Ukhuseleko lwe-astronauts luyimfuneko: zimbalwa izinto ezinzima njengokubonelela ngoncedo kunye nokubonelela ngokhuseleko kwiindawo ezingakhuselekanga. Kwaye akukho nto isoyikisayo kwaye inobungozi kunendawo, ngaphezulu kweekhilomitha ezingama-408 ngaphezulu komhlaba.

UJoseph Kerwin ngusomajukujuku owayekwangugqirha wase-US. UKerwin wayengomnye woogqirha bokuqala ukuthatha inxaxheba kwimishini ye-NASA. Kumsebenzi wakhe, wayengugqirha woMkhosi waselwandle waseMelika, kwaye udume ngesixhobo sokhuseleko kunye nokuhlangula emajukujukwini: i-SAFER.

Cinga ngamadoda afanele asebenze ngaphandle kwesiteshi sezithuba zamazwe ngamazwe: unokuqinisekisa njani ukhuseleko ngexesha lo msebenzi? Bangasebenza njani ngaphandle kokufaka ingozi ukujikeleza okungalawulwayo kwaye emva koko, ekuhambeni okuqhubela phambili emhlabeni?

Omnye umntu owenene ngokwenene kule ntsimi UDkt. Joseph Kerwin. Uzalwe ngo-19 ngoFebhuwari u-1932 e-Oak Park, e-Illinois, uKerwin waba ngugqirha kwi-1957 (emva kwesiganga sakhe kwifilosofi kwi-1953). Waba ilungu leMpi yoMlamandla kunye neziko lemithi ye-American flight, wenza imisebenzi emininzi ngegosa likaKaputeni kwaye wafumana i-qualification yokuqhuba i-1962.

Kodwa ukususela kuloo mzuzu ubomi bakhe buguqukile. Enyanisweni, uCherwin wakhethwa ukuba abe yinxalenye yesine yeqela Abadlali beNASA. UKherwin akazange aphumelele udumo lwehlabathi loBuzz Aldrin okanye uNeil Armstrong. Kodwa wayeyi-CapCom ye-Apollo 13 mishini kwaye wangena njengabasebenzi kwi-mission yase-Skylab2 njengowoshenya wesaqhubi.

Wagijima esikhaleni kunye noCharles Conrad kunye nomqhubi uPaul Weitz. Kwakuye xa eshiya uMlambo kwaye washiya i-NASA, ukuba uKerwin anganikezela ngokugqithiseleyo kwiingcamango zakhe. Waba ngumxanduva kwimisebenzi kunye neeprogram zeCheheed ukuqinisekisa ukuba astronauts unokukhupha ngokuphepha ngaphandle kweSitishi seNdawo yokuHlola kunye neShuttle.

I-Kerwin yayiqondakala kunye nabasebenzi bakhe ukuba abadlali be-astronauts bafuna izixhobo ezinokukhanya kunye ezinokuthenjwa zokubhabha kwaye zisebenze kwisakhiwo sangaphandle nqanawa. Ngaloo ndlela I-SAFER (Uncedo olulula lula lwe-EVA Rescue) wakha i-jetpack kunye ne-32 buses eziphalaza i-nitrogen phantsi koxinzelelo kwaye eziqinisekisa ukuzinza nokuhamba ngokugqibeleleyo kwithuba ngaphandle kwemvelo kubadlali. Isixhobo sakhe sivivinywe kabini kwimisebenzi ngaphandle kwe-ISS ngabadlali be-astronauts.

Kule projekthi, iKherwin ilandele enye uhlobo lwezithuthi, i-Assured Crew Return Vehicle. Kule meko, yiyo ngxakeko kunye neseli yokuhlangula evumela ukuba izazi zezulu zibuyele emhlabeni kwiimeko eziyingozi. Ngamava akhe aqhubekayo (namhlanje uKerwin ungumlawuli we-Life Sciences Office kwiJohnson Space Centre eHouston) uKarwin ufunda iindlela ezintsha zokuthutha iimbonondi zombini kwiiplanethi ezintsha, ezivela ezi zinto ukuya emhlabeni.