The Future of Spaceflight
In this captivating talk, Mike Stafford returns to the observatory and embarks on a cosmic journey, beginning with a brief introduction to the history of space flight. He then brings us up to speed with current and proposed space missions within our solar system, exploring technology of the next few decades. Stafford then expands his discussion to interstellar travel, delving into speculative methods for how humanity might achieve it.
True to his custom, Stafford’s narrative is interwoven with accessible physics instruction, illuminating the fundamental principles of space flight. He renders complex topics digestible and fascinating, leaving the audience intellectually enriched and utterly pain-free, with not a single mathematical equation in sight.
Mike Stafford, who taught at Penn State Behrend and spent 37 years as an adjunct instructor of physics at Gannon University, holds a deep passion for classical mechanics—the branch of physics explaining how everything moves. Beyond academia, Mike is an accomplished aviator, a licensed parachute rigger, and an expert skydiver with an incredible 3,700 jumps. Known for his great sense of humor, he often jokes that he is “able to speak on any subject, sometimes coherently.”
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