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Prepare for launch: Astronomer says upcoming space launch could inspire future scientists

“Seeing the images, what the astronauts were able to do and repairing Hubble and making it the observatory we know of it as today were really amazing,” Hewitt said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Excitement is building for the first manned space launch from U.S soil in almost a decade.

While we’re keeping an eye on the weather and the preparations for the mission, others are looking at how this could inspire the next generation of scientists.

“Appreciating the size and scope of the universe is almost impossible for someone to do,” Dr. Jack Hewitt said.

He studies cosmic rays. Oversimplified, that is the study of energy and particles from exploding stars in our galaxy and others. His work doesn’t necessarily depend on the upcoming mission, but he says what we’ve learned by going to space has and can continue to help us all.

“My whole career has been the benefit of putting satellites and observatories into space and in the 1980s and 90s NASA did amazing things: learning about the hole in the Ozone, monitoring the Earth from space," Hewitt said.

He also studied at a NASA facility, the Goddard Center. He added what we’ll see May 27 could inspire generations of scientists. He recalls growing up watching missions and how astronauts repaired the Hubble Space Telescope.

“Seeing the images, what the astronauts were able to do and repairing Hubble and making it the observatory we know of it as today were really amazing,” he said.

Hewitt explained the work over the decades has set the stage for the latest mission, which could solve any number of our current problems or questions.

“Everyone is competing to solve today’s problems and so that’s always been the promise of space exploration is the greater good.”

Hewitt also helps organize astronomy nights at UNF, which have been postponed for now, but hopes to have the public come out and observe the sky soon.

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