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The New Right Stuff

Thursday, May 28, 2015
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard piloted America’s first manned space flight, Mercury 7. In the decades since, the bold few who followed were chosen only because they possessed the right combination of smarts, grit, and individualism—the right stuff. But now with commercial aerospace companies eyeing manned missions with private citizens paying their way, the “right stuff” is being radically revised. Besides a healthy bank account, what does it take to be a space tourist? What happens to the human body after weeks or even months living in a Space Hilton? And how should we choose those who will take a one-way journey into history, the first members of our species to live and die on another planet?

This program was produced in collaboration with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Moderator

Bill WeirJournalist

Bill Weir is an award-winning broadcast journalist, anchor and special correspondent for CNN. With a focus on our connected planet, he created and hosted The Wonder List with Bill Weir.

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Participants

Jennifer FogartyPhysiologist

Jennifer Fogarty is the clinical translational scientist for Space and Clinical Operations Division in the Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA. She facilitates communication, project development, and program interactions between the operations and research communities.

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Michael López-AlegríaAstronaut

Michael López-Alegría has over three decades of aviation and space experience with the U.S. Navy and NASA in a variety of roles.

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Jack StusterAnthropologist

Jack Stuster is a certified professional ergonomist specializing in human performance in extreme environments. He has analyzed the work performed by technicians, military specialists, and astronauts. His research for NASA began in 1982 with a systems analysis of space shuttle refurbishing procedures, followed by studies of conditions that are analogous to space missions.

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