a space cowboy-type show. They did have a movie, Serenity, that was made as well. But anyway, I love both Star Wars and Star Trek. We’ve really enjoyed The Mandalorian. I mean who doesn’t love Baby Yoda right? It’s all fun.

How many times did you apply to be an astronaut? Did you learn anything on your last attempt? 

I tried four times over the course of 13 years. My first three attempts, I didn’t even have references checked or interviews or anything. Remember what we talked about earlier, about patience? For my fourth attempt, the fact is, it happened when it was supposed to happen. I didn’t realize it at the time. I would have loved to have been picked on my first attempt like anybody would think, but at the same time, because I didn’t get picked right away, my family had some amazing experiences throughout my Air Force career. That includes living in Canada, living overseas in Italy, and having an opportunity to work at the Pentagon. All of those helped shape me and grow my experience in ways that I think helped me be a better astronaut.

Can you share your favorite photo or video that you took in space?

One of my favorite pictures was a picture inside the station at night when all of the lights were out. You can see the glow of all of the little LEDs and computers and things that stay on even when you turn off the overhead lights. You see this glow on station. It’s really one of my favorite times because the picture doesn’t capture it all. I wish you could hear it as well. I like to think of the station in some sense as being alive. It’s at that time of night when everybody else is in their crew quarters in bed and the lights are out that you feel it. You feel the rhythm, you feel the heartbeat of the station, you see it in the glow of those lights – that heartbeat is what’s keeping you alive while you’re up there. That picture goes a small way of trying to capture that, but I think it’s a special time from up there.

What personal items did you decide to pack for launch and why? 

My wedding bands. I’m also taking up pilot wings for my son. He wants to be a pilot so if he succeeds with that, I’ll be able to give him his pilot wings. Last time, I took one of the Purple Hearts of a very close friend. He was a Marine in World War II who earned it after his service in the Pacific.

Thank you for your time, Mike, and good luck on your historic mission! Get to know a bit more about Mike and his Crew-1 crew mates Victor Glover, Soichi Noguchi, and Shannon Walker in the video above.

Watch LIVE launch coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 14 HERE. 

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com 

Why Women Cheat: 21 Psychological Triggers Behind Infidelity

Tonight House Republicans voted 217 to 215 for a budget that'll take $1 TRILLION dollars from Medicaid, attack food benefits for kids, hurt seniors and vets.

but I don't want to talk about that, I want to talk about these two Democratic members of Congress you've never ever heard of.

Democrats, Congressman Kevin Mullin of California and Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen of Colorado.

Congressman Mullin had knee surgery that didn't go well, two surgeries, a life threatening blood clot and a week long stay in the hospital, and the moment he was discharged from the hospital he got on a five hour flight to DC to vote against the Republicans evil budget, using a walker to get to the floor of the House

Congresswoman Pettersen gave birth to her son Sam, in the picture, exactly one month ago on January 25th. They flew from Colorado to DC after Republicans refused to allow her to vote by proxy after having a baby. Congresswoman Pettersen took Sam onto the floor of the House to vote to protect the Health care of 400,000 Colorado kids.

why talk about this? because so much of the conversion is about telling people there's no one good, no one worthy, no one fighting. I promise you there are people undergoing personal hardship to do the right thing.

Marriage and Health: Supporting a spouse's health challenges

In the journey of marriage, couples pledge to stand by each other in sickness and in health. The commitment to support a spouse during health challenges is a testament to the depth of their love and the strength of their bond. In this article, we explore the profound significance of supporting a spouse’s health challenges, emphasizing the role of empathy, patience, and unwavering dedication in…

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Nurturing love and well-being: The interplay between marriage and mental health

Marriage is a beautiful union that holds the promise of companionship, support, and shared experiences. While it can be a source of immense joy and fulfillment, the dynamics within a marriage can also significantly impact mental health. In this article, we’ll explore the intricate relationship between marriage and mental well-being, examining both the positive and challenging aspects and…

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""There is a saying,'What got you here won't get you there.'" "What does it mean?" I ask "That the same set of circumstances, beliefs, actions that got you to a moment won't get you to what comes next. If you want a different outcome, you have to behave differently. That you have to keep evolving."" - Rebecca Serle, One Italian Summer

Life under quarantine: two friends have lunch together [Marche, Italy].

It ends or it doesn’t. That’s what you say. That’s how you get through it. The tunnel, the night, the pain, the love. It ends or it doesn’t. If the sun never comes up, you find a way to live without it. If they don’t come back, you sleep in the middle of the bed, learn how to make enough coffee for yourself alone. Adapt. Adjust. It ends or it doesn’t. It ends or it doesn’t. We do not perish.

Caitlyn Siehl (via wordsnquotes)

“Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” — Steve Jobs (born February 24, 1955) http://stuf.ly/2lT6ovV

Surviving harassment doesn’t mean it didn’t affect you. Being strong doesn’t make it okay. You shouldn’t have had to be.

To all my darlings, and the ones I'll never know.

By @themararosa on twitter

Calm dear heart, calm.

You've weathered storms before.

You'll weather this one too.

Calm dear heart, calm.

You offer so much of yourself to people every day, and you still have more to give. While I’m not trying to encourage you into engaging in any behaviour that could possibly drain you, that requires a lot of effort, time and thought. I just wanted to tell you that you’re really brave to be putting up with everything by the end of the day regardless of what it has coming your way and still shooting back again, even if that means doing nothing ‘supposedly’ productive and laying in bed :)

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To just do it, even when the thoughts form a barricade. | lifepath

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To just do it,

even when the thoughts

form a barricade.

I will not survive. I will live.

Peonies on caskets. It's all yours. your wait your study. Engulf in your time and if it kills them you can as  well send them condolence messages and lovely peonies to be put on there caskets.

Once, I was a fisherboy— happy with everything that happened.

It’s all behind me now. Everything that happens intimidates me.

Someday, I’ll reach the great lakes, become a fisherboy again, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll learn to enjoy what time offers me.

Fisherboy

The problem was perhaps that I existed, and you existed. We could not overlook each other, yet all we ever offered one another was pain and bitter memories.

life is all that we got,ours not there's.

art by @kmcvisuals

But do we stop, halt and realize that we are indeed still breathing?

Because no matter the emotions

or

notions of what we intend to do or become,

the mere fact that we are breathing is a salient one.

there is beauty in building up something, love in watching it grow, Satisfaction when it stands and experience when by fate it fails.

THEY SAY THAT the weak have no right to say no but, who affirms that there yes is not a NO ?

Some are young rocks, arrows, spears, barrettes and jackhammers cant penetrate throw them. Opposite, lies the intricates the roses of this world the fragiles. For people like these it needs not much, a word, a gaze or silence and everything is shuttered.

Gumroad

Before Dawn

In "Before Dawn", Kibirige Amon masterfully weaves a poignant tapestry of prose poetry, delving into the darkest recesses of the human exper

He felt like a pigeon unknown to him the time the cage could open up.

It did petrify him though,

that if he didn’t realize that it was his life he was consuming,

all possibilities pointed to a destruction of himself in search for an escape.

Myself is crippling me,

myself is a critic that always it has to find a negative thing to say about me.

Myself is fear and the purpose of me has always been to overcome it.

art by @kmcvisuals

That way it’s easier, easier to accept that I don’t have it all.

To dine and align with my inner being

that keeps on reminding me of

all that am not and

of all that am meant to be but so far I have failed to become.

Me & You.

https://www.youtube.com/@lifepath25