Philip K. Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philip Kenyon Chapman
|
|
|---|---|
Chapman in 1971
|
|
| Born | 5 March 1935 |
| Died | 5 April 2021 (aged 86) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
|
| Nationality | Australian-American |
| Alma mater | Sydney University (B.S.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S., Sc.D.) |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Space career | |
| NASA Astronaut | |
|
Time in space
|
0 |
| Selection | 1967 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Thesis | Theoretical foundations of gravitational experiments in space (1967) |
| Doctoral advisors | Steven Weinberg Rainer Weiss |
Philip Kenyon Chapman (born March 5, 1935 – died April 5, 2021) was a special astronaut. He was the first person born in Australia to become an American astronaut. He worked for NASA for about five years, joining a group of astronauts in 1967.
Contents
Becoming an Astronaut
Philip Chapman was born in Melbourne, Australia. His family later moved to Sydney. He went to Fort Street Opportunity School and then Parramatta High School.
His Studies
Chapman studied at the University of Sydney. In 1956, he earned a degree in physics and mathematics. He then moved to the United States to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
At MIT, he earned a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics in 1964. This field is all about the science of flight and space travel. In 1967, he earned another degree in instrumentation. This means he studied how to design and use scientific tools and equipment.
His teachers for his final degree included Steven Weinberg and Rainer Weiss. Both of these scientists later won the Nobel Prize.
Early Career and NASA Selection
Before becoming an astronaut, Chapman worked in different fields. From 1953 to 1955, he was part of the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve. He learned to fly a Tiger Moth plane during this time.
He worked for Philips Electronics in Sydney for a year. Then, he spent 15 months in Antarctica at Mawson Station. This was for a big science project called the International Geophysical Year in 1958. He studied the aurora (the northern and southern lights) and radio waves. He even explored the area and was the first person to climb Chapman Ridge.
From 1960 to 1961, he worked in Canada on flight simulators. These are machines that help pilots practice flying. After that, he returned to MIT as a physicist. He worked on things like optics, navigation systems, and gravity theories.
In August 1967, Chapman became a citizen of the United States. Soon after, NASA chose him as a scientist-astronaut. He trained to be a jet pilot with the United States Air Force and learned underwater survival skills. He also helped with the Apollo 14 mission as a scientist.
Leaving NASA
Chapman left NASA in 1972. This was near the end of the Apollo program. He disagreed with NASA's choice to build the Space Shuttle. He believed that astronauts should either be great pilots or great scientists, and that the Shuttle program would make them less skilled in both areas.
After NASA
After leaving NASA, Chapman continued to work on exciting space-related projects.
Working with Space Ideas
For five years, he worked on laser propulsion. This is a way to move spacecraft using lasers. He then joined a company called Arthur D. Little. There, he worked with Peter Glaser, who invented the idea of a solar power satellite. This is a satellite that collects solar energy in space and sends it to Earth.
Chapman was very involved in programs that explored how to get power from space. He kept sharing his ideas about space power for many years.
Promoting Space Exploration
In the mid-1980s, Chapman focused on making space a place for businesses. He wanted private companies to develop products and services for space. He was the president of the L5 Society (now called the National Space Society). This group successfully stopped a treaty that would have prevented commercial activity on the Moon.
Chapman also advised several U.S. Presidents on space issues. He helped convince President Ronald Reagan that it was possible to stop missiles in flight. This idea became known as the Strategic Defense Initiative.
Exploring Antarctica and New Technologies
In 1989, Chapman led a private trip to Enderby Land, Antarctica. His team gathered information about minerals there. This was before a new rule made it illegal to search for minerals on the continent.
From 1989 to 1994, Chapman was president of Echo Canyon Software. This company created an early visual programming tool for computers.
In 1998, Chapman was the Chief Scientist at Rotary Rocket. This company built and tested a new type of reusable spacecraft called the Roton. It was designed to carry people into space.
Later Work and Ideas
In 2004, Chapman shared two new ideas at a big space conference. One idea was for a new type of solar power satellite using artificial diamonds. The other was about how newly discovered methane hydrates could provide energy for thousands of years.
He also worked for Transformational Space Corporation, or "t/Space." This company helped NASA plan how to support the International Space Station (ISS) after the Space Shuttle retired. NASA now uses private companies to help with the ISS.
In 2009, Chapman started the Solar High Study Group. This group believes that Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) can provide clean and affordable energy for everyone. In 2010, he told the U.S. Air Force that SBSP could be deployed within seven years. He also said it was important to study how SBSP could affect national security.
Views on Climate Change
Philip Chapman also shared his thoughts on climate change. In 2008, he wrote an article for an Australian newspaper. He suggested that a new ice age might be coming soon. He thought people should plan for a possible "Little Ice Age" like the one that happened between 1100 and 1850.
He wrote a blog where he shared information and ideas to support his views on this topic.
Biography
You can learn more about Philip Chapman's life in these books:
- "NASA's Scientist-Astronauts" by David Shayler and Colin Burgess.
- "Australia's Astronauts: Three Men and a Spaceflight Dream" (1999) by Colin Burgess.
Philip Chapman passed away on April 5, 2021, at the age of 86.
See also
- List of astronauts by name
- List of astronauts by selection
- Timeline of astronauts by nationality
- List of human spaceflights
- Other Australian astronauts
