Robots, dentures and water rockets
ENGLISH space engineer Sian Cleaver is optimistic about the future of manned space travel, including Nasa plans to return astronauts to the moon, and later fly on to Mars.
Ms Cleaver (28) is also keen to see more women opting for engineering careers in future, including in space science.
Her childhood ambitions of becoming an astronaut led her to study physics and astronomy at Durham University in the UK, then pursue a space industry career.
Six years later, Ms Cleaver is a principal mission systems engineer at Airbus in Stevenage, in the UK.
Yesterday, she was in Dunedin as a guest of the city’s 11th biennial New Zealand International Science Festival.
She was also having fun by using water and compressed air to help youngsters launch softdrink bottle ‘‘rockets’’ at a citywide Dunedin kindergarten open day event at the Helen Deem Kindergarten, in Forbury Rd.
Ms Cleaver said there had previously been debates between proponents of manned space travel and other scientists who preferred robotic missions, arguing that using astronauts increased the costs and the risks.
In fact, future space flights would involve a partnership between people and automated systems, she said.
‘‘If we’re going to the moon, if we’re going into space, we can’t do everything by ourselves.
‘‘We’re more effective if we do things together [with robots and automated systems],’’ she said.
Humans had always dreamed of great voyages, and on the illfated Apollo 13 lunar mission, the people involved had also shown they could adapt quickly to overcome major problems.
Ms Cleaver works mainly on the design and development of future European Space Agency (ESA) exploration missions, such as Solar Orbiter, a spacecraft that will fly close to the sun to carry out observations.
She is also undertaking ESA work to contribute to Nasa’s Orion plans to take people back to the moon, and to establish a gateway to Mars.
The festival focuses on the theme ‘‘Go Beyond’’ and runs until Sunday.