Commander Chris Hadfield on Readiness in a Crisis
Readiness is important for success, especially in space.
Learn about astronaut Chris Hadfield's experience averting a crisis on
Expedition 35, and how you can use his preparedness tips in your own life and work.
Chris Hadfield: A Quick Overview
Astronaut from Canada Chris Hadfield is an accomplished
astronaut. Colonel Chris Hadfield was assigned to the NASA Johnson Space Center
in Houston, Texas, by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in 1992. For twenty-five
space shuttle missions, he served as NASA's Chief CapCom. Colonel Hadfield was
chosen by NASA as a NASA Mission Specialist, and three years later, he was
aboard the Shuttle Atlantis, where he assisted in the construction of the Mir
space station. Colonel Hadfield performed two spacewalks on the Shuttle
Endeavour in 2001, and in 2013, he became Commander of the International Space
Station (ISS) for six months off the planet. Colonel Hadfield continues to
amaze everyone he meets with the wonders of science and space exploration.
Definition of Readiness
The state of being ready is known as readiness. For example,
career readiness refers to the foundation of higher education or a combination
of experiences that prepares a person for a specific career path. In an
emergency situation, readiness also refers to the ability and willingness to
perform a task at the highest level with clarity and precision. To achieve this
state of mind, you must be trained and confident in making and carrying out
sound decisions.
Commander Chris Hadfield on Readiness: 3 Tips for Preparedness
An emergency occurred during Expedition 35 of the
International Space Station in 2013. When the crew discovered a leak in the
ammonia coolant, Commander Chris Hadfield acted quickly to prevent disaster.
"Ammonia breakthrough is one of the worst emergencies on a spaceship
because if you get one big lung full of ammonia, that could be the last breath
you'll ever take," Chris says. Consider his preparedness advice:
1. Be self-assured. When a crisis occurs, rely on your
training to help you manage your emotions. "It's [about] years of
preparation, years of training...so you don't get all worked up with peaks and
valleys of emotions of things that could potentially happen," Chris
explains. "But you have a deep reserve of competence and confidence so
that you can do something that seems. . .hairy or wild and do it with
assuredness”that is actually what you would prefer. Nobody wants a tense
surgeon."
2. Act quickly. Your ability and willingness to act quickly
is an important aspect of preparedness. "If you've done the work [and] if
you've developed a certain set of skills, then you need to be able to act on it
at some point," he says. "And don't procrastinate. Don't be evasive.
Simply believe in yourself. Decide and proceed with the security of your own
decision-making."
3. Investigate the situation. Make sure to conduct a
post-event readiness assessment. "When you finish something, look back and
debrief it, if not with everyone else involved," Chris advises. His
ability to handle the ammonia crisis on the spaceship stemmed from ongoing
learning, which was part of his readiness toolkit. "Not only did I survive
that one," he says, "but I learned some things from it so that when
the next crisis comes along, I'll be even better able to hopefully prevail and
win and fix the new spaceship”however it chooses to break."