What I learned from going blind in space | Chris Hadfield | TED

What's the scariest thing you've ever done?

In this section, the speaker discusses the scariest and most dangerous thing they have ever done, which is flying in a space shuttle. They talk about the odds of a catastrophic event during shuttle launches and describe the experience of preparing for launch.

Flying in a Space Shuttle

• The speaker mentions that flying in a space shuttle is the most dangerous thing they have ever done.

• NASA calculates the odds of a catastrophic event during shuttle launches.

• The odds were approximately one in nine for the first five shuttle launches and improved to around one in 35 to 40 by their flight in 1995.

• The speaker describes waking up at Kennedy Space Center on launch day, knowing that by the end of the day, they would either be floating effortlessly in space or dead.

• They mention being in awe of being in the same suit-up room as their childhood heroes like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin who prepared for their Apollo moon mission.

• Riding to the launchpad in an Astro van, they see their spaceship lit up by xenon lights, ready to take them off the planet.

• The crew enters the spaceship one by one through a hatch and prepares for liftoff.

The Experience of Launching into Space

In this section, the speaker describes their experience leading up to and during launch into space. They discuss how complex and exciting it is to be inside a space shuttle cockpit.

Preparing for Launch

• As they approach launch time, excitement builds among the crew members.

• The complexity of operating a space shuttle adds pressure to ensure everything goes smoothly.

• Three and a half minutes before launch, the huge nozzles on the back of the vehicle swing back and forth, causing vibrations throughout.

• Thirty seconds before launch, the vehicle is fully alive and ready to leave the planet.

• Fifteen seconds before launch, the countdown begins, and the space shuttle ignites its boosters.

Launching into Space

• The speaker describes the intense power and shaking experienced during liftoff.

• They compare it to being in the jaws of an enormous dog with a foot pushing them into space.

• The acceleration is like being in a dragster with full throttle, getting lighter as they ascend.

• After approximately eight minutes and 40 seconds, they reach the right altitude, speed, and direction for weightlessness.

• The engine shuts off, and they are finally weightless and alive in space.

Dealing with Danger and Fear

In this section, the speaker reflects on why they took such a dangerous risk by becoming an astronaut. They discuss how having a goal in mind helped them overcome fear and focus on achieving their dreams.

Pursuing a Dream

• The speaker explains that their inspiration to become an astronaut came from watching people walk on the moon.

• Despite knowing the dangers involved, it was an obvious choice for them to pursue this path.

• They emphasize that focusing on their goal allowed them to deal with fear versus danger effectively.

Overcoming Fear

• To make space travel possible, attention to detail is crucial.

• Building a space station where experiments are conducted helps understand various aspects of the universe.

• Being able to see Earth from space is considered one of the most important aspects of their journey.

This summary covers only a portion of the transcript provided.

New Section

This section discusses the experience of going on a spacewalk and the unique perspective it offers.

The Magnificence of a Spacewalk

• Going outside on a spacewalk is described as the most magnificent part of being in space.

• During a spacewalk, astronauts are in a one-person spaceship, which is their spacesuit, and they are able to see the Earth and the universe from an entirely different perspective.

• The experience of being outside on a spacewalk allows astronauts to witness the Earth and themselves moving through the universe together.

New Section

This section delves into the mesmerizing sights experienced during a spacewalk.

Mesmerizing Views

• While on a spacewalk, astronauts can observe the world turning beside them.

• The Earth appears with vibrant colors and textures as it silently moves by.

• Looking under their arm, astronauts see unfathomable blackness with an inviting texture that feels tangible.

New Section

This section recounts an incident during a spacewalk where one eye went blind.

Unexpected Challenge

• While on his first spacewalk, the speaker's left eye suddenly went blind, causing great pain and confusion.

• Despite not knowing why his eye stopped working, he continued working with his other eye.

• Tears do not fall in microgravity, leading to tears mixing with other substances on the eye's surface until eventually crossing over to the other eye.

New Section

This section explores how tears behave differently in microgravity and highlights the speaker's initial response to losing vision during a spacewalk.

Coping Mechanism

• In microgravity, tears do not fall but accumulate into larger masses mixed with other substances on the eye's surface.

• The speaker initially thought having two eyes would compensate for the loss of vision in one eye and continued working.

• The accumulation of substances on the eye eventually crosses over to the other eye, resulting in complete blindness outside the spaceship.

New Section

This section discusses common fears, particularly spiders, and provides perspective on their actual threat.

Fear of Spiders

• Spiders, especially those like the brown recluse, are often feared due to their creepy appearance and venomous bites.

• However, out of approximately 50,000 spider species worldwide, only about two dozen are venomous.

• In Canada, where cold winters limit spider diversity, there are around 720 different types of spiders with only one venomous species that poses minimal danger.

