[00:00:02.300] – John Knych
Hello everyone, today we are with Alyssa Carson to talk about her book Ready for Liftoff so Alyssa, we always start these talks with asking the author about the origin of this book because on pages 70-71..I like that in the book you had little space details, but also recommendations, and your personal stories. So did you write this book all in one go, in response to people asking you how to become an astronaut, or was it a piecemeal research collection process?
[00:00:37.460] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah, I mean, I would definitely say it was more of a long term process just because I mean I think the idea had been there for so long. You know, really, the book came from so many Instagram DMs and anytime I’d go and talk to students, they would ask me questions like: How do I do that? How do I become what you’re doing? You know I always had the mentality of you know you can do exactly everything that I did or nothing that I did it and end up in the exact same position because the space industry is so broad and there’s so much opportunity. And so it’s kind of hard to guide that discussion with every single person. This is what I did about what do you want to do? What are you interested in? And so I think for a while it was just you know maybe having like generals like quick not about you know responding to those Instagram them and it’s like how can I expand on that and then really a lot of this came from there was almost like I guess more of like a book that ended up going up on Amazon.
[00:01:44.030] – Alyssa Carson
And then this was just and much more like that so it’s just gonna have a long time coming of getting the ideas down to the next generation with with their own dreams.
[00:01:56.780] – John Knych
So now when someone has had to become an astronaut. You can just say: it’s in my book.
[00:02:01.790] – Alyssa Carson
That is there or at least obviously have the discussion, but obviously a more in-depth guide is in the book.
[00:02:09.740] – John Knych
So tj who just arrived you done this before it’s the roundtable discussion. So I will go to Alex if you’re there if you want to ask Melissa a question or if not you can pass. It is not there. So moved to Greg. Greg a question for Alyssa or would you have to pass? Can hear you? And that’s the past. OK. Passe PJ again. So don’t worry, I have questions. So I do your questions or I would like to pass.
[00:02:46.970] – TJ
Me, okay?
[00:02:47.720] – John Knych
Yes.
[00:02:49.520] – TJ
I nice to meet you. I was just wondering. What is the most common question you’ve been asked when you do things like this and how is that changed over how many years?
[00:03:00.320] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah, I mean, I think there’s no you just like you know. Obviously curiosities of lake worth it. The dream comes from and how I guess like a kind of progress to what it is which so much. I also don’t even have the answer to you so much of this is even so far past what I had anticipated a lot of it. But I think that. And then general like it’s about going, you know about trying to pursue a dream in the space and the science industry. I think it’s just such a intimidating field or only intimidating. You know from the perspective of young kids and signs are already intimidating in the classroom, and so they think of it as a career than that even more of an intimidating conversation. So I think that I tried to bring as much fun and curiosity, and that levels of the conversation to anything about space because all that is still there and Really important. To not let me be your the thing that kind of her away from space, so.
[00:04:10.130] – John Knych
You also was one of the readers who should initial interest in your book and to talk with you. So thanks for making it. So I know Virginie. Virginie doesn’t have a question Send me a message.
[00:04:21.620] – Virginie Actis
Excuse me. I’m at my work at the university and I know where I have to teach, but I’m very happy to to listen to his work and to thank you so much.
[00:04:34.130] – John Knych
Love actually is related to what you just said Alyssa about maths and science being intimidating for how many people who who want to become an astronaut for all that is one of my favourite part of your book was that you had a very measured and reasonable perspective on the element of luck in being chosen as an astronaut And you even were very honest and saying you struggled with physics and so you put into astrobiology. So my question is what do you? What you see yourself working as as you wait for each application round of being in astronaut. What what kind of profession? Do you Do you dream of doing next to being astronaut?
[00:05:13.910] – Alyssa Carson
Right? So I mean, I think that for me, I got interested in astrobiology originally, because it was a little bit more broad of field. I felt that already was a little challenging and after just felt like I was even more deep into only physics and so I was very very fascinated with the idea of maybe staying within the field that was a lot more conducive to just kind of jumping between the different seasons where they applied the most, and so that’s really where I fell into astrobiology and I really really loved it. I think from a kind of my early years of working and life science research getting involved in I think research became a huge interest of mine, and I mean I guess that speaks through which is why I’m kind of doing a PhD these days. So I guess the research is just full-fledged taking over, but you know I think that it is researcher is such a cool area where you can kind of jump around a little bit. You know, whenever I was doing my undergraduate research. I was like this is cool.
[00:06:19.400] – Alyssa Carson
It’s astrobiology related, but then when I was looking at a PhD program. I was like well, I’m kind of interested in something a little bit different and so I still had you know the other. It’s all within astrobiology research. I had the opportunity to find it from things that were much more focused on the plan to the origins of life, and so even know it’s all within the realm of astrobiology. It’s still was kind of give me that ability to kind of change my mind if my life research interest kind of change, so that I thought was just such a lovely place to be and I thank you, especially as you like your interest kind of change and I think that that is something important, especially with the space industry. It’s so ever evolving. So you must have to have the ability to evolve with it and kind of your interest, as you know it is so yeah. I mean, I think outside of applied and becoming a astronaut. I’m just very happy to be working with in the field of astrobiology, obviously from the academia and the research side.
