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SPACED OUT
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So you've done Ibiza twice? Consider this: Claude Nicollier has flown to space four times. ANAND SANKAR meets the astronaut who's packing in plenty in his life
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— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.
Claude Nicollier: `We see the earth as one (from space), without political boundaries. We see it as something small and isolated in a dark universe.'
THE SECRET to becoming an astronaut: "Lots of hard work and luck," says Claude Nicollier, veteran European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut. Born in Switzerland and now 60, his achievements leave me gasping for breath. He has donned a range of roles, from being a fighter pilot to a commercial pilot to a test pilot, mountaineer, skier, distinguished physicist and astronaut all rolled into one. He is in the city as the Raman Research Institute's Golden Jubilee Distinguished Professor, and recently delivered a special lecture for space science students at the St. Joseph's College of Arts and Sciences where I caught up with him.
His crowning glory, however, was being part of the pioneering bunch of astronauts selected by ESA to fly with NASA. In 1976, Claude accepted a Fellowship at ESA's Space Science Department at Noordwijk, The Netherlands. In 1978, ESA included him in the first group of European astronauts to train at NASA. His training as a mission specialist began in 1980 and he has been at the NASA Astronauts Office in Houston ever since. He has flown in the space shuttle four times, clocking around 1,000 hours in space.
But for someone who has seen the world from outer space, Claude is pretty down to earth. "More than 430 people have gone to space now. I am embarrassed to be lucky enough to have gone four times," he laughs. "The most incredible feeling one can ever experience in life is the launch of the space shuttle. You will never forget it. You can't express it in words," he says. "Human adventures in space are just amazing. The Apollo missions were extraordinary because there were no (advanced) computers back then. When you are in space, you depend only on computers and electricity," he adds.
Hubble repair
— Photo: NASA
Claude servicing the Hubble in 1999. He became the first European to spacewalk during that mission.
Claude's first space flight was in the shuttle Atlantis in 1992 to launch a European satellite. But it was the next mission in 1993 on the shuttle Endeavour that captured the world's imagination. He and his team of three other astronauts created a record for the highest and longest ever space walk when they repaired the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit, 600 km above the earth.
His next mission was to perform pure science experiments aboard the Columbia in 1996. Then in 1999, during the second mission to fix Hubble, he became the first European to obtain EVA (spacewalk) experience on a shuttle flight.
"Every moment I have spent in space is special. But touching Hubble's doors for the first time is something that I will never be able to forget. It was like meeting an old friend," he sighs.
In his long career, there are two events that have affected Claude immensely. One is the loss of the shuttle Columbia and the crew, particularly Kalpana Chawla. "Flying the shuttle is always risky because your life depends on the heat-resistant tiles." He is also upset by the Bush Administration's decision to not extend the life of Hubble. "I was gutted by the decision. I never viewed it as glass and metal. Its beauty touched me even though it is 60 ft long. I operated on its brain and celebrated Christmas with it," he says with sadness visible in his eyes. He is especially sore at the way the Bush government allocates priorities. "NASA's annual budget is $15 billion. Just compare that with the money that is being spent in Iraq," he argues.
How does Claude see our home, the earth from outer space? "We see the earth as one, without political boundaries. We see it as something small and isolated in a dark universe. We can see man's damage. That's what struck me. Space and the information gathered in space are for everyone. That is why I am here to share my experiences with the next generation of astronauts. The Americans went to the moon but now it's the turn of the Japanese, Chinese and others. We must explore together."
According to Claude, the essentials for an astronaut are the dream, the study, and the desire to remain an active student. And his message for budding space enthusiasts: "Look above, there is a lot going on..."
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
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Hyderabad
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Visakhapatnam
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