Jack Patrick Fortune
(blog pri predmetu Science Communication na MPŠ)

During the height of the Irish lockdown in 2021, while I was in my third-to-last year of undergraduate studies, I started contemplating my future career options. As a sports science student, I initially considered opening an elite training centre or pursuing further education in coaching. Unfortunately, my passion for these paths had faded, and I was uncertain what to do next. However, exercise physiology still fascinated me, so I began exploring career options. One day, I had an epiphany as I walked my dog on a sunny Irish morning. I realised that I could combine my interests in space and physiology to create a unique career path. I started researching exercise countermeasures astronauts use to stay healthy in space and became hooked. This was it; I had found my calling! However, I had always believed space research was only for a few super-intelligent people worldwide and was disconnected from us earthlings, but I soon discovered this was untrue. As I delved deeper into the application of space technologies in our daily lives, I learned that on a daily basis, I interact with technologies that have originated from space. Pursuing space research wasn’t about escaping our planet but using technology to improve our lives on Earth. My newfound passion for space research continued to grow throughout my final year of BSc studies, and I became increasingly excited about the possibilities.

To put it briefly, I found myself in the right place at the right time, and an opportunity arose for me to pursue space physiology research with the Jozef Stefan Institute. The only catch was that I had to move from my home country, Ireland, to Slovenia. If you have ever emigrated to a foreign country, you know how nerve-wracking it can be. It was a daunting experience, as I had never lived outside of Ireland. Nevertheless, on September 28th, 2022, I headed to Dublin airport to start the next chapter of my life. After saying goodbye to my family, I went to find my gate. As I looked at the LED TV displaying all outbound flights, I couldn’t help but think about how ironic it was that the same technology that NASA initially developed for astronauts to monitor critical spacecraft systems was now being used to guide me to my gate, and this trend continued throughout my fight to Slovenia. As I waited to board my flight, I listened to music to calm my nerves and put on my wireless headphones, another product originally produced for astronauts. Shortly after boarding, the flight was delayed due to ice on the wing, which needed to be cleared before take-off. After 40 minutes and another use of space technology (de-icer), I was going to Slovenia. During the uneventful three-hour flight, I read papers on space countermeasures on my laptop, a technology initially developed for astronauts. I also took photos of the Alps on my phone using its microlenses, the same lenses first used for CubeSats that orbit our planet. After landing and collecting my bag, I hopped on a bus to Ljubljana and constantly checked my location via GPS, which would not have been possible without space tech. I eventually arrived at my hotel, checked in, got to my room, and fell on the soft memory foam mattress developed to cushion astronauts when leaving and re-entering Earth. The following morning, I woke up on my first day in Slovenia. I took a shower, dressed, and put on my running shoes and shoe insoles, which use shock absorption rubber first produced for spacesuits. I then visited the Jozef Stefan Institute to meet my professor, supervisor, and colleagues, and the rest was history.

I’m sure by this point you understand how, over one day, we all use products that wouldn’t exist if it were not for humanity’s pursuit to explore the cosmos. Regardless of whether you agree with our pursuit of space research, one thing is sure: we have all benefitted from it and will continue to do so. From a loved one who relies on a pacemaker for normal heart function to families who can reach a shelter due to a warning before a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or flooding, that is detected by our satellites. From famine-stricken countries that receive life-saving aid from water purification systems and freeze-dried foods to fire alarms waking people at night to evacuate their houses and satellites scanning the earth for fertile land for farmers to grow their crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Without space research, humanity certainly would not be what it is today, and who knows what it might bring for us in the next 10, 20 or 100 years?

Hi, my name is Jack Fortune, or as I’m more commonly known in Slovenia, Jack Patrick Fortune. Originally from Ireland, I’m now a first-year PhD student at Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, studying environmental physiology at the Jožef Stefan Institute in Slovenia. I’m obsessed with the what-ifs of life, what if we used artificial gravity to keep humans healthy in space? What will we use to entertain astronauts during long, deep space missions? What if the planets had personalities and could argue with one another? Maybe not the last question, but nevertheless, it’s a goal in my life to answer at least a few of them to bring humanity one step closer to space!