As Artemis II splashes down, San Diego’s ties to NASA go back decades
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH>>>> [AS ARTEMIS TWO IS SET TO SPLASHDOWN TODAY, WE LOOK BACK AT SAN DIEGO’S TIES TO THE SPACE PROGRAM ]More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines…########
THE SAN DIEGO AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM IS HOSTING AN ARTEMIS TWO SPLASHDOWN FAMILY PJ NIGHT WATCH PARTY TODAY
IT'S A WELCOME HOME EVENT FOR THE ORION CREW’S FOUR ASTRONAUTS FOLLOWING THEIR HISTORIC TEN-DAY MISSION
THE CREW HAS TRAVELED MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM EARTH, SETTING A NEW RECORD
THE EVENT STARTS AT 4 P.M. AND THE LANDING IS SCHEDULED FOR 5:07 P-M
IN ADDITION TO WATCHING THE LIVE BROADCAST, THERE WILL BE ACTIVITY STATIONS TO EXPLORE HOW ASTRONAUTS LAUNCH, TRAVEL AND SAFELY RETURN BACK TO EARTH
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM ADMISSION TICKETS ARE HALF-OFF FOR THOSE LOOKING TO JOIN THE SPLASHDOWN WATCH PARTY
AND IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO WATCH FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR COUCH, YOU CAN WATCH THE LIVE BROADCAST ON YOUTUBE, NETFLIX AND MORE
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THE FLEET SCIENCE CENTER IN BALBOA PARK IS ALSO CELEBRATING HUMANITY’S RETURN TO DEEP SPACE WITH ARTEMIS WEEK.
YOU CAN EXPLORE TEMPORARY ARTEMIS TWO EXHIBITS AND ACTIVITIES AND EVEN FOLLOW THE MISSION IN REAL-TIME AS IT UNFOLDS
YOU CAN ALSO SPEAK WITH NASA STAFF, LIKE ADELINE MORGAN ROESCH (ADD-UH-LINE MORE-GUN R-OH-SH)
SHE SAYS SHE’S LOVED SEEING ARTEMIS TWO BRING BACK THE EXCITEMENT AROUND SPACE EXPLORATION
FLEET 2A : If you just go online and you see the amount of people posting about this and engaging about, you know, engaging online with the ARTEMIS II mission, it really is inspiring. And we're, we're so excited to, you know, have everybody come here and become a part of it because, you know, we're, we're all humans on Earth. We're all a part of this.
ARTEMIS WEEK WILL CONTINUE AT THE FLEET THROUGH SATURDAY.
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HEADS UP SAN DIEGANS! THIS WEEKEND MAY NOT DELIVER ON THE PERFECT WEATHER YOU’RE USE TO.
IT’S EXPECTED TO BE WINDY AND COOL WITH PERIODIC RAINFALL
A ROUND OF SCATTERED-LIGHT SHOWERS IS EXPECTED TO REACH OUR COAST ON FRIDAY, BUT TAPER OFF BY SATURDAY AT NOON
THE MAJORITY OF THE RAIN IS NOW EXPECTED ON SUNDAY WITH LEFTOVER SHOWERS POSSIBLY LINGERING INTO MONDAY
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need
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NASA’S ARTEMIS TWO MISSION SPLASHING DOWN OFF OUR COAST TODAY HAS BROUGHT SPACE FEVER TO SAN DIEGO. BUT SAN DIEGO’S TIE TO THE SPACE PROGRAM GOES BACK DECADES.
ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS THE MISSION OF AMERICA’S FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE LIVES ON HERE.
*Nat pop* 10,9,8…
When Sally Ride launched into space in 1983, she showed women and girls what was possible.
*Nat pop*
After retiring from NASA, Ride started teaching at UC San Diego. She soon realized her calling was to give young girls the space to get excited about science.
Sally Ride | Sally Ride Science
Sally Ride talks Source is Courtesy University of California Television.mp4
00:30:41:29-00:30:50:13
“Students will tell you that science and engineering are important. Science, technology, engineering are important. But they'll say it's important, but it's not important for me.”
