Two weeks ago, the United States woke up to an event it had not witnessed in seventeen years: a catastrophic failure in the space program. While returning from a routine mission to deliver more components to the International Space Station, something went horribly wrong on board the space shuttle Columbia, causing it to disintegrate over the western United States. For some at Brandeis' Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory, which conducts research used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on spatial orientation under various gravitational conditions, the loss of Columbia is particularly acute.Prof. Paul DiZio (NPSY) was acquainted with Michael Anderson, one of the seven astronauts killed in the explosion. "I met him twice flying in parabolic flight," DiZio said, referring to the flights in which a zero gravity environment is simulated. Shortly after the destruction of Columbia, DiZio, along with two others from the Graybiel Lab, flew to Houston to work with NASA on parabolic flight. A memorial service for the Columbia was a somber addition to previously planned trip.

Columbia's launch on this mission, like that of most space flights in recent years, received minimal coverage. However, DiZio said he still believes this disaster is important for the entire country. "It's a national disaster. It's still a source of pride," he said. Despite this setback in space exploration, the Graybiel lab is continuing with all of its projects. "Everyone is doing their job," DiZio said, while adding, "the research we do right here has some impact on the shuttle program. We do research for the long term, like a Mars mission. That's going ahead full force."

Where NASA goes next is uncertain, but DiZio is optimistic about the overall survival of the space program. "I have friends who have applied to be astronauts. None of them are considering backing off," he said.

The immediate future may be grim for NASA; it was between 1986 and 1987 when the entire shuttle fleet was grounded after the explosion of Challenger. One of the most pressing issues, according to other members of the Graybiel lab, is the economics of the space program. Concerning the future of space travel, Isaac Kurtzer (GRAD) said, "There are clearly valid questions; also really expensive questions."

During the 1960s, the budget allocated to NASA at times exceeded five percent of all federal spending, but now it is less than one percent of the federal budget, according to NASA and the White House Office of Management and Budget Information. "NASA's been running on $14 billion for the last 15 years," Graybiel researcher Simone Bortolami said.

Another Graybiel researcher, Joel Ventura, also pointed out NASA never received all the money it wanted for the shuttle program. "When the program started, NASA asked for money for six orbiters because they expected to lose two. Congress said, 'Just don't lose any,'" NASA has now lost two shuttles.

The investigation into the cause of Columbia's failure may take time. Investigators now have formulated theories about a missing tile in the shuttle's heat shield and a collision with a piece of space junk. Last week, during a NASA press conference, correspondents reported that a wheel became de-pressurized under intense heat during reentry, and plasma (superheated gas) filled the wheel well, sparking the explosion. "Debris, foam, human error: many, many things could go wrong. We just have to collect the facts and analyze," DiZio said.

Bortolami speculated on a specific cause of the tragedy. "The Columbia was 22 years old," he said. "In its years of service, the Columbia went on twenty-eight missions, including its last. Another seventy-five missions would have taken decades to complete, so it is possible that age was a factor.

Still, DiZio does not feel that the future of space exploration is in jeopardy. He said the prospect of space exploration will continue to drive space travel, regardless of the risks and dangers involved. "Exploration of the Earth was not held back by the condition that all voyages be 100 percent safe. We can't not explore (space). It's hard to imagine not having a presence," he said.

The Graybiel lab is focused on how people adapt to gravity and spatially orient themselves. DiZio said he feels the space environment is one of the greatest tools for this study, because gravity is the most constant force in the world. "What does the brain do if the one, most constant thing changes?" he asked.

Kurtzer said he is not sure about the future and usefulness of the space program. Adding to his prior comments about the costs of the space program, he said, "There might be more efficient ways to spend the money. It's a hard call. Research doesn't always have benefits. It's hard to imagine the theory of relativity helping people get over a cold." However, he doesn't believe that NASA is in true peril. "It's a matter of national pride. There's no way we're going to dump it," he said.

NASA is currently putting future shuttle missions on hiatus while the failure of Columbia is investigated. It took over two years for Americans to return to space after the Challenger explosion, and it could take as much time, if not more, in this instant as well. In an appearance before a joint hearing of Congress last week, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe stressed that NASA must and will continue working towards its goals. "We will find the problem that caused the loss of Columbia and its crew, we will fix it, and we will return to flight operations that are as safe as humanly possible in pursuit of knowledge," he said.

Knowledge and exploration are what drive DiZio's research. "We have to know more about ourselves. That's why we explore. That's what research is," he said.

The Graybiel lab is still working toward greater knowledge of human nature and the future of space flight. According to DiZio, exploration is too important to ignore, and that is why NASA and space flight should not be stopped. "Anything that puts the lid on exploration is wrong. It's natural; right now we've just hit a serious snag. We've got to fix it and go on," he said.