[00:07:22.600] – Alyssa Carson
Now you know, PhD potentially working for industry will come and see you know. She is very scary place to look at right now, but here there is just saying within the research field or working in the industry, but for the most part staying in research.
[00:07:40.870] – John Knych
Great. Thank you. Yes! Post PhD. Hopefully get it just continue researching right I hope. The I’m a trop hate you a very big question and you can take it over you want so in this reading group. We are the safety and the lots of speculative fiction and something that I have been taking a lot about recently and I think author readers to when if we go to more how well we search for life and in the beginning of your book. I thought you have a very good job of responding to criticism for why we should not go to more and one of your response, which I agree with is that probe and robot, just don’t they can’t look for life in the same way that that human could so could you share for us and especially for people who don’t know about astrobiology If you were to go to share with your current skills and knowledge sept. How would you begin to look for life and more? You know how much it would be geology? How much would it be using the tech?
[00:08:43.740] – John Knych
What’s what’s it like looking for life on Mars for you.
[00:08:48.210] – Alyssa Carson
So I mean and again for a lot of the more robotics, which is more has been in the area of interest for a very very long time. And you know there was the making machine that went to more that had like a small look for life on it. And it’s not very well respected. And you know it really kind of LED to the shift of the mindset of life. OK? Why are we looking for life? First? Let’s understand the planet. Let’s learn about this geology first which I think was a very good shift and why we’ve had so many missions go to Mars and now we have a much. We have climate model. We have so much information. More is now the next most added to earth. So we have so much more information there and I think that the more you have learned about it. I think a lot of the potential for life is also in the past right. We think is used to be a lot more suitable for life. Obviously, today doesn’t really look nearly as Welcoming for any type of life, but I think right now that would be that if there were to be a possibility of life or maybe.
[00:09:59.250] – Alyssa Carson
It’s not on the surface where is exposed to radiation exposed to these things and so this is such a tricky place to get to you and not really a place that we have really explored too much. You know you like the perseverance, Rover has been drilling, but I mean, it is where we are really gonna have to start looking more for any potential for life. And so that’s where it’s really challenging. Whether that you know is able to do more of that or if that’s just maybe we have to wait to go there to do more of like study in the field of astrobiology is also such a push and pull, because there is you know you know how do we search for life on Mars? But then also bring people there as well because the planetary Protection aspects of it right. You know we don’t want to think we found life and more than someone just touch the rock, you know and we bring our own organismes and our own bacteria. There is so it’s definitely challenging. You know. I think that there are some regions of Mars that maybe we have a little bit more potential for life and maybe others.
[00:11:07.390] – Alyssa Carson
So I think those who have been a little bit more. You know I guess Sacred and always have not been there because even the rover and think that we stand and we still think are the planet at least a small small degree of something. You know it’s hard to get it perfectly sterile, you know Rover and all the way it is so I think that those areas of concern are also there. So it’s just gonna be a little bit of yeah. I think the challenge is where you gonna have to go and this for actual study of potential life on Mars.
[00:11:44.110] – John Knych
Thank you. Alyssa. I’m Keep away if anyone has the questions you can just raise your hand or send send a message in the share. This is at the end of your book. You talk about you know like when will the first women walk on the moon. Would you rather be the first woman to walk on the moon or part of the first crew to Mars, and why is interesting.
[00:12:03.640] – Alyssa Carson
I mean, I think from my perspective at this point. I’m just thrilled to be a part of the space industry and any way shape form. I don’t think I’ve really had you know much of a desire to I have to be the first to do you know I think maybe some of the things that I did when I was just kind of you know that many people had the viewpoints of becoming as I think I did because since I had it. And you know if you ask so many of them where you know they were already where they were already seen in their fields. They may be so that they are like that sounds kind of cool. Let me do that they had and When they were, but they didn’t have that you know I’m choosing now at the super young age and I’m just gonna work solely towards that. That was I think a little bit more of a new idea or concept about going about wanting to become an astronaut. And I mean for me a lot of my interest surrounding Mars really just came from when I was a kid.
[00:13:04.140] – Alyssa Carson
You know hearing about the mission to the moon. I was like well, you know the moon is taken. What’s next? You know I felt in my my brain. I thought that was the right. I thought I wanted to grow up and become astronaut. When they are not my only option was to go to Mars. I thought that would be really the next place to go and that that thing would be like to be able to go there. So that’s really where are lots of that came from I mean, I think a lot of research background and areas of my current research is about my hair and potential life on Mars. So I think you know a lot of you know what I do is very connected to and away, but you know I would never turn down the mission to the moon either. So I guess I’m gonna leave it at that.
[00:13:49.920] – John Knych
Thank you. Back to who has the question.
[00:13:56.190] – TJ
Of this. Is very expensive. And I was just wandering why or what’s the most defensive reason in your opinion? Why is over the funding in two things that are time sensitive want it right now.
[00:14:16.740] – Alyssa Carson
You know it’s a great question and I think that you know it’s a question that comes up in the space industry. No matter what you’re talking about whether it’s money for our mission to Mars money for your telescope. Money for you know. It doesn’t matter. What is the mission is right? There is always going to be the conversation of the money that you know maybe a different area here on earth and I think that you know The space industry does do so much and it’s so easy to view this as you know where the money is up there and then were never seen it again, but really NASA does have one of the largest returns of investment from the money that it does spend. And I think that it’s all spend wisely or as wisely as I think it can be. You know there are chosen for you know. Scientifique importance or. Whether it’s you know another mission to Mars another mission to something something to something something to the author and so all you will have all these scientists and researchers that one kind of a little bit of that, but you know I think that the amount of technology and science gained kind of is as important as a lot of this other stuff because you know really we have so much technology because of NASA and the space industry and all that technology comes back here, right?
