Interview With Winner of Lynx Space Tourism Flight

Hello reader!

It follows a note published on the day (05/22) in the website “Parabolic Arc” bringing a interview with the Winner of Lynx Space Tourism Flight.

Duda Falcão

News

Interview With Winner of

Lynx Space Tourism Flight

By Douglas Messier

May 22, 2013, at 10:05 am

Editor’s Note: AEB — the Brazilian Space Agency — has published a Q&A with Pedro Henrique Doria Nehme, an agency trainees who recently won a trip to space aboard XCOR’s Lynx suborbital vehicle. The interview is reproduced below, translated from Portuguese via Google Translate.

Pedro Henrique Doria Nehme, 21, will go down in history. He will be the first Brazilian civilian to go to space. The future space tourist won the World Space Flight promotion, undertaken by KLM, which awarded the winner with a spot on the ship Lynx, operated by Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) of the Netherlands.

The student demonstrates he has not realized the significance of the prize he won. A trainee of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and eighth semester student of electrical engineering at the University of Brasilia (UNB), Pedro says he is very interested in the space, “as a child, I liked airplanes.” He worked at Goddard Space Flight Center , the American Space Agency (NASA), and studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington , D.C.

In addition to his aerospace work, Pedro plays bass and guitar. The student likes Brazilian music and composers such as Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Nando Reis, and Gilberto Gil.

AEB – Why did you decide to study electrical engineering?

Pedro - My father started studying electrical engineering, but did not finished. He always encouraged me to take interest in engineering. In my house, we were encouraged to open things up and see how they worked. For these reasons, I decided to take the course.

AEB – How did you become interested in space?

Pedro -  As a child, I liked airplanes. My mother gave us LEGO to play around with, and I always preferred aircraft. Before college, there is plenty to do in the area. In high school, we see something about it, but nothing too palpable. When I entered college, I was really interested in the topic. In mid 2011, I was doing a winter course at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), for a month. It was on aerospace research, and the classes had as their theme space missions. The last week of the course was a short stage. I made ​​the Integration and Tests Laboratory (LIT), in the area of interference and electromagnetic compatibility. From there, I really became interested in the area.

AEB – How was your experience in the INPE course?

Pedro - The course was phenomenal. Some speakers took part in Brazilian missions and others had practical experience with systems. After attending the course, I realized that society does not know much this sector. Before the course, I had no idea what was the LIT. The laboratory is sensational.

AEB – At the College of Engineering at the University of Brasilia (UNB), did you participate in any lab or research group?

Pedro – When I started engineering course, I know the labs and enjoyed the automation and robotics, which is perhaps one of the few laboratories in Brazil that develops such technology. The laboratory operates on several fronts: medical robotics, robotic air, mobile robotics, rehabilitation, among others. It’s a large space, which has partnerships with companies and where many people work. At the time (first half of the course), there was a vacancy in aerial robotics project. Since then, I have participated in the research group.

AEB – How did you get the internship at NASA?

Pedro - I already knew how to speak English and always wanted to go to the United States (U.S.). In late 2011, there was the launch of the Science Without Borders Program, which had exchanges to the U.S. and I always wanted to do the exchange. So, I decided to sign up. In the meantime, the teacher Duília de Mello, who is Catholic University of America in Washington and researcher at NASA, some selected students of the program through the curriculum for an internship at NASA. I was one of them. In total, seven Brazilians were chosen, three from the University of Brasilia, one from the University of São Paulo (USP), one of Southern Cross University and two of the Aeronautics Technological Institute (ITA).

AEB – How was your experience at NASA?

Pedro - The experience was very good, I learned a lot. I spent a year in the United States. I had no notion of both things happening at NASA. Many projects. At the center where I interning, which was the largest of all, were being made ​​more than 200 aerospace projects, with all its complications and specificities. In that time, I learned things that we may never learn to be in Brazil. Well worth you going out, learn and then bring that knowledge to Brazil. I consider myself privileged to have interned at NASA.

AEB – You developed some projects at NASA?

Pedro - At NASA, I  worked at Goddard Space Flight Center , where I was part of the project BETTI ( Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry ) – developed by a team of astronomers and engineers from NASA, the University of Maryland, and the Institute for Johns Hopkins University. It is a projection and building an observatory balloon to study the cosmos in infrared sharper detail. I and four interns developed a camera. At the time, I was thinking about how researchers had the courage to put materials worth $30,000 in the hands five trainees. Over time, I realized that they have confidence in students.

AEB – How did you end up in AEB?

Pedro - In October, I watched a video on YouTube of the Programme Manager AEB School, Eduardo Quintanilla, giving a lecture at Campus Party . He spoke about the Brazilian Space Program, and in the end, talked about the Olympiad Cansat, which would be launched. I found the lecture interesting and I sent an email to him, telling a bit of my story and asking if they had stage in AEB. When I returned to Brazil, he interviewed me and started the stage.

AEB – As you work with the Agency?

Pedro - Work on the development of the Olympics and Cansat, developing software and hardware for Cansat.

AEB – How did you learn the tender KLM?

Pedro - From a video on YouTube. Before the videos, go shopping and promotional ads. Then I saw the campaign for KLM. It was a very well done video. The entire campaign to publicize the contest was well developed, especially the graphical interface. I often say that I decided to participate because of this.

