Flying High: U. alum takes to space on shuttle

In between the freeze-dried foodstuff and high-tech experiments aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour, Astronaut Michael Gernhardt has packed away a momento of his not-so-distant past. Yesterday morning, the University alumnus was scheduled to travel into space for the first time as Mission Specialist 3 for Endeavour's 11-day flight -- carrying with him the University's flag. In 1993, Gernhardt received his doctoral degree in bioengineering from the University's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Gernhardt, 39, will perform a six-hour spacewalk during the flight to practice assembly techniques for the planned international space station. He is also responsible for overseeing the systems which run the flight's two primary experiments, Ray Castillo, a NASA spokesperson, explained. But Gernhardt was almost sidelined from the mission in its final preparation stages due to a recent shoulder injury. He recovered quickly, though, and after three years of training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and a productive career in undersea bioengineering, Gernhardt has finally accomplished his life-long aspiration, according to Christian Lambertsen, professor emeritus of Environmental Medicine and Gernhardt's advisor. Lambertsen described Gernhardt as "very, very bright, an excellent mathematician and engineer" and "one of the best students I've ever had. "He was vice president of special projects for one of the largest off-shore diving operations in the world," Lambertsen explained. "While he was doing that, he helped form a liaison with that company -- Oceaneering International -- and NASA. He wanted to use mechanical manipulators in space the way they were used in the sea. "Space walking and diving were very similar in terms of the isolation and the utter self-dependence," he added. "From the sea, he went smoothly on to becoming an astronaut." At the University, Gernhardt studied decompression in deep sea diving, receiving his master's degree from SEAS and conducting research at the Institute for Environmental Medicine, part of the University's Medical Center. "You can imagine the long-term support we gave to this very, very superior individual," Lambertsen said. To show his gratitude, the astronaut also brought banners representing IFEM, SEAS and the University Medical Center into space, added Lambertsen, who attended the launch at Gernhardt's request. SEAS Dean Gregory Farrington said he has long believed that an education in engineering prepares students for careers all over the map. "This just proves that it also prepares you for a career in the cosmos," he said. "I'm just delighted. And hopefully, his outstanding education will help him come down in the right spot." SEAS is currently working on a four-year research project with NASA which seeks to understand cellular behavior in micro gravity. The program will provide information that may enable human space flight over long periods of time. After nearly a month of delays due to concerns about faulty equipment in the shuttle's rocket boosters, Endeavour and its five-member crew were finally pronounced ready for launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida less than two weeks ago. The two free-flying experiments set to deploy from Endeavour include the Wake Shield Facility, which will measure wake and vacuum in space, and Spartan 201, which will conduct research about winds blowing across the surface of the Sun. In accordance with NASA policy, Gernhhardt was sequestered prior to the launch and therefore was unavailable for comment.

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