[00:15:40.380] – Alyssa Carson
It’s not just going on those and never seen again and I think that that is really one of the best benefits about the space industry is that it the most forces us to think outside the box to an issue. It may be an issue that we have for living in space as we have here on earth, but working on it from the space perspectives. Just kind of us to think outside the box and so I think of like a mission to Mars if we’re working on trying to send human tumors and put in the money and in humans. There are so many technology that have to be invented in order to make that happen, you know whether it’s learning how to grow food and more learning how to build it from radiation. You know all those same ideas that we’re using to protect human and and keep them. I’m here. I think a lot of that can be translated by the problem. So you know if we’re figuring out how to grow food and our hopefully that the same thing we should be able to grow food and someone is here on earth and more with agriculture, and so I think that it is kind of play to both sides.
[00:16:36.450] – Alyssa Carson
I don’t think choosing space means I think that it is for the purpose of all that here and kind of expanding our knowledge. I think I know the harder things are the the question of just our general curiosity right so much of maybe deep space, I would say you know it’s so much of just you know we want to know more about light from the big bang and so much of the knowledge. We’re going from like the James Webb space telescope, right a lot of that it’s just like night. Curiosity. Have you know? Are we alone? Where do it All comes from? Where is it all going? And I think it’s kind of some of those. But maybe those who could are you are a little bit more subjective. Obviously that technology of the telescope is still there, but but yeah.
[00:17:23.160] – John Knych
Thank you, Thank you Alyssa. The tiger in the beginning of the book. Also raw ideas about water filter, GPS and insulin pump. We’re all NASA’s inventions which I didn’t know before reading that those came from NASA.
[00:17:39.210] – TJ
Come up in the book.
[00:17:40.710] – John Knych
Non non non non! Non non non non! Because the argument some people say we are what is not giving us right? You know that and this is the cause justified so Alix has a question, but also real quick before we go to another. TJ appreciate this. We had to talk two days ago and it was brought up that human and more on chocolate than all space space travel probes combined and that like the transport bretelle.
[00:18:18.270] – Alyssa Carson
Is actually not that when you when you when you look at it in terms of the government. It’s pretty insane actually how much we are were able to do with the with the body that there is.
[00:18:28.680] – John Knych
What it is interesting. What is watching you would like before you go to the I think and in our minds. We will see that the climate change like next to space travel like those two things are our both intellectual and it’s like why don’t we put the energy into note roasting our planet right. That’s why it’s interesting topic. But I’m babbling. Alex question for you are questions for Alyssa.
[00:19:00.370] – Alex
Thank you for me the link. Alyssa. Thank you for being here. I haven’t read the book yet. It was the last minute thing. I’m gonna make sure you get the book, but I have done my research and I follow you for some time. I think we have some mutual friends with the house as well and maybe a couple of their places out. There has a person myself pursuing astronaut Tennessee with the us military. I know that this whole trip here Tomorrow is our moon. We’re gonna be working at the team one of the things that I look for in special operations are People not things most of the time for the trip to more. What type of personality? Are you looking for in your teammate that you would like to take one thing. You will want to give your teammate is for his personality and director of yourself that you can bring to the team. And what things are you looking for is well?
[00:19:58.090] – Alyssa Carson
Interesting and I mean I think for right now the concept of the right cause we’re not there yet. And and in setting up that mission entirely. But I think that you know it’s going to be are going to need to be a diverse team right. You’re going to need a few people with military background background and you’re gonna need you people like we would have much more science background for the amount of time that you’re one more likely someone maybe with the medical background for you know it’s so far away from earth and such a long terme. Longer than a lot of the other ones that we have so really just such as I think diverse groups. There are some of the most important factors is one really being able to work as a team and obviously by the team environment and I think it’s so important to be able to step up and you have your role and what you’re in charge of. And also the ability to kind of let go from things that other people are in charge of. I think it’s really important at that point, you know you have experts in so many different fields and so being able to rely on your teammates for those things I think it’s really important skillset, you know being able to be like you know so and so that’s their job, they are in charge of it and I’m putting my life in their hands for.
[00:21:19.360] – Alyssa Carson
For whatever that they are in charge of. So I think it’s just really trying to be the best version of yourself to contribute to the team. And I think that that’s what I would hope everyone on the team would be doing is that they’re really trying to show up by the best of themselves to put in there are part of the work and then we can kind of light, come together and be something that super successful and I think that you know it’s so many things and in the space industry. I mean somebody that we’ve seen previously, you know you, they were heavily on each other and so you know somebody that are always saying. You know it’s just exactly like a little family that you start building, you know the extreme environment and how much you have to have in each other. So yeah. I think just trustworthy hard-working people. This is the core of it.
[00:22:09.040] – John Knych
Thank you. Thank you.
[00:22:10.240] – Alex
Thank you. Thank you John.
