Andrew Thomas

The Advertiser: Thomas: I'll be your science ambassador :

"ADELAIDE-born astronaut Andy Thomas will consider taking up an ambassador role for science in SA, following an invitation from Premier Mike Rann.

Speaking to The Advertiser this week, Dr Thomas discussed his latest mission including the future of the NASA space program, his health following his recent trip to space and rumours he was reprimanded following negative comments he made about the shuttle launch."

Have we had a science an ambassador before? It's a great idea to use someone who has been in the thick of science to be an ambassador for our SA science programmes and achievements. For a small state we come up with a lot of scientific ideas and break throughs and have a commitment to science which tends to run through our society. Having Andy Thomas as an ambassador would be good for us and would maybe fit in with his current life. I hope he didn't get ticked off by NASA for his comments about safety. For a start, they have been borne out by the independent investigation, for seconds he was up there with the others and constantly reminded of Columbia and for thirds he comes from Adelaide. We always are the first to get in there and say if we think something is not quite right. Our councils, parents, schools, politicians , doctors...you name it are used to hearing about what we think if we are not happy. It in no way implies we do not approve of the person, organisation or system. It means we know things could be better. We say what we think but we still keep our end of the deal. I didn't think he'd said anything out of the ordinary. We were all worried sick when the foam fell off and the fuel line wasn't quite right. We knew NASA was doing what it could to be as careful as it could be, but we weren't the ones up in the shuttle. Most of us would have been sounding off pretty solidly if we'd been up there!But, that was what I liked about this Shuttle mission. It was just so normal in lots of ways and NASA was kind enough to let us participate in the normality of it. Technicians getting cranky, people on the ground getting frustrated, tech heads trying to fathom it all. The conversations we heard were just so normal. REAL. NASA could have blocked it all and cut it all out and edited what it wanted. The fact is, they didn't and it made the whole mission so much better and , do you know what, the astronauts and NASA were a team which got that shuttle everyone is complaining about back home, even if it does have to be piggy backed for the last bit.