In 20-01, she founded Sally Ride Science to help girls realize it could be important for them.
Sally Ride | Sally Ride Science
Sally Ride talks Source is Courtesy University of California Television.mp4
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“They need to see a diverse group of scientists that, by the way, look to them like normal people that maybe have dogs and cats that used to be kids, so that they can start humanizing these careers. They need to see people that used to look like them so that they can envision a path for themselves into science, science or engineering.”
Fourteen years after Ride’s death, the organization continues her mission.
Maysoon Lehmeidi | Sally Ride Science
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“Students are the future.”
Maysoon Lehmeidi oversees Sally Ride Science programming at U-C-S-D.
Maysoon Lehmeidi | Sally Ride Science
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“That was one of her goals, was really to inspire more young women, especially underrepresented women, to not be afraid of STEM, not be afraid of math and physics, and really take on that challenge and be a part of the solution for the future.”
One of those young women is Alegra Calderon.
Alegra Calderon | Former Sally Ride Science student
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“Science had always been interesting to me, but I was never too educated on it until visiting the camp. And once I, like, started getting into it, I realized that it was something that I really enjoyed.”
She attended the Sally Ride camp twice as an elementary school student.
Alegra Calderon | Former Sally Ride Science student
Zoom - Alegra.mp4
“It was really like empowering to like, be around other groups where it was like all girls and like, like, this is like where you wanted to be.”
With all the buzz around the Artemis two crew these days, she’s been thinking a lot about her time at the camp.
Alegra Calderon | Former Sally Ride Science student
Zoom - Alegra.mp4
TIME
“I think it's really incredible what they're doing. … We are now able to, like, have the technology to like, like learn and like further explore like, like into space and like like seeing like the texture of the moon and like and being able to see like the solar eclipse from like a different like perspective.”
NAT POP of ARTEMIS
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women made up eight percent of STEM workers. 1970. Today, they make up nearly 30 percent.
Lehmeidi says, at Sally Ride Science, they’re trying to prepare more girls for jobs in STEM.
Maysoon Lehmeidi | Sally Ride Science
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Students can't be what they can't see. So the more we expose students to the different types of careers through the people who are actually teaching the classes, then the more they'll be able to see themselves in those shoes one day.”
The program has served thousands of students, mostly from fourth through ninth grade. It also now serves kindergarteners. Students are taught everything from robotics to marine biology. Some classes are also taught in Spanish. Lehmeidi says what began as a summer camp 25 years ago is becoming a year-long program this year.
Maysoon Lehmeidi | Sally Ride Science
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We're also going to be providing training opportunities for teachers this summer. And hopefully to give them additional skills on how to make science more accessible to their students in their classroom.
Calderon is off to college soon. She is going to major in Business and says, somehow, she’ll find her way back to science.
Alegra Calderon | Former Sally Ride Science student
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“I think that everyone should know the sciences for everyone, and everyone should believe I take the time to like, even explore just a little bit of it, cause it can really, like, like, open your mind to, like, so many different things.”
As Astronaut Christina Koch makes history aboard Artemis two as the first woman to go beyond low Earth orbit…
NAT POP
She’s also inspiring a new generation of girls. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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THOUSANDS OF SAN DIEGO-BASED SAILORS AND MARINES ARE ALREADY IN THE MIDDLE EAST OR ON THE WAY. THOUSANDS MORE ARE PREPARING TO DEPLOY.
MILITARY REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS OPERATIONS IN IRAN HAVE MORE MILITARY FAMILIES LOOKING FOR HELP.
MILFAM 1 (ad) (1:03) SOQ
The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
The USS Boxer and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
And, soon, the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
Altogether these deployments mean more than 8,000 local sailors and Marines are absent from home — and added stress on their families.
SH: (:07) we have seen an uptick in themes worry, lots of worry, panic, which is totally natural.