New Section

This section emphasizes that most spiders pose no threat and encourages a change in behavior towards them.

Changing Perspective

• By conducting research and understanding spider diversity and behavior, it becomes clear that encounters with dangerous spiders are rare.

• Black widow spiders, for example, have distinct markings and tend to stay close to the ground rather than building webs at face level.

• Encountering harmless spiders can help overcome fear by realizing they pose no significant threat compared to common reactions.

New Section

This section further explores changing behavior towards spiders and relates it to overcoming challenges in other situations.

Overcoming Fear

• Walking through multiple spiderwebs without encountering dangerous spiders can gradually change fundamental human behavior and reduce fear reactions.

• Applying this concept to other scenarios allows individuals to approach challenges with a calmer mindset.

• Astronaut training involves practicing various scenarios going wrong during spacewalks to prepare for unexpected situations.

New Section

This section highlights the importance of thorough training and preparation for spacewalks.

Preparedness for Spacewalks

• Astronauts undergo extensive training, including underwater simulations and virtual reality labs, to simulate realistic spacewalk conditions.

• Training involves practicing both successful and challenging scenarios to ensure astronauts are well-prepared for any situation.

• The goal is to minimize panic reactions and instead focus on problem-solving and utilizing available resources.

New Section

This section emphasizes the importance of teamwork and preparedness in overcoming challenges during a spacewalk.

Teamwork and Problem-Solving

• During a spacewalk, if an astronaut becomes incapacitated or experiences vision loss, they rely on their partner for assistance.

• Incapacitated crew rescue techniques are practiced to ensure astronauts can assist each other in case of emergencies.

• Effective communication with mission control allows astronauts to negotiate solutions and continue working even in challenging situations.

New Section

This section concludes the speaker's experience with vision loss during a spacewalk.

Overcoming Challenges

• Continued crying helps dilute substances causing vision loss, allowing astronauts to regain some visibility.

• With negotiation and approval from mission control, astronauts can continue working after addressing temporary vision impairment.

• The speaker's spacewalk was successfully completed despite the initial challenge.

The Real Risk and Overcoming Fear

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of identifying the real risks in life and overcoming fear to experience new opportunities.

Identifying the Real Risk

• The speaker emphasizes the need to identify the true source of fear rather than having a generic fear of bad things happening.

• By understanding the real risk, one can change their reaction to things and open up possibilities that were previously denied.

• Examples are given, such as seeing the hardpan south of the Sahara or experiencing New York City in a dreamlike way.

Conquering Fear

• Conquering fear allows individuals to see beauty and experience things they otherwise would not have.

• The speaker shares an example of riding a meteorite back to Earth in a Soyuz spaceship. Instead of screaming in fear, they were able to enjoy the experience because they had prepared by learning Russian, orbital mechanics, and vehicle control theory.

• By reprogramming oneself and changing primal fears, it is possible to achieve incredible experiences and inspire others.

Riding a Meteorite Home

This section focuses on the experience of returning home from space in a Soyuz spaceship.

Returning Home in a Soyuz Spaceship

• The Soyuz spaceship detaches from the station and falls into the atmosphere. Only the small bullet-like part survives while other parts burn up.

• Riding a meteorite back to Earth can be scary but with proper preparation, it becomes an enjoyable experience.

• Learning Russian, orbital mechanics, and vehicle control theory allows astronauts to steer and land safely within a 15-kilometer circle anywhere on Earth.

• The parachute system provides additional safety measures during descent.

Landing in Kazakhstan

• After reentering Earth's atmosphere, astronauts land in Kazakhstan.

• Search and recovery helicopters are present to assist in the landing process.

• The spaceship tumbles end over end upon landing, but astronauts are prepared for this with custom-built seats and knowledge of how the shock absorber works.

Reflection on the Journey

In this section, the speaker reflects on their incredible journey and the transformation that occurred by overcoming fears.

Transformation through Overcoming Fears

• Overcoming daunting and terrifying fears allows individuals to turn impossible dreams into reality.

• By reprogramming oneself and changing primal fear reactions, it becomes possible to have unique experiences and inspire others.

Taking Self-Perception to a New Place

• The speaker emphasizes that humans exploring the universe are not just machines but individuals capable of adaptation and understanding.

• Through personal growth, individuals can take their self-perception to new heights.

Tribute to David Bowie

The speaker concludes by playing a tribute song to David Bowie, highlighting the ability of humans to adapt and explore the universe as people rather than machines.

Tribute Song - "Space Oddity"

• The speaker plays a tribute song that reflects both David Bowie's genius and the human ability to adapt and understand.

• The song symbolizes taking our own self-perception into new realms of exploration.