Remembering Janice Voss

[PPI Brian]

Astronauts have been my personal heroes since I was a child. It is with great sadness that I share the following with our PPI family:

Cancer Claims Five-Time Shuttle Astronaut



Former astronaut Janice Voss, one of only six women to make five forays into space, died Monday in Scottsdale, Ariz., where she was being treated for breast cancer, Voss' alma mater Purdue University reported Tuesday.

She was 55.

Between 1993 and 2000 Voss flew on five space shuttle missions and twice served as payload commander. In all, Voss racked up 49 days in orbit.

"As the payload commander of two space shuttle missions, Janice was responsible for paving the way for experiments that we now perform on a daily basis on the International Space Station," chief astronaut Peggy Whitson, said in a statement.

Voss began working at NASA in 1973 while she was still an engineering student at Purdue. She returned in 1977 to work as an instructor, teaching entry guidance and navigation to space shuttle crews.

After completing her doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1987, she worked within the aerospace industry until she was selected as an astronaut in 1990.

From 2004 to 2007, Voss served as the science director for the Kepler spacecraft at NASA?s Ames Research Center in Mountain View. Voss most recently served as the payloads lead of the Astronaut Office's space station branch.

"Even more than Janice's professional contributions, we will miss her positive outlook on the world and her determination to make all things better," Whitson said.

[PPI Tracy]

Very sad indeed.  It is a huge loss.  Thank you for posting this, Brian. 

[PPI Tim]

I wonder if her type of work lead to her cancer?

[PPI Karl]

Tim, I had the same thought.  Exposure to radiation can have different long term effects on people.  One of the most bizarre ideas about what's wrong with me neurologically has to do with having been in the proximity of Chernobyl, back in 1987, when I was just flying in the air space.  (In fact, I packed a lot of powdered milk for my relatives in Poland that year because they were told not drink any of the milk; I don't know if that was just propaganda, though.)  The short- and mid-term effects of radioactivity are well studied, thanks to horrors of Hiroshima and Chernobyl.  However, longitudinal studies are less definitive, according to my neurologists.

I remember when sending a woman into space was nothing more than a sci-fi rehash of "Beauty and the Beast" featuring some sexy B-movie starlet in heels, a busty silver spacesuit, and full makeup.  How the wheel has turned in the last thirty years.  And, what a tremendous accomplishment to be remembered, not for your gender contribution to space and aeronautics, but for your professional and intellectual contributions to all sorts of science and medicine based upon five extremely brave trips into space to perform experiments benefiting humankind.  A courageous human being. 

[PPI Tracy]

Wow.  That is definately food for though.  I wonder how the health is of all of the women who have gone into space.  I wonder if any of them are dealing with cancer or any other type of serious health issue. 

[PPI Debra]

Wow.  That is definately food for though.  I wonder how the health is of all of the women who have gone into space.  I wonder if any of them are dealing with cancer or any other type of serious health issue. 

Lisa Nowak lost her mind in a very high profile case:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak

[PPI Karl]

Wow.  That is definately food for though.  I wonder how the health is of all of the women who have gone into space.  I wonder if any of them are dealing with cancer or any other type of serious health issue. 

Lisa Nowak lost her mind in a very high profile case:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak

Yes, I remember this!  NASA worked hard to distance itself from her once this story hit the news, claiming they conducted rigorous psychological screening, blah blah blah.  It makes me wonder now if her time in space, or her training for it, were contributing factors--a sort of PTSS.  Given the dangers and disasters that are possible, I know I would have spent the entire time in space in a constant state of fear. 

[PPI Tracy]

OMG...that's RIGHT!  I forgot about the fact that she went totally outer limits!   :o

(no pun intended)

[Adriano]

That just reinforces Brian's thoughts about astronauts being heroes. They know the risks about being in outer space (both short and long term), and yet they find in their heart the strength and wisdom to do it. There is no greater hero in my book.

[PPI Tracy]

Agreed, Adriano.  Agreed.