Ups and Downs of Research

I've been conducting a series of experiments for space. I started working at Ames Research Center as a student in 1971. Then I came back to do postdoctoral work in 1973 and NASA actually hired me in 1978. In 1979 my experiment was accepted for space. It was a big thrill in my life. The first time I would get to send it into space would be in 1984. Then the Challenger accident happened in 1986. The second time I was able to send it into space was in 1992. What NASA had originally agreed to in 1979 was to let me fly 16 subjects (eight who received the Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) treatment and eight controls who took an alternative treatment), to complete the experiment.

"Controls" means "control groups." A control group is a group that participates in the same activities as the test subjects. But the control group does not use the same kinds of treatments or exercises, like the AFTE. Instead, they have different or no treatments or exercises, and the results of these are compared to the results of the test subjects. Therefore, this kind of experiment could also be called a "controlled experiment."

So far I've only flown three times and have data from space on three AFTE crew members and three controls, which are not enough data to evaluate the treatment effectiveness.

However, the experiment was successful. The crew liked it. Things were working. But before the final report was completed, the experiment was canceled. No explanation was given whatsoever. No chance to defend the work. Nothing. Then my original laboratory was taken away and I was given a smaller one. These are the biggest frustrations of my work.

I've spent the last three years talking with my colleagues in Russia since my experiment was canceled. They have invited this experiment to fly on the Mir Space Station and that's a real big plus for me. But even though this means my experiments will still fly, officially this is a Russian experiment. So, no money, no credit. But I'll still get the answers to my questions.