The fascination with space is a central element in Universal Picture’s Despicable Me, available in Blu-ray and DVD from 21 February. In the movie, Gru hopes to become an astronaut, and his dream is to embark on a space mission to steal the Moon. We would like to introduce someone that has truly been beyond the boundaries of our planet: astronaut Umberto Guidoni talks to Esa Kids about his experience in space.
“Being an astronaut was a dream I had since childhood. As a boy I had books on astronomy and even a small telescope through which I observed the sky. I loved reading science fiction novels and nurtured a passion for the stars The first mission to the Moon in 1969 made me realise that the dream of space travel was possibile. At first, only the United States and Russia organised space travel, but after I became an astrophysicist, the opportunity finally presented itself.
The years before a mission are a long preparation phase, during which it feels like going back to school. At the end of this period there is a another year of training, which precedes the long awaited moment to board a spacecraft. The biggest emotion is during the countdown: with each second, you realise that everything you have prepared for is about to happen! But there are many other memorable moments: the first time you look at the universe with your own eyes, or the feeling of being in zero gravity.
On a spacecraft, the most bizarre thing is the absence of weight. It is something you can only know when you experience it yourself. If you lose something, your first instinct is to check the floor, but in space this rule does not apply, because the item can be anywhere, and often moves around. Because of this, an astronaut must always be very careful and orderly, especially with small items such as spectacles or a watch.
The most striking thing when you are in space is the view of the Earth. Looking at the Universe, the Earth is basically what ends up attracting our attention. It is the only object rich with colour and movement that you see when you’re in space. From the spaceship, you can see a number of surprising details such as mountains and oceans. You are in awe with all that you can observe with the naked eye but also struck by the vision of our fragile planet, a body which is completely isolated, and around which darkness seems to reign. In addition, from space you have a clear overview of its wounds: deforestation, fires, pollution. It is not difficult to distinguish clouds from the smog, and we realise how sick the Earth really is.”
Umberto Guidoni wrote a book dedicated to all the children who dream of becoming an astronaut. It is called Astrolibro del Universo and has been recently published in Italy.