AEB – Do you watch many videos? Do you think YouTube disseminates knowledge?

Pedro - I am a person who learns a lot by watching, watching videos and lessons. I learn more watching than reading. YouTube is full of lessons, mainly from universities outside. With Youtube , there are literally no boundaries. A person can be anywhere from Brazil and attend classes at the best American universities.

AEB – What did you do to guess where the balloon would fall?

Pedro - It was a kick. I had no information balloon. But that kick was different because all my experience helped me hit him. It’s like a stay-at-home making food. It has revenues of things, but it is all very well, because cooking for several years. So the food “comes out good.” How long worked in the area, I have more sense than a layman.

AEB – How did you know the outcome?

Pedro - On Sunday, KLM e-mailed to all participants of the contest, stating that the result would leave the next day (Monday). In the next morning, I completely forgot the contest. I went to the defense of a master’s degree from a friend about the spatial area. Then for the lab work. It was when I opened my email and saw a message from KLM announcing that I had won the contest.

AEB – What was your reaction?

Pedro - At first I thought it was SPAM, default email because my email filters messages of the day and that had ended up in my inbox the priority inbox. When I started reading, I remembered the contest. So, I thought, is not it possible that I got this deal . For me, it was extremely unlikely that I won. I read the e-mail ten times. It was crazy. I answered the email asking if it was true. They replied: “you won. We will contact you as soon as possible, pass me your contact. ” The next day, they called congratulating me. The staff of KLM São Paulo was very surprised because it was a Brazilian and they told me that they had made ​​the disclosure to some media and I give some interviews. It’s kind of shocking, because today, this type of travel is not something common. I believe the future will be like buying a ticket to São Paulo. But today, it’s weird, it’s different.

AEB – What is the prize you won?

Pedro - I was awarded a place on the ship Lynx, the company Space Expedition Corporation (SXC). Space travel will start in Curacao in the Caribbean. The flight will be suborbital (does not go into orbit around the Earth) and will reach a height of 103 km, crossing the call Kármán line. The trip will take one hour – from takeoff to landing. I’ll be about five minutes in microgravity. Besides the trip to space, won two airline tickets to Curacao in the Caribbean, where the ship will leave, and lodging for two in a luxury hotel.

AEB – When is the trip?

Pedro - There is still no definite date, because the spacecraft is still in the process of certification and go through a testing period. Depends on the response of the spacecraft to these tests. It is expected to be in early 2014.

AEB – You have no idea how the flight will be?

Pedro - I know there is a workout which involves a spacecraft and flight simulator this game. I guess I’ll have to do physical tests and medical examinations. From here to the trip, there is still a little time and lots of things to happen. The time of flight – one hour – it will be extremely intense. The spacecraft will rise and fall very fast. Will exceed three times the speed of sound and will stand approximately five minutes in microgravity (sensation of zero gravity).

AEB – What you plan to do after graduating?

Pedro - My future is still somewhat uncertain. I intend to do a master’s degree in space. Do not know where, in Brazil, the United States or anywhere else. I want to work in the area. Like embedded systems – that is making and designing circuits for aerospace systems.

AEB – Regarding the space issue, where do you see Brazil in a few years?

Pedro - I can see the positive and negative sides of being here and being outside. One of the things I think is key is that the Brazilian bureaucracy hinders the project immensely and engineer. There are people who are dealing with difficult projects that are trying to make things work and, at the same, I need to play the role of administrator, signing paperwork, get involved with the political part. The engineer has to devote himself exclusively to the development of your project. Another negative factor is the investment in the area. When we compare Brazil with the U.S., the difference is absurd. The resources of the American projects are immense, despite the spending cuts in recent years. I think that if Brazil wants to do something important in the area and have ambitious projects, more investment is needed and the support of society.

AEB – What is the positive side of Brazil in this topic?

Pedro - The good thing here is that Brazil is a very good country to live. In the United States, in winter, at 16h hours it’s already dark. People get discouraged, which ends up hindering performance on projects. Brazil has many intelligent and competent wanting to develop the sector. Here, there are many opportunities for that. The competition out there is great. There are countries that are already well developed in the area. The United States is an example. When I returned to the U.S. I felt much, because Brazil is still a country very “raw” in this area. I’m talking about basic things like using the Internet for shopping. The Brazilian still uses very little pen and paper and the computer. This has to change ASAP. Things need to be less bureaucratic. In the United States, there are a lot of government bureaucracy, but it is amazing how everything works on the internet, because people need to devote to work. It is with this thought of dedication that goes into question the functioning of American universities. There are no desks for doctoral students and master’s degrees, free food. Everything is done for the student to have an environment conducive to work and study.

Source: Website Parabolic Arc - http://www.parabolicarc.com/

Comentário: Pois é leitor, é o Pedro vivendo seu momento de estrela internacional, e em nossa opinião o jovem brasileiro deve aproveitar ao máximo esse momento, principalmente para ampliar seus horizontes profissionais. O Blog BRAZILIAN SPACE pretende, quando baixar a poeira, entrevistar o Pedro trazendo para os nossos leitores maiores informações sobre o seu curso de Engenharia Elétrica na Universidade de Brasília (UnB), seu trabalho no projeto do LICanSat-1 e suas aspirações para o futuro.