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Reisman is still down to earth
(by Cindy Forrest - November 05, 2008)
Back from the International Space station NASA Astronaut and Parsippany native Dr. Garrett Reisman was orbiting a bit closer to home last week as he visited numerous schools and facilities in the area.
Accompanied along the way by Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) Reisman made appearances at three schools that he attended while growing up in town - Parsippany High School, Central Middle School and the Lake Hiawatha Elementary School.
The return to Central Middle School was really specials for the students there because Reisman made history with them last spring. While traveling about 220 miles over Parsippany in the International Space Station, Reisman was able to call in, via ham radio, to speak with and answer questions from pupils assembled in front of the whole school for the momentous occasion.
"We are truly lucky to have such a great role model for our young people. Garrett’s successful space mission and his work with NASA shows students that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything," said Frelinghuysen.
Reisman also made a presentation at the main branch of the Parsippany Library, surrounded by hundreds of residents and township officials and a gaggle of wide-eyed youngsters. Two tykes, 6-year-old Kyle and 4-year-old Derek Furfaro arrived wearing orange flight suits and were awed by Reisman, but the oldest brother wasn't ready to commit to life as an astronaut.
“I like space but I don't think I'd like going backwards,” Kyle rationalized.
The boy's father Paul Furfaro, graduated from Parsippany High School with Reisman in 1986 and has stayed in touch over the years.
“He's a great guy,” said Furfaro.
Other people from Reisman's days in Parsippany were also on hand for the event including former teachers and coaches - even his mom.
Sheila Reisman, who now lives in Boynton Beach, FL, sat in the back of the room as her son wowed the audience with witty remarks and fascinating pictures of his time in space.
“Parsippany played a big role in Garret's success,” said Sheila. “Many of his teachers and coaches contributed greatly to his excitement and thirst for knowledge and helped make him a well-rounded adult. Parsippany was a wonderful town to grow up in.”
Herbert Levine, president of the Library Board of Trustees, and Council members John Cesaro, Ann Grossi, Michael dePierro and Jamie Barberio were all in attendance as Mayor Michael Luther introduced Reisman.
“He's traveled throughout the universe” said Luther, “but he continues to recognize Parsippany as his hometown.”
Reisman recounted the highlights of his three-month stay on the space station, his trip aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as a mission specialist to get there and his return trip back to Earth on June 14 on the Space Shuttle Discovery. His journey last March was his first venture into space since he was inducted into NASA's corps of astronauts in 1998.
The initial flight training took four years to complete. He is now back in the rotation for another trip into space but it could take anywhere from one to three years before his name comes up.
The presentation included a DVD, Power Point and a laser pen, which he used to point out Parsippany in a photo he took with an 800mm lens from space. Most of the footage consisted of fun scenes of Reisman, juggling, fighting with rubber swords and rolling weightlessly around the space station, which he likened in size to a 747 airplane.
However, he pointed out that most of his time on the space station was spent working hard. He and fellow astronaut Rick Linnehan assembled Dexter a Canadian robot buy attaching “arms” and other bodylike parts. The rest of the time he spent doing experiments including one in which he was the focus for gauging the effects of prolonged weightlessness on astronauts.
“Sometimes you do the experiments, and sometimes you are the experiments,” he joked.
Reisman said that weightlessness was “awesome,” even better than he thought it would be. And although it looked like he was floating in the video he likened it more to flying.
“It was like being Superman,” he said.
Conversely the most difficult task, according to Reisman, was his time outside the space station.
“Space walking was the most exciting and the most challenging, both mentally and physically, part of the mission,” he said.
When he opened the session up for questions both kids and adults had dozens of them.
“Did you see any UFOs?” asked on little boy. Others wondered about, toilets, showers, and sleeping conditions. One woman asked about getting dressed in zero gravity.
“Well, I'm here to tell you that you can put your pants on two legs at a time,” said Reisman.
The 40-year-old Reisman also unveiled the Smithsonian Exhibit “From Earth to Space” a collection of 20 posters that feature images and text from the popular museum exhibition of the same name. According to Library Director Jayne Beline, the exhibit pieces will hang in the hallway of the lower level for at least a month.
Another stop on the tour was Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township where Reisman’s father, Robert Reisman, spent over 30 years in government service. An early advocate for "smart" munitions, Robert Reisman served as an engineer and as the chief of precision munitions at Picatinny Arsenal before becoming the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition.
The Robert A. Reisman Precision Armaments Laboratory, named in his honor, was opened in 2003.
A history of achievement
In June, Reisman completed his first space flight. It left Earth on March 11 and returned June 14. In total, Reisman spent more than three months in space and completed a seven-hour spacewalk.
He was born in Morristown, but Reisman considers Parsippany his hometown. After graduating from Parsippany High School, he continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania where he received a B.S. in economics and a B.S. in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics. He completed is graduate work at the California Institute of Technology, earning an M.S. in mechanical engineering and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.
Reisman was selected as a NASA Mission Specialist in June 1998. He has worked in the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch, working on the Space Station’s robotic arm. He has also worked in the Advanced Vehicles Branch where he worked on the displays and checklists to be used in the next generation Space Shuttle cockpit. In June 2003, Reisman was a crewmember on NEEMO V living at the bottom the sea for two weeks.
Cindy Forrest can be contacted at: forrestc@northjersey.com.
Staff photo by Cindy Forrest
Photo 1: Astronaut Dr. Garret Reisman with Derek, 4, and Kyle, 6, after a presentation at the main branch of the Parsippany Public Library. Reisman graduated from Parsippany High School in 1986 with the boys’ father, Paul Furfaro. The evening was one of many events scheduled in his “hometown” after a tour of duty on the International Space Station.
Staff photos by Demitrius Balevski
Photo 2: NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman.
Photo 3: ‘Students at Central Middle School listen to NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman.
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