Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman – NASA astronaut

Now a professor at MIT and a former NASA astronaut, Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman is the epitome of bravery and intelligence. What does it take to go into space—not once, not twice, but five times—risking life and limb for the cause of exploration and science? He is driven by the inherent human trait that has always pushed humanity forward: the urge to explore not only the secrets of planet Earth but, even more courageously, space itself.

Dr. Hoffman says that the most significant aspect of being an astronaut for him is not just the incredible experiences he has had but also the way it has changed how others perceive and treat him—something unavoidable that he has simply “had to learn how to deal with.” "They look at me a little differently," he admits. Overall, he describes it as a positive experience since it has opened many doors for him. However, it does have its downsides, as normal conversations become increasingly rare. Naturally, but somewhat annoyingly, every conversation tends to orbit around his experiences as an astronaut, making small talk about the weather a rarity.

Would he go back into space? In a heartbeat. To state the obvious, he loves being in space—a passion that, even with my limited knowledge, I can confidently say is integral for an astronaut. Despite his eagerness, he doesn’t foresee it happening again.

The reason he stopped flying was that he was offered a job in Paris as a NASA representative, and living there with his wife, Barbara, was an opportunity too good to refuse.

Astronauts sometimes compare space travel to an addictive drug—once you’ve done it, you want to do it over and over again. But leading the life of an astronaut comes with many challenges. It is far from a regular 9-to-5 job. Amidst the many obstacles, what was the greatest and most unexpected challenge?

For Dr. Hoffman, it was making the decision to shift his life’s trajectory. Although all his academic training had been driven by a passion for astronomy, he had to be willing to redirect his career when the opportunity to become an astronaut arose. Additionally, in the early days of his training, he faced another major hurdle: learning to fly a supersonic jet. He wasn’t a pilot, yet he had to master jet operation and work as a crew member—an entirely new experience that proved to be a significant challenge.

Each of Jeff’s spaceflights came with its own set of problems. On his first mission, one of the satellites they launched didn’t turn on. He had to put on a spacesuit and go out to fix it—even though it was never planned or specifically rehearsed. On his second flight, computers were used to operate the telescopes they had taken into space. On the very first day, one of the computers burned out, and on the fourth day, the second one failed as well. This left them scrambling to salvage the mission and still collect scientific data—which, remarkably, they managed to do.

On his third and fifth flights, he worked with a so-called "tethered satellite"—a satellite launched from the shuttle but attached by a 20-kilometer-long cable. Getting it to function properly was far from easy. However, the most significant challenge of his career came during his fourth mission: repairing the Hubble Space Telescope.

The situation was critical. Hubble couldn’t focus properly, which was a disaster for NASA, jeopardizing both its funding and reputation. The pressure was insurmountable. Fortunately, we already know how the story ends—Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman’s fourth spaceflight was a success. He returned home safely, and Hubble was fixed.

Beyond professional challenges, his career also came with personal sacrifices. Despite his demanding work, he remained committed to his responsibilities as a husband and father to his two sons. Did he ever regret it? The risks? The constant what if?

Fully aware of the dangers, he felt the significance of his missions outweighed any fear or doubt. "If I had been on one of those shuttles that didn’t make it, that would have been a little too late for regrets." He notes that anyone with a dangerous job—whether a soldier, police officer, or firefighter—must personally come to terms with the risks they accept. It depends a lot on one’s personality, but he and his team trained extensively for worst-case scenarios, for problems they could fix. This gave him full confidence that they would make the right decisions.

And for the problems they couldn’t fix or prevent? Jeff’s philosophy was simple: “If I can’t do anything about it, why would I worry about it?” Fortunately, he isn’t prone to worrying, which made him well-suited for the anxieties of his profession.

He acknowledges that luck played a significant role in his career—he was lucky to have the opportunities he had, the places he visited, the schools he attended, and the people he met. Yet, in my opinion, his success is far more than just a matter of luck.

How does a boy born in 1944 dream of exploring space before astronauts even existed? Who were his role models? His heroes were found in science fiction—and alongside them, famous scientists such as Galileo. For me, it’s surreal to think that a child can grow up to accomplish what he once considered pure fantasy.

Dr. Hoffman also commented on how space exploration has profoundly changed human culture. He pointed to instantaneous global satellite communication—humanity is now more aware than ever of events happening worldwide. If there’s a war, we know about it. If there’s a fire in Australia, we know about it. Space exploration has also become an integral part of the global economy.

Although Jeff can’t place any bets on what the future of space exploration will hold, he is certain that it will persevere. He sees space as a source of inspiration for humanity, fuelling the part of the human spirit that is always asking, What’s over the next hill?

"Space exploration has given people something to dream about."

After I closed the Zoom link, having just spoken to someone who is, to say the least, one in a million, I was left with the feeling that I had just talked to a genius. His scientific mindset, so vastly different from my own, commanded a sense of deep respect.

Ironically, for someone who has spent his life dedicated to space and what we see as twinkling lights in the night sky, Dr. Jeffrey Hoffman is, in the most unexpected way, a truly down-to-earth person.