Sarah Howard runs operations at the Military Family Resource Center in the Murphy Canyon military housing area.
She’s put together a checklist to help families manage deployments. She can also connect people to different services and help them find community support.
SH (:17): Or at least keep yourself busy and pass the time, you know, distract from the worry. You really can't do more than that. you can't change what's going on. You can't change whether or not you can talk to your spouse, but you can distract yourself in a really positive way.
For more information people can contact the Resource Center or visit Say San Diego dot org. We also have that deployment checklist online at KPBS dot org.
Andrew Dyer, KPBS News
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THE SAN DIEGO VELODROME IS A BIKE RACING TRACK IN BALBOA PARK. IT HOSTS MULTIPLE RACES EACH WEEK, MOST OF THEM SEGREGATED BY EXPERIENCE AND ABILITY RATHER THAN GENDER.
BUT METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THE VELODROME RECENTLY BEGAN HOSTING RACES THAT EXCLUDE TRANSGENDER WOMEN. AND THAT'S FORCING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION IN THE CYCLING COMMUNITY.
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XX: Alright, the race is about to start. Listen to the race director.
AB: Last Saturday, 10 women lined up on their bikes single file at the edge of the San Diego Velodrome. The race director signaled for them to do a neutral lap to set the starting pace. Then…
XX: (whistle) And you're racing! Let's go! We got Heidi kicking things off in front.
AB: The racers formed a tight pack at first.
*bikes whiz by*
AB: But after a few laps, there are some clear frontrunners. The race on April 4 was sanctioned by USA Cycling, the national governing body for competitive bike racing. Last September, the organization decided to ban transgender women from competing in women's races. And that shuts out people like Talia, who's been racing at the velodrome for almost three years
TP: Learning that there are people who are pushing for it is kind of disheartening because it made me realize that I felt disposable.
AB: KPBS agreed to use only Talia's first name due to fears of harassment and violence. She was drawn to the simplicity of track bikes, which have only one gear and no brakes.
TP: Little things make a huge difference, like the timing of changing lanes and the timing of sprinting … knowing your body a lot better so that you know how long you can sprint. You're like, oh, I know I can sprint for 3 laps at whatever pace, so you plan.
AB: A few months after her first class at the velodrome, Talia came out as trans and started her gender transition.
TP: I was super nervous about like, oh, I like just started the sport, I don't know what to do. But the women were like super, super welcoming. I felt like, oh, this is just like friends having fun. It was so awesome.
AB: Most of the races at the velodrome are divided between beginners and advanced racers. There are also "Women+" races open to all female-identifying and nonbinary people. But the San Diego Velodrome Association, the nonprofit that operates the racetrack, plans to hold at least six more USA Cycling races this year. The goal is to give racers opportunities to win points that can take them to the regional and national championships. Still, racers like Talia are left out.
AH: California law is really clear: You cannot discriminate based on gender identity, which includes trans people.
AB: Alreen Haeggquist is an attorney who specializes in discrimination law. She says hosting USA Cycling races could expose the velodrome association to legal liability and potential loss of access to the racetrack. It operates the velodrome under a permit from the city of San Diego. That permit prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. Haeggquist says if the city declines to intervene and enforce that provision, it can also be sued.
AH: If they know the discrimination is occurring and they're not taking action against it, that is the city's liability. Because the longer the city allows it to continue, the longer the city has notice and is condoning the conduct.
AB: The city declined to comment for this story. Sports organizations have been increasingly banning trans women from competing in women's events based on the belief that their bodies give them an unfair advantage. But that theory is not backed up by research. A recent scientific review of 52 studies on the issue found trans women who take gender-affirming hormone therapy have similar strength and endurance to cisgender women. Talia says she's lost a lot of strength since starting hormone therapy more than two years ago. But she didn't transition to win races.
TP: Every day just trying to survive without getting weird comments or looks, without having to justify my existence, is so difficult. But even so, is still better than before.
