David Wolf interviewed on The Bob and Tom Show

Astronaut Dr. David Wolf recently appeared on the TV version of The Bob and Tom Show, which airs five days a week at midnight on WGN.  The syndicated morning radio program broadcasts out of Indianapolis, where Wolf was born.

The NASA veteran who spent time on Mir had plenty to say about life in space and the future of the program:

-He mentioned that although he's flown several times and is scheduled for STS-127 in 2009, all the astronauts currently in the program should have a chance to fly on board the shuttle before the fleet is retired.

-Regarding his recovery after 128 days on Mir, Dr. Wolf said that "for a while there I thought I wrecked my life.  My wristwatch felt like a bowling ball.  It took several months to even walk around properly, and several years to do sports well.  They're coming back a lot better now; we've learned a lot since then."

-Dr. Wolf answered questions about the International Space Station's new toilet system, explaining that the water recovery and purification system is "a lot like the Earth, only smaller." 

-He briefly discussed his EVA traning and goals for STS-127, which will probably be his last on board the Shuttle, adding that "I'm not sure I can get my mom to sign the permission slip for the Moon or Mars mission."

-When asked if there was a feature film which accurately depicted the space program, Dr. Wolf answered that he'd watched The Right Stuff in space, but that The Dish "really captured the spirit of the space program."  He also mentioned that he took Tom Hanks on tours of Johnson Space Center in preparation for the filming of Apollo 13, calling the actor and director "a great guy."

-Is there sex in space, Dr. Wolf?  "Um... sure."