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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2019)
B2 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2019 FIELD TEST Candidates Wanted URGENT NOTICE: You may be qualified to participate in a special Field Test of new hearing instrument technology being held at a local test site. Library of Congress Divers work with an astronaut training in the swimming pool used to simulate spacewalks at the Marshall Flight Center. Apollo 11: We are bound only by our fl agging ambitions and petty squabbles Continued from Page B1 working for NASA based on his work at Marshall. This time Hunt was tasked with fi guring out safe and effective equipment designs for the astronauts to use when they had to work outside the spacecraft — Extra Vehic- ular Activity — including the lunar module as well as designs for the Apollo Tele- scope Mount and Skylab. Hunt spent a lot of time monitoring the astronauts in the giant swimming pools used to simulate weightless- ness — testing critical equip- ment like boots and gloves, handholds and tools that needed to work in reduced gravity environments. They would also take astronauts up in a KC-135 plane on roller- coaster-like parabolic fl ights that provided a handful of seconds of weightlessness at the top and bottom of the arc. “We were kind of fi guring things out as we went along because no one had ever attempted what we were try- ing to do,” Hunt said. “It was the greatest job in the world.” Still in his 20s, Hunt remembers working side by side with astronauts Michael Collins, Deke Slayton, Gor- don Cooper and Jim Lovell, as well as Skylab pioneer Owen Garriott. Hunt also became friends with future shuttle commander Joe Engle. “We were working with these guys, the astronauts, traveling together, eating with them, we weren’t awe- struck, they were regular people,” Hunt said. “They were fun-loving but very serious. It was life or death Library of Congress Astronaut Garriott on an EVA. John Hunt recalls working as a consultant for the 1960s Apollo program responsible for extra vehicular activities at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama and the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. and the attitude was, ‘we’ve got to get it right.’” High-stakes mission It is hard looking back to remember how much pres- sure there was to get it right — this was a life or death sit- uation for those astronauts. It is even harder to recall that half a million contrac- tors from every part of the country had a hand in putting those footprints on the moon with the primitive technology of the day. Seamstresses skilled at sewing girdles and bras were stitching space suits. The computers — which became overloaded in the last sec- onds before landing on the moon — were hard-wired, their connections woven by hand. “Your phone has thou- sands of times more com- puting power than they had on the fl ight,” Hunt said. “It was an amazing feat and nobody … everyone was holding their breath because we knew there were a million things that could have gone wrong. People today, I don’t think they realize what we accomplished.” The effort to put a man on the moon wasn’t without con- troversy. There were protests at the Kennedy Space Cen- ter the day before the launch. There were other demands for the money being spent on this ambitious goal. Reach- ing for the moon drove inno- vation and created a wealth of knowledge far beyond what on the surface appeared to be a narrow competition between Cold War nations. Yet, the race provided dividends in knowledge and technology still paying off 50 years later. “It was the chance of a lifetime, a dream job,” Hunt said. “But once they landed on the moon, you could feel that the public and political support was going to die. “I hope we go back, we’ve started to talk about that again,” he added. “We are starting to say hey, we did that.” The lesson of Apollo is that we are bound only by our fl agging ambitions and petty squabbles. Look up tonight and know, on the surface of the moon there is a plaque that says, “Here men from the planet Earth fi rst set foot upon the Moon, July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.” Ed Hunt is a writer and registered nurse as well as the author of “The Huckle- berry Hajj,” a collection of essays available on Amazon. com. He lives in Grays River, Washington. An industry leader in digital hearing devices is sponsoring a product field test in your area next week and they have asked us to select up to 15 qualified candidates to participate. They are interested in determining the benefits of GENIUS™ 3.0 Technology in eliminating the difficulty hearing aid users experience in difficult environments, such as those with background noise or multiple talkers. Candidates in other test areas have reported very positive feedback so far. We are looking for additional candidates in Warrenton and the surrounding areas. Dates: July 20 th thru 31 st Miracle-Ear Center Youngs Bay Plaza 173 S. Hwy 101 Warrenton, OR 97146 (503) 836-7921 Miracle-Ear Center 2505 Main Ave N, Suite C Tillamook, OR 97141 (503) 836-7926 In an effort to accurately demonstrate the incredible performance of these devices, specially trained representatives will be conducting testing and demonstrations during this special event. In addition to an audiometric hearing evaluation, candidates will receive a fiber-optic otoscope exam, a painless procedure that could reveal common hearing problems such as excessive wax or damage to the eardrum, as well as other common cause of hearing deficiencies. Qualified Field Test Candidates: • Live in Warrenton or the surrounding area • Are at least 55 years of age or older • Have experienced some level of hearing difficulty, or currently wear hearing aids • Don’t currently work for a market research company FIELD TEST PARTICIPANTS Will be tested and selected same-day. We have a limited supply of the GENIUS™ 3.0 test product currently on hand and ready for testing. We have also been authorized to offer significant discounts if you decide to take the hearing instruments home. If you choose not to keep them, there’s no risk or obligation of any kind.† TO PARTICIPATE: 1. You must be one of the first 15 people to call our office Mention Code: 19JulField . 2. You will be required to have your hearing tested in our office, FREE OF CHARGE, to determine candidacy. 3. Report your results with the hearing instruments to the Hearing Care Specialist over a three week test period. Qualified candidates will be selected on a first- come, first-served basis so please call us TODAY to secure your spot in the Product Field Test. Participants who qualify and complete the product test will receive a FREE $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card* as a token of our thanks. AVOID WAITING – CALL AND MENTION CODE: 19JulField *One per household. Must be 55 or older and bring loved one for familiar voice test. Must complete a hearing test. Not valid with prior test/purchase in last 6 months. While supplies last. Free gift card may be used toward the purchase of food at participating restaurants where a minimum purchase may also be required. See restau- rant.com for details. Not redeemable for cash. Promotional offer available during special event dates only. †If you are not completely satisfied, the aids may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the completion of fitting, in satisfactory condition. See store for details.