AB: Talia says it's been hard watching the news about trans rights being taken away. She's found support and community at the velodrome. But things feel different now.
TP: I don't feel super supported. And I know that my trans friends also don't feel super supported. I don't know what a good outcome is, because I don't want other people to suffer for me getting what I want. I just want to ride with my friends and be treated like a human.
AB: The next USA Cycling race at the velodrome is April 21. Talia does not plan on competing. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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THE COMPANY BEHIND A CONTROVERSIAL BATTERY PROJECT NEAR ESCONDIDO SAYS IT’S DROPPING THE PLAN.
NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN SPOKE TO RESIDENTS WHO SAY THEY’RE RELIEVED.
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NATs birds chirping.
Eden Valley is an idyllic, rural enclave by Escondido.
Residents here like it because it gives them a reprieve from the commotion of city life.
This was also where global energy company A-E-S wanted to build the Seguro battery storage facility … on the site of a former horse ranch.
But now A-E-S says it’s no longer moving forward with the project.
NATPOP “I’m relieved. I’m very relieved.”
Amanda Black lives next door to the proposed Seguro site.
Her main concern was the fire hazards.
Though rare, lithium-ion batteries have been known to catch on fire.
Amanda Black // Eden Valley Resident
“We don't have technology to safely put them out, so they're allowed to burn for days.”
A-E-S says it is prioritizing other projects.
AN/KPBS
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FIREWORKS SHOT OFF BY SEAWORLD MAY SOON BE A THING OF THE PAST. REPORTER JOHN CARROLL SAYS THE PARK IS MOVING IN A NEW DIRECTION - AWAY FROM FIREWORKS AND TOWARD DRONES.
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SEAWORLD HAS BEEN SHOOTING FIREWORKS INTO THE NIGHT SKY SINCE 1968. BUT FOLLOWING YEARS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOUD NOISES FRIGHTENING PETS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO MISSION BAY, THE PARK IS CHANGING COURSE. NEXT WEEK, THEY’LL ASK THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION FOR PERMISSION TO STAGE HUGE DRONE SHOWS INSTEAD. SAN DIEGO COASTKEEPER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PHILLIP MUSEGAAS SAYS THE CHANGE CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR MISSION BAY’S ENVIRONMENT.
“When the fireworks discharge, there's a lot of debris that falls into the water. That includes chemicals, cardboard, plastics, wiring, you name it.”
IF THE COASTAL COMMISSION GIVES THE O-K, SEAWORLD IS EXPECTED TO ROLL OUT THEIR DRONE SHOW IN MID-MAY. JC, KPBS NEWS.
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AS WE DO FOR YOU EACH AND EVERY FRIDAY, HERE ARE SOME WEEKEND EVENT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOURS TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTY
SATURDAY, CITY OF SAN DIEGO POLICE OFFICERS WILL PLAY ...
POLICE LEADING ADVENTURES FOR YOUTH BRINGS YOUTH AND OFFICERS TOGETHER TO PLAY BOARD GAMES IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS, CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE EXPERIENCES
THE EVENT IS FROM THREE TO SIX P-M IN CHULA VISTA
AND IF IT DOESN’T GET RAINED OUT, ROOFTOP PILATES IS ALSO ON FOR SATURDAY
IT STARTS AND 10 A.M. ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE ANDAZ HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN
THERE YOU CAN GET A WORKOUT WHILE ADMIRING THE SKYLINE BACKDROP
AND IF YOU ARE OVER 21 – THE ESTANCIA LA JOLLA HOTEL AND SPA IS RETURNING WITH THEIR ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY THIS SUNDAY FROM NOON TO FOUR P-M
YOU CAN CHECK OUT SPRING-INSPIRED ARTWORK, ROAM THROUGH
THEIR GARDENS OR JUST ENJOY SOME LIVE MUSIC
WHATEVER YOU DO THIS WEEKEND, ENJOY!
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is edited by Brooke Ruth and hosted and produced by me, Lawrence K. Jackson. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