[00:22:13.090] – John Knych
The. This question is relevant for how you since he pursuing being in astronaut. You would also that in as you put your dream you and many closed doors for you. So you feel everyone in it wasn’t read the book. So also want to be in astronaut since he was six years old and is going to take over a thousand hours of flight to have you have done a lot of work to prepare yourself which has been the most frustrating closed door that you’ve encountered in your path to being astronaut where you had been the most difficult to bounce back.
[00:22:49.960] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah, you know I think that one thing that I think is challenging. I think a lot of people you know I’ve had it all figured out since I was seven, but you know I think along the way it’s been very challenging to really kind of figure out exactly what I’m doing and how to get there. You know. I think that’s so much of my journey. Seems you know very like in a way, but really it’s just been having the kind of bounce and kind of go with the flow as things have come up. You know I think that might have been evolving. I really didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do For a long time and I think that was also very challenging and a little scary going into knowledge to begin with. I felt like I was really choosing astrobiology. I knew that that was an area of interest, but you know I still really don’t know what it looks like and you know spending so much time in academia. You are most of what you know a professional endeavour will eventually be like and so sometimes I think that that’s really hard to achieve your mindset back and forth between you know what it’s all leading up to you and what it really looks like so I think that it’s been one of the most challenging things you know, I think that there is such a balance to it all of you know, Obviously working for your dreams and you’re also having that normal life and those being a bit of the balance.
[00:24:18.760] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah. I think you know when I was. I think I had. You know what I wanted originally is like where I wanted to go to college and things like that. And so many of those shifted And you know whether that was like a fool flame in the door or it like the door slamming closed or just you know. But it was just kind of it now, let me know what I was going to do even recently I guess with starting a PhD program. You know I didn’t have the idea of person with her PhD at this time. And I don’t even know how I think that so much of this just comes from not really having a good understanding of you know what your options are, but I had no idea that I could go straight from my underground and start of PhD programs and so I started applying master’s programs. And then you know I was starting to hear back from like you know. We’re not gonna take you just are here and it’s not worth our time. And so you know it was just kind of a child of light Weight Do what am I doing case?
[00:25:21.340] – Alyssa Carson
My my plan that I had is all kind of falling apart. You know it’s not exactly what I was thinking was just the straight and easy and so yeah. I think there’s just really, you know. I think this is really are just maybe what I had in my head is kind of shifting and just been able to write and figure out. Okay? Let’s take a step back what I want to do what makes the most sense and then kind of go from there. So I think that it’s been just part of life. Honestly. I don’t think it’s really just for you. No one thing to be coming out of my dreams. Specifically. I think that just kind of part of life and being able to kind of move it with some of those changes.
[00:26:03.460] – John Knych
Thank you. Yes! And for those who have it read the book another thing I like in the book was that you and I never seen this before you learn how exactly what the requirements are by NASA for even applying and when I know that you need the master of PhD in the STEM related field, I need a thousand hours of flight time. I think and you need to pass the physical tests, so that was that was interesting. Here’s a much lighter. Question. So in the book you write that nothing is as comfortable as a good meal and that astronauts are allowed to have one comfort meal that like they bring to space with them. What is your comfort meal that you would bring if you were going to more and. And you?
[00:26:46.720] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah yeah it’s okay. Well, it’s hard time that you get to what they want right. So they get the pitch. Maybe I feel good idea that they really like and then it’s up to the smart people to bring this with the space right. There is there are few things that are just kind of how you are able to figure out.
[00:27:09.340] – John Knych
The right bread is a no-no because of the crown and the.
[00:27:11.980] – Alyssa Carson
Right exactly what it’s like I really big one, so they used tortilla. So I mean there’s there’s compromised there, but you so there’s a lot of time where I will kind of fish and idea I know Samantha Cristoforetti en italien astronaut. She went to the International Space Station and she was like I need espresso. She is she was very having her and so they started figuring out how to make an espresso machine work and microgravity and so it’s kind of like these little fun. I guess projects that they work for some of those things, but yeah, I mean I think comfort food wise, I mean, I obviously would love to have some of my Louisiana root up. There is possible. You know whether that’s a gumbo or something like that would be awesome to have in space. I think I like in general, so I wouldn’t really mind anything like that, but I think any of like Louisiana food, whatever would be the easy. I would be open, I would be open. So you know if I can’t go to how can we do like a jambalaya?
[00:28:15.940] – Alyssa Carson
Can we do like something that that kind of was, I think that is very very home and not living in Louisiana for so many years now I mean, I still every single time. I’m like I gotta go get my my few things that I’m I’m so used to having so I think I would be no different in space.
[00:28:36.370] – John Knych
So I won’t be standing on the gantry about to enter the rocketship, you’ll be there and they go now. I’m done. I’m I’m leaving.
[00:28:44.680] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah yeah yeah yeah. I’m gonna make sure it.
[00:28:50.590] – John Knych
So back to top of a more of heavy. And I have questions about like so you’re getting your PhD. So is tj tj in the difficult process of of earning, Ph. D. And you wrote that be coming in astronauts and I’m getting the master of PhD in the field is its resource intensive. It’s it’s time intensive and you wrote that resources by means of foundation’s scholarship and grants are available to recommendations for those who want to research at the Martian relevant project because full disclosure, I’m I’m starting to research how to create a new reactors that could be used on Mars because we have crusty Nessa made crusty in two thousand eighteen, but it only made a kW of power. We need a lot more energy to do anything and more. So I think that’s a field that needs to be explored to do that have there be something on Mars to know of any of our scholarships that people can apply to if there interested in being an astronaut or doing the world in project.
