Written by Tiane Davis // Photo by Edgar Cardiel
Astronaut Jerry Linenger visited Searcy this week to experience the total solar eclipse and participate in the American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. Linenger was interviewed on the HU16 live eclipse special Monday and spoke in the Benson Auditorium later that day at 7:30.
Linenger said the total solar eclipse is a special event and that his experience in space has led him to appreciate the world more. During his talk on the Benson Auditorium stage, he discussed the adversity he faced while in space as well as the beauty he saw.
“Going out there and looking at God’s creation — that’s a moment that will be etched in my brain forever,” Linenger said.
In 2008, Linenger received the Distinguished Service Medal, NASA’s highest award, for his courage and outstanding service to his country. He is also the author of “Off the Planet” and “Letters from Mir: An Astronaut’s Letters to His Son.” Experiencing the eclipse is something that should lead to awe and wonder for the viewer, Linenger said. However, “we should just be rejoicing every day and smiling every day,” he said.
“The way God makes these things– it’s amazing,” Linenger said. “We should just be amazed. On the other hand, I think a night where you just go out in your backyard and look up at the universe and creation– we should just be awestruck all the time, but maybe especially so today.”
Linenger, who is a retired U.S. Navy flight surgeon, spent nearly five months aboard the Russian space station Mir in 1997. He was also the first American to complete a spacewalk in a Russian space suit.
Executive director of the American Studies Institute J.R. Duke said the idea of inviting an astronaut to speak on campus on the day of the eclipse came from professor and chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Cindy White. ASI has a long history of hosting speakers about space exploration, he said.
“His specific story of some of the challenges and adventures he faced spending time aboard the Russian space station MIR in the late 1990s is a valuable addition to the information that American Studies tries to provide to our students and broader community,” Duke said.
Duke said Linenger spoke in a few classes Monday and talked to several students, which is what most ASI speakers do when they visit.
“We hope to have programs that inspire conversation on campus,” Duke said. “This program certainly was exciting and got people talking. Everyone that met him was excited to meet an astronaut.”
During his talk, Linenger said he became desensitized to the emergency alarm that went off every day, which indicated a potentially life-threatening event. Sophomore engineering major Ashley Daughety said this part of his talk was meaningful.
“It is inspiring how many obstacles he overcame to finish his mission and come home to his family,” Daughety said. “It was interesting to hear about how he overcame isolation and constant stress during his mission.”
Daughety said Linenger’s work with Russians who did not speak English showed that some things can rise above any cultural difference or language barrier.
“The crew was able to use their differences to work together and succeed beyond what anyone expected of them,” Daughety said. “The human race is stronger together, and when we can use our differences to our advantage, we can accomplish feats that currently seem impossible.”
Daughety also said Linenger was friendly and showed interest in getting to know students on campus.
“He asked questions about each of us who met him and wanted to know more about what we were studying,” Daughety said. “He also had a great sense of humor that made it easy to pay attention during his talk.”
