Prisoners of Gravity

Life in Space (5x1)

: 06, 1993

What are the biggest challenges of living in space? What are the dangers? And what are the benefits? Commander Rick checks in with science fiction authors Geoffrey A. Landis ("A Walk in the Sun"), Michael Skeet ("Breaking Ball"), Frederik Pohl (Mining The Oort), Ben Bova (Mars), Spider and Jeanne Robinson (Starseed), C.J. Cherryh (Heavy Time), Bruce Sterling (Schismatrix), and Michael Swanwick (Griffin's Egg). As well, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura on Star Trek) discusses her work for NASA's space shuttle astronaut recruitment programme, and Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut, tells Rick about some of the medical problems of living in weightlessness.