[00:29:57.860] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah, You know I think I think that it’s so specific to what you’re working on. I think that you know for me and my field I have worked with NASA astrobiology division looking for any opportunity. There will be applied to grant a few times. The NASA It is really really cool opportunity to you. It’s a very long pitch of your your whole ideas and then they select several of those projects every year. So I know that that’s really good resources. Yeah. I think it’s really just keeping an open if you are familiar with the roses roses essentially where they put it kind of all of their potential and they kind of divide it out depending on so you know for most of my stuff. It’s a lot of Planetary. Protection habitable world kind of looking more specifically and like those. So yeah. You know money is coming go. I think I’ll go with with funding and it’s like resources, especially from our research side. Cause it just gonna do you know what they think is kind of the most important thing to be had, but it’s really For those things and I think generally like whenever you know you’re like an interested in space.
[00:31:26.330] – Alyssa Carson
I mean for me growing up. I was always kind of looking for any sort of scholarship where things you know when I first and learning to fly. You know here in about the night in which was like the women’s organization, and it seems you know the scholarships that they offered and so I think it’s you know. There’s so many I guess like new scholarships. So I think you know whatever your topic is especially for young as well, you know and in high school and things like that there’s a lot of those like words that you can really kind of start looking for and getting funding for so yeah. I mean that would just be my advice is just trying to get specific to your topic because then you more align with what they are looking for right, if you know. You know specifically for you know from the NASA astrobiology, then I would have a better than just applying to a more like Usually just try to keep it as possible and then especially with the research, you know crafting this when there’s not being able to get crafting.
[00:32:30.260] – Alyssa Carson
Maybe when there isn’t as much.
[00:32:33.470] – John Knych
Thank you. In the beginning of this conversation Alyssa, you mentioned how with your field of research Astrobiology you’re preparing for being able to identify what is life and more but another field that I’m curiosity, you know if you are researching microbes meaning I read a book called becoming more. I recommend it to all of you to be scared. Salomon just came out and take a month ago and I really looked at the challenges of going to Mars and living there and one of them where there’s a lot of mystery these microbes like the microbes in the ass. It’s like the equivalent of someone who is in that there is all you know you have a lot of people living in the small spaces. You have microbes, But you knew it was very interesting. One hundred thirty three that some other bacteria is over three times more high-school and space and astronaut that have had virus and they go into space. There there reactivated. So what do you think we should do for research? Going forward to understand microbe, and what is just your general knowledge and where we are now in.
[00:33:37.850] – John Knych
In microbe.
[00:33:40.640] – Alyssa Carson
All my research is entirely own microorganisms and environment. So yeah. It’s now more specifically. I guess I guess first from just the general microorganisms and their ability is so obviously, I think if we’re looking at any life on Mars microorganisms are much more likely actually looking at potential life in our solar system because we have other areas of interest as well beside, you know we are also very curious about titan, which is the moon of Saturn were very curious about Europa and some of those moon of Jupiter and that’s all just in relation to the potential of microorganisms growing and in those environment, and that’s just because they really can adapt very easy and so what I’m kind of something specifically in relation to its in connection to methane production because essentially some of the rover that we’ve had on mare have detected trace amounts of nothing, but in terms of our satellites. There is no methane in greater atmosphere, which makes sense causes from our knowledge. We think that if there was. So it’s very hot to find something, especially in the surface.
[00:34:57.590] – Alyssa Carson
So I really big ideas that something there must be some sources generating that since it should not be there any longer in terms of this kind of timeline, and so we’re thinking, there’s something generating it subsurface and then it’s been excreted. Maybe as the rover drove over it kind of shift and is. Coming out and so obviously, there is multiple possibilities. There is there are geological process that can generate methane and then I’m just taking it from the perspective of the potential of and there were to have been microorganisms there generating is that even possible and so I worked with which are really common on earth. There are one of our products here and there is purely anaerobic. So they don’t grow and oxygen subsurface here on earth or in the ocean is well and so we put those in the environment to see you know can the pressure can they how do they react with materials and minerals so that kind of where my area of research comes in, but the idea of also the human perspective of it. You know. It’s a really big topic, right now, you know I go to the astrobiology conference and there every other year in two years ago.
[00:36:18.780] – Alyssa Carson
There was a really fascinating experiment that I’ve been doing up on the International Space Station and to really have a good idea of how resilience? Maybe some of these are and they actually had. And when he went on the space walk to like the outside of his glove, which is exposed to the vacuum of space and start getting like that information is still coming out. You know things are still kind of being grown and up and so I think it’s definitely just keep in mind and I think that the International Space Station has been such a great tool to be able to test things in micro microgravity environments that kind of getting a little bit more knowledge on them. And I think maybe you not going back to the moon and more of those conversations are coming up even more with the idea of a kind of Planetary protection in the field has kind Grown and years, so I think. Yeah. I think there’s a lot more research to be done there and we’ll see where it goes fascinating.
