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LIVE WEBCAST
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EARTH TO ASTRONAUT
Exciting new astronaut series to feature educator astronaut
This event is part of an exciting series of Challenger Center interactive webcasts. Each month, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions. You may submit questions via the online form here, email to 25@challenger.org or use the instant message feature during the live webcast. Schedule of events is available at Earth to Astronaut page.
Special Thanks to KZO Networks, Richard Garriott and NASA for their support of our webcasts.
ARCHIVED WEBCASTS
Challenger Center hosted live interactive webcast with Capt. Jim Lovell
Captain James Lovell, Jr. (US Navy, Ret.) was chosen as an astronaut in 1962, following extensive experience as a naval aviator and test pilot. Capt. Lovell went on to build a distinguished NASA career, serving as pilot on the history-making Gemini 7 flight in 1965 with Command Pilot Frank Borman. This flight set an endurance record of fourteen days in space, and also was the target vehicle for the first space rendezvous with Gemini 6A. Capt. Lovell was also the Commander of the Gemini 12 spacecraft in November 1966 with Pilot Buzz Aldrin. Capt. Lovell was the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8 with Commander Frank Borman and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders. Capt. Lovell is best known as the Commander of the now legendary Apollo 13 mission with pilots Jack Swigert and Fred Haise. The Apollo 13 mission suffered a critical failure en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission control. Capt. Lovell is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon, the first of only three people to fly to the Moon twice. Capt. Lovell was also the first person to fly in space four times.
Interactive webcast with MMS EPO Lead Troy Cline
December 1st, 2011 - Troy Cline is the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Lead for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS). Mr. Cline’s responsibilities include planning, coordinating, implementing, and managing the MMS mission’s outreach activities to meet NASA’s EPO goals and guidelines. Mr. Cline also serves as the Educational Technology Integration Specialist for NASA’s Sun-Earth Day and Space Weather Action Center programs. Mr. Cline provides ongoