5/7/2008 - Year in the Bluffs enlarged world for German astronaut
Tom McMahon, Staff Writer
Hans Schlegel credits his time as a Lewis Central High School foreign exchange student with helping him develop the insight and attitude necessary to become part of an international space flight team.
The European astronaut, who was born and raised in Germany, flew on this February’s Atlantis Space Shuttle mission that traveled to the International Space Station. His path from Germany to outer space detoured through Council Bluffs in 1969, when Schlegel attended Lewis Central for his senior year as part of the American Field Service program.
“As I flew over Germany, I had very warm feelings,” Schlegel said. “I experienced the same feelings when we were over the middle part of the United States. Council Bluffs is a part of me. I took that with me into space.”
Schlegel, 57, considers his year in Iowa as a 17-year-old and time spent in Russia training for the 1997 MIR space mission as life cornerstones, exposing him to other cultures and perspectives. He was 44 when he traveled to Russia.
“I realized I had some prejudices in my backpack,” Schlegel said.
He said new cultures provide new ways of looking at things.
“You always learn something new. Some are better, but not all. It attacked some of my prejudices.”
His Lewis Central experience provided many happy memories, Schlegel said. He lived with Zella Duchman and her children. Schlegel still refers to the Duchmans as his American family. One “American brother,” Loren, was a senior classmate – both played on the school’s football team. Schlegel also wrestled and ran track, setting several school records at the time.
“Sharing those experiences in Council Bluffs was the most important event in my young adult life,” Schlegel said. “I had the nicest reception. I had a lot of brothers and sisters to get used to. They were all helpful. We joked and pulled pranks on each other. There was never a dull moment.”
He has visited the Duchmans and Lewis Central several times since his 1969 graduation.
“I was very impressed with the great attitude of the people,” Schlegel said.
He described Americans as “showing a very positive attitude” and added, “That is very different than Europe.”
Today, Schlegel oozes positive. The physicist speaks just as easily of the space program’s science as he does about its people – the man in the space suit broadly grinning through his helmet.
Schlegel’s fascination with space began at 10, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 solo flight launched manned missions. The young boy avidly followed the ensuing Soviet-U.S. space race, but never dared dream of becoming an astronaut.
Instead, he pursued his math and science interests, earning a physics degree from Germany’s University of Aachen in 1979.
Following graduation, Schlegel conducted semiconductor physics research at the same institution. Several years later, he discovered German astronauts were conducting similar research. At age 35, an eager Schlegel applied when his country’s space program posted job openings.
“I think we should set high goals and go for what we want,” Schlegel said.
His positive attitude paid off.
In the late 1980s, he began astronaut training. He flew as a payload specialist aboard the 1993 Columbia Space Shuttle mission that included the German-sponsored Spacelab D-2 research module.
Schlegel’s recent Atlantis mission, his second space flight, included a six-hour and 45-minute space walk. More work than walk, he replaced a nitrogen tank used to pressurize the International Space Station’s ammonia cooling system. But, between tasks, Schlegel sneaked a few peaks at Earth, which he refers to as the big mother spaceship.
The astronaut philosopher said that, viewed from space, the mother ship looks unified.
“There are no borders, no religious or political boundaries. You see it as one.”
He urges other world citizens to travel to other countries.
“It’s the only way to go in the future. We can’t have just national goals. We need to take (care) of our own but also help other nations and bring them along.”
When he’s not preparing for his own upcoming missions, Schlegel spends most of his time helping prepare his fellow astronauts for theirs. He lives in Houston and works at the NASA Space Center.
Not too far from the Iowa community that helped Schlegel develop his international perspective.
Republished with permission. This article was originally published here.
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