[00:37:20.840] – John Knych
Yes, I knew that the microbe adapt, but they also evolve in in this book I read I mean they have found microbe on the ice that are like I’ve never encountered them before. So they will see if our body can can handle them. But I mean human body is very adaptable to so that’s kind of the beginning possum training possum training. Can you talk about that? And the most difficult part of that it is I think in the book that it was, it was here.
[00:37:55.700] – Alyssa Carson
So now today, I think I wish I now there are there will be more official they got accredited and stuff through the university that I’ve been working under but when I first found out about them. They were called possum. And there are many areas of focus and the beginning was a lot of rounds like and clouds, which was like a type of clouds that really only form and like very northern like the northern hemisphere. And so there’s a lot of research that they were doing there and I actually found out about them. It was so strange. I went to a campe over the summer. And you know the counselor at the time. She was just the college students and riddles and I started riddles and I was just about my interest in space. And my you know you know more interesting and kind of the inside and she was like well, you know, there’s this program at my university. I have no idea what they do or anything about them, but maybe reach out to them. And so I got in contact with them and learn more about what they were doing.
[00:39:02.340] – Alyssa Carson
And you just turn it is such an amazing opportunity, amazing people. They are really taking the idea of citizen science and expanding it so much obviously. Now they have so many awesome classes and programs where they are they teach, but also be able to be involved in some of the citizen science research. So what have been able to do microgravity flights and I’ve been able to do work with the final frontier space design. You know we’ve done underwater simulation. We’ve done so many different things. And I think you know working with them and have been involved in some of these things. I think again really just showed me. How cool some of this stuff can be and it was all for you know the scientific purpose right there were all for like research purposes and so I think that that was kind of some of those things that really have like this is cool that we can just kind of go do this really fun thing and then like actually be learning something about it or even like with the final frontier. You know it’s cool that we can kind of Turn on and where the space out and then actually provide variable data back to the space of company.
[00:40:13.400] – Alyssa Carson
So I think they were only one of the ones that really I think inspired a lot of this research knowledge, but there’s just in some organisations.
[00:40:22.970] – John Knych
Thank you back to TJ who seize years in.
[00:40:29.390] – TJ
Jumping back to previous questions are there any particular concern ou traite concerning antibiotic resistance or maybe exciting research where you have you want your passionate about how things are always be back to us with the space industry? What is going on with any research in that area and maybe what it could do for help helping fight problems here as well.
[00:41:02.180] – Alyssa Carson
You know I think that it’s been a really fascinating Affecting the human body and how the effects of the body that they did was the twins study with the with the Scott Kelly, the twins, they were two brothers and they’re both astronaut and then one lived on the International Space Station for each year and the other one day on earth for years and there’s a lot of research from coming from that you know random things like you know how the space affecting our eyes and how the space affecting this and that. And so I think that that that’s really when I think a big part and almost any astronaut honestly that’s from space. I mean there’s such intensive, you know prix medical and then post medical things from you know just the effects of going into space and coming back and so yeah. I think you know a little bit of knowledge of it. You know I guess I just know more of like the headlines there. But you know I do think that it is definitely in the field and again if you know talking.
[00:42:11.040] – Alyssa Carson
To the moon is coming to play, even more right because the time you’re in space. The more, the more of what ever is happening, right? You know you’re you’re getting You’re getting from just to microgravity for the lungs and even something like a man has gravity which is great, but it is not as much gravity here and if you’re still gonna have those things to your body and so I think of those who are kind of those that we need to have some sort of human tumor. And yeah, I mean, I guess that’s really why it’s like working out. It’s like when there is part of their day on the International Space Station. It’s just try to keep the body as like that is possible. And then I guess in terms of you know from the Microbiologie. I think that you think about it has always been a little bit of a concern as well, you know I’m going back to when we first, I went to the moon. We’re like and after they came back from the moon and put it in life trailer.
[00:43:18.720] – Alyssa Carson
They had like the moon. So I think that it’s always been a topic. That’s been relieving. Even if you know it’s not what you know. It’s always been kind of at the front of this mission.
[00:43:34.140] – John Knych
You DJ think you are back to house.
[00:43:41.100] – Alex
Yes, Alyssa, must be the one that you’re my head are all personality questions or more sometimes oriented type questions versus the technical I’ve been doing this for a very long time since six years old. Mais didn’t know what then it probably are used to it now. Over the years doing this for so long. It’s like driving a car you know you have you don’t have to think about it. You just do it. But with the types of training that you do all of the different skills takes it. You have to stack and maintain for when it does come time for you. I can see your selection board and so on and so forth worth keeps you going every single day with something that makes you excited every single morning to wake up and do this type of work it gets. Alyssa Carson. Excited is at the drink a cup of coffee. Do it with the special sauce. What’s the special sauce that you use or it is there is a special sauce with this something that intuitively Orly with you or something.
[00:44:47.640] – Alex
I have developed. What is it?
[00:44:49.290] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah, you know, I think there’s multiples directions. There I mean when I think one thing that is being motivating me out the years. I mean, I think I’ve just kind of always had this and that like For space anything space instantly much more how much more interested in the conversation and learning about it. You know I would have topics in school and I was like you know. This is it cool, I guess, but then you know learning about it from the space space perspectives and space that was like what this is so much more interesting. So I feel like I’ve always been a little bit more space topics which I think he’s kind of laid really helps. You know a lot of my there is far as like I guess just like motivation, especially in like learning new skills and things like that I think you know growing up. I was always trying different things right. Cause I didn’t know what I wanted to do you know that I want to be. What did I want to do that I want to study robotics?
[00:45:46.470] – Alyssa Carson
I want to be an engineer. I had no idea right. There was so so many possibilities and so I feel like I can do it myself or you know I was interested in trying some a little bit of these different fields. And you know I started doing that I think what I started to appreciate even more than this is how much I was learning about myself and I think you know when I started to learn to fly. I think that was a great example of you know, you know I went to my first flight listening and I had it and I said well this just for me. I’m not going to do it and then my dad me to go and one more time to really make sure. He’s like if you don’t like it again, then like you don’t need to do it. You know if you don’t have to become it. No one is like making you do that. And so I went again and then I came back and I was like this was the coolest thing ever. And so I think a lot of the time.
[00:46:36.300] – Alyssa Carson
I’ve been put in these situations where I have almost pushed myself. And then now I’m so grateful for the opportunity, you know and whether you know I’m not necessarily being professionally these days. But you know I feel like I learned so many skills and so much about myself through the process that I think I appreciate so much and I think that that’s just kind of made me. Well, let’s try something else. You know how can I kind of push myself? And what? What can I learn about myself and these new skills? So you think you know some of those initial opportunity may have been difficult to jump into. But I think it might take away. I’m like well that was really amazing. I should try something else like that just cause I feel like it’s just growing as a person.
[00:47:18.750] – Alex
And I had something that that was really awesome response. There are just something to add to that question was the negativity going around the world. I try not to pay attention to those things I do is trying to focus on the mission and be good to the people that around me. What it looks like we have here in your background. I’m pretty sure you try to do this. Not only you doing all the training all the time. So that keep you focus with the people that you surround yourself. Those are great people as well. Do you have to have a filter the psychology of priming that you don’t like people go to a Starbuck the study right here they go to the library and study the used the psychology of prime is you How how is your environment to you to stay focused on everything you’re doing.
[00:47:59.170] – Alyssa Carson
It for sure. I mean, I think that I’m only have a lot of those personality like if you know my house is probably at that time like where you know you kind of like melt into your environment and away and so I think that that all that is it just is important that you know I think for me. And you think it’s always been important that kind of surround yourself with people that support you, and I think that’s been super big. I always try to encourage students to have some some person supporting you, you know whether it’s a pair of friends. However, it is going up. My dad was so supportive of all of my space, you know endeavour, and I was so lucky to have that because you know if he was constantly bin like now, we’re not gonna go to this thing than you know that would have been very kind of keep, you know without being dragged down and so yeah. I think to myself what people that kind of support of my interest in my fascination, and you know it’s been also interesting just getting into the community of it.
[00:49:05.490] – Alyssa Carson
All is well. You know I think that the space industry is such a community. The astrobiology field is such a community going from Louisiana, where space was like not a very common area of interest, and then when I went to underground moving to Florida, and you know living on the space coast and seeing rocket launch every other weekend and you know what kind of surrounding your environment that is uplifting to your goals. I think I’ll make it really big difference. So I think you know whether it’s been intentional or not, it’s been definitely a part of that and and in my dreams from from that from the background.
[00:49:45.090] – John Knych
Thank you. Thank you Alyssa. But I’m not sure if you’re there. But also you can answer this. Are you the space enthusiast as well because breeding clearly always supportive of Alyssa and her path and I think you were even a little surprised that at such a young age. Alyssa Showed this this passion for space where you have you always been interested in the Apollo mission and all of that or have you kind of learned that as also has learned that.
[00:50:14.790] – Bert Carson
I mean when I was a kid. Obviously, you know we were going to the moon and you know the moon landing and that kind thing and I was very interested in all that I actually have a lot of old space items, whatever that I’ve kind of mixed in with with Alyssa stuff. Why I didn’t do it? I don’t know and especially since I I went into the video world. I could have just as easily went to work for this video. So I guess it was there is a young kid. But I guess the last you know and then yes, I have learned a lot more about spaces and everything through here. I see all the time like I did I didn’t push you into this is pulled me in. But she three four years old can me asking about more. I’m like sure you can do that you are becoming astronaut and honestly I want to be a princess and two weeks later by the frog, and you know whatever I never thought she would stay focused and you know and and and because of that that’s where she is.
[00:51:23.020] – Bert Carson
That’s why she is where she is at today is because of the hard work that he’s put in every day to go after this dream wonderful.
[00:51:32.350] – John Knych
Thank you. So I promised. Alyssa. One hour. So I have one more questions to wrap it up. But I was gonna say I was the reader who just pop in and then left I think he is at work. So if anyone has one more questions, you can ask it but it’s kind of a specific question, but I want to make sure it up with you, so I’m also interested in in a growing plant in space and I believe that there’s a dirt of knowledge about this. I tried to look on the Amazon Google Ads and they really want that many books about growing plants and in space that are really that I think are our extensive who wrote on page forty seven that you grew plan at the Florida Institute of technology in the box would have you learn about growing plants and space and where you keep researching it. Where? Where do you think The field is at you?
[00:52:24.000] – Alyssa Carson
So the lab that I worked in Florida tech was all about plants and growing them. My like contribution to the project were a little bit more from the microorganisms Scythe, just because we were working with plants growth. Promoting bacteria. So that you had to the plant to basically help them grow better and we were trying to understand a little bit about them and to those with the plant in the space. I can’t help them grow better. You know if you’re using that is food supplies. You know you are wanting to get the most yield possible, but our lab are we had somebody amazing people that we’re gonna have so many different projects, but the guy in charge of the lab worked with light and light growing is definitely find some of the information about it, but he. HAS like a collaboration with to be like ketchup on Mars. It was kind of like a cookie thing, but he was trying to grow plants using like different and stuff. So I think also has been there. You know I think we’ve got a lot of one of the hardest part as you know, we don’t have a single sample from Mars and so all of the ideas surrounding.
[00:53:42.360] – Alyssa Carson
You know growing growing plants. There is a little right. You know we have the regulate. We have you know the Knowledge that we’ve gained from some of the missions, but we don’t have a single sample directly from Mars, right? And so it’s something that can be challenging when you’re doing some of these studies. But you know I think that it’s never going fields. You know I was very happy to come to contribute to some of the staff and the lab, especially from you know my my microbiology side. Yeah, I think today. Maybe I don’t keep up with it as much. And when I was switching to you. I was kind of at the moment very excited to leave the plan behind. I was in the interested and I get a little bit of a shift just like research and I felt like and here so much about that I was so ready to go to shift Gears, but but yeah. I think that you know it’s something that we’re continuing to say I think hydroponic are just getting better and better.
[00:54:38.530] – Alyssa Carson
I mean people can have you know full-fledged gardens like in the house now? So easily with those systems. So I think it’s just getting.
[00:54:49.600] – John Knych
Great Yes we had Kim Stanley Robinson in the previous talk and he got a book called read more and he said you are there is there is it’s like poison in the soil and more, and you know we have to watch the poison out. Or, or or gros plan. Just not even in soil it all might be interested to see if we have we overcome that all right. Does anyone have any other and other questions? This is really. I know I only have one more, but I mean mentioned in the interview that optimistic projection for human tumor. Ten years of this, the political will find it. Do is that you’re to believe you have human on Mars in ten years or are you just can’t open to? Be out because you are very much involved in the community.
[00:55:40.300] – Alyssa Carson
Yeah yeah. You know I think I think it’s you know. I think we have to have optimism in space. I think it’s hard to go to work towards. A large mission without optimism. You know some of these things are so difficult and sometimes it’s hard. You just want to have to like something. I think that honestly my personal opinion with the mission to Mars. I think one of our great and keep in us. I think we still have some about logistics of this, and I think the big thing is back at the moment is time. I think that with the current technology mission of you. Now is taking six months to get you more staying on more for the month of time. And I want to come back. I think it’s too much too long, especially in comparison to what type we currently have the ability of doing and what we are currently looking at doing with the moon and things like that, so I think that’s the biggest kind of issue. I know that you know I have been working a lot When you get that time line from Earth, tomorrow is from the six weeks, which I think would be a huge victory in terms of like a mission to Mars.
[00:56:55.000] – Alyssa Carson
So you know I’m not quite as much from the engineering side. So I don’t know how challenging a lot of that stuff is how long it’s gonna take for that technology to be at that point. But I know it’s been a thought for a while and so I think for me. That’s it. That’s my hope is the time line can be a little bit more. I guess realistic to what we’re used to doing. Then I think it becomes a lot more possible and again that kind of has its optimism. Where we’re gonna be able to figure that technology out and and make that possible. But you know, I don’t think that that kind of from my perspective would be one of our mission possible. So we’ll see. I mean, I think that the everything going on right now with us and getting to the back to the moon is like a great first step, I know that you know what In conversations in the idea of presence to the degree on the moon. You know twenty twenty nine. So what it means that may be able to add in addition to.
[00:58:00.580] – John Knych
Thank you and I think Jared Eizykman said nuclear propulsion might be aware that will will do that she said she had one last final quick question so that her.
[00:58:11.050] – TJ
Other than you think of course. If there’s one book that you are recommended for everyone to read contexte, you know what would you and.
[00:58:19.930] – Alyssa Carson
That’s interesting. Well, I don’t know I actually would say what’s going on my mind more. Recently is hail Mary with like the movie coming out, so that has just kind of naturally bin on my mind a little bit more. So yeah. That’s really my first thought I know that also same author It’s very very very popular and very well respected her very good things. So yeah. I mean those are kind of mainly the ones and my mind so would be my recommendations.
[00:58:54.550] – TJ
And that reminds me of plants in space book of the motion, so that the only one I can think. Thank you.
[00:59:04.120] – John Knych
Thank you so much, Alyssa. Really enjoyed this conversation it recorded so our readers can can watch it out their own time. Best of luck in your life and career and and for those of you who have got the book. I just saw on the chat that I said he just go to an Amazon Word to read and and inspiring two. I mean you after I read it. I want it to become an astronaut. So I think that’s the kind of that the goal to inspire. So thank you.
[00:59:33.070] – Alyssa Carson
Thank you so much for reading and and for having me to talk about it.
[00:59:37.570] – John Knych
Great. Have a good day everyone. Bye bye.
[00:59:40.120] – Alyssa Carson
Bye.