Former NASA employee argues the benefits of space exploration in … – Daily Press

Stephen Sandford was 9 when he saw Neil Armstrong land on the moon and discovered his love for science, engineering, math and technology (STEM).

As a child, he said he always like math and science, which eventually led him to study physics in college. After getting his master's degree in engineering, Sandford got his chance to work at NASA, spending 28 years with the agency, including stints at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and NASA headquarters before becoming the director of space technology at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton.

Before retiring from the agency in 2014, Sandford began exploring the idea to write "The Gravity Well: America's Next, Greatest Mission," which details the benefits of a better funded space program.

"It occurred to me that our national leadership did not have a good, solid rationale for why we need a space program," Sandford said.

To write the book, he said he left the United States on sabbatical and went to the Netherlands for almost a year to research and work on the book. While there, he served as a visiting scientist at the University of Delft, a campus Sandford said reminds him a lot of NASA Langley Research Center.

When Sandford left NASA and began his current job as a system engineering director at Stiner, Ghaffarian Technologies, Inc., leading projects related to the challenges of exploring space, the book became his top priority. That is when co-author Jay Heinrichs, a rhetoric expert and author of the best-seller "Thank You for Arguing," along with three part-time researchers joined the project to help with research and explain the concepts in simpler terms.

The book explores the economics, and international and educational benefits of the space program. Sandford and Heinrichs make the case that the space program is not just about the future and space, but it also about improving Earth's current situation, using history, data and analogies.

After a year and a half working on the book, it published in October 2016, just before the presidential election. One of the key issues throughout the election was boosting the economy explained Sandford, which goes along with one of the book's main arguments for enhancing the space program.

"I try to show how powerful it is to solving some of these problems that we're dealing with. We're struggling with what the next economy is going to be with the United States and we're struggling with our standing in the world today," Sandford said.

According to Heinrichs, while both authors encourage everyone to read "The Gravity Well," the goal is for leaders and highly educated, influential people to read it.

"Once they understand that space really is a top priority for the country, other people will see that too. I did a lot of research on public opinion and realize everybody's for space. Very few people are anti-space. On the other hand, very few people see the space program as a top priority," Heinrichs said.

Sandford said he is trying to get the book in the hands of the current White House administration through friends and members of the Trump administration that advise the president on space issues.

Barnes & Noble celebrates Ella

Peninsula Town Center's Barnes and Noble (5100 Kilgore Avenue, Hampton) celebrates Newport News native Ella Fitzgerald at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The free event includes Fitzgerald-inspired music programming that includes First Baptist Church Hampton Celestial School of Arts vocal instructor Leonora Wesley-Wood, the Spratley Gifted Center's Seahawk Band, the Benjamin Syms Middle School Band and singer Crystal Simmons.

In honor of what would be Fitzgerald's 100th birthday on Tuesday, Saturday's event will also include cake.

Info: facebook@BNHamptonVA or 757-827-1118.

Barringer at Yorktown Library

Author Sheridan Barringer will give a presentation about his new book "Fighting for General Lee: Confederate General Rufus at the North Carolina Calvary Brigade" followed by a book signing at 10 a.m. Tuesday inside the Yorktown Library (88500 George Washington Highway, Yorktown).

Sponsored by the Yorktown Book Club, the Newport News author and Virginia Tech graduate will speak about his new biography, which he wrote using research from newspapers, letters and diaries from the Civil War.

Info: yorkcounty.gov/Home/Libraries.aspx

Joseph can be reached by phone at 757-374-3134.

Want it?

Info: thegravitywell.org. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks.

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Former NASA employee argues the benefits of space exploration in ... - Daily Press