Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Lockhart piloted the space shuttle Endeavour on two missions to the International Space Station and will share his stories with his Elon University audience.
Thursday, September 19
Paul Lockhart, “A Journey of Endeavour”
McCrary Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Voices of Discovery Science Speaker Series
Following the Challenger disaster in 1986, the Endeavour was commissioned by Congress and became the fifth and last of the U.S. reusable spacecrafts known as shuttles or orbiters. Named for Captain Cook’s exploratory HMS Endeavour of the 18th century, it continued the shuttle legacy. Shuttle missions engaged the general public in the excitement of exploration and discovery as astronaut scientists studied materials science, space biology, repaired orbiting satellites and assisted with the construction of the international space station.
There have been exciting practical spinoffs from the shuttle years, such as insulating and thermal protection materials, but the greatest legacy lies in advances in basic astrophysics and planetary science. The positioning, upgrading and maintenance of the Hubble telescope and the delivery of the unmanned Galileo spacecraft and probe to study the Jupiter system have enhanced our understanding of the expanding universe and the processes of planet formation.
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Lockhart piloted Endeavour on two missions to the International Space Station. These missions involved space station crew exchanges, delivery of supplies and research equipment as well as maintenance work on the station. During the second mission, Lockhart coordinated the spacewalk activities.
Lockhart is currently senior vice president for aerospace operations at QinetiQ North America, a division of a multinational defense technology company based in London.