NASA astronaut Jack Fischer is poised for his first trip to space – a journey of exploration and research on the International Space Station. He launches at 3:13 a.m. EDT Thursday, April 20, with his crewmate Fyodor Yurchikhin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, for a four-month mission. Read on to find out what call sign “2fish” has been up to and what he anticipates will be his biggest challenge while in space. What have you been up to the last few months as you get ready to launch? Most of it has been preparing for a series of nine exams on the Soyuz and Russian segment systems. All of my U.S., Japanese, and European exams were completed earlier. For me, because it is always a struggle to do everything in the Russian language, it means cramming for the exams and studying like I was a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy again. On April 5, we flew down to Baikonur for quarantine and the final “polishing” of our training before launch. We also start training with different methods of overcoming space motion sickness. The bad news is, that you can never tell who will get sick on orbit. I pretty much can’t get sick here on Earth – you can do things to me that would make a Billy goat puke, but after being a fighter pilot and test pilot, it just doesn’t bother me. Unfortunately, that’s no guarantee, so I’m doing everything I can to avoid problems on orbit. What kind of work will you be doing during your mission? There are almost 300 experiments planned for our mission, ranging from plant growth to bone growth, and everything in between. We will have numerous visiting cargo vehicles including Orbital Cygnus, SpaceX Dragon and Russian Progress vehicles. There will be a Russian spacewalk (with a brand new type of space suit) and even a spacewalk on the U.S. side that I might get to take part in. Needless to say, the space station is never a dull place. As launch date approaches, describe what you are feeling. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine that this is real. I expect that when I get off the bus in a spacesuit, look up, and there’s a big rocket in front of me – I’ll probably freak out a bit (don’t tell Fyodor). I can’t wait, and I’m so excited that my family and some friends are able to be here and share this experience with me.
What do you expect will be the greatest challenge during your time in space? I have to be honest. Using the toilet. It’s all about suction, it’s really difficult, and I’m a bit terrified. Unlike most things, you just can’t train for that on the ground – so I approach my space-toilet activities with respect, preparation, and a healthy dose of sheer terror. Flight engineer Peggy Whitson has had her stay extended to September. What is the expected duration of your stay, and what would be your reaction if your own stay was extended? I love Peggy, she is literally a space ninja. I have two girls, and I try to show them examples of awesome women – like Peggy. I am overjoyed to be on the station with her, and it has nothing to do with her being a woman. It has everything to do with my monumental respect for her as a no-holds-barred awesome astronaut. By the time I get up there, she will own the record for a U.S. astronaut time in space – doesn’t matter, man or woman – she owns it, and she deserves it. As for me being extended, I’m a military man – I’ll stay as long as I can help the mission, and will be ready for coming back a bit later. How are the dynamics between you and your crewmate, Fyodor Yurchikhin, coming from different countries and backgrounds? World – take note. The International Space Station is the greatest example of international cooperation in history. Period. We have worked together for decades, put aside any differences, and focused on what we share – the morals, values and passion for exploration that are at the core of our being. Fyodor Nickolaevich Yurchickhin is a great man that I am proud to serve with. We explore together, as one team, for all of humanity. Watch Jack launch to the space station on Facebook Live on the International Space Station Facebook page or on NASA TV atwww.nasa.gov/ntv. And follow Jack on Twitter, Facebook, andInstagram to see updates from space!
Last Updated: April 15, 2017 Editor: Mark Garcia
Tags: Expedition 51, International Space Station (ISS)
*CREDITS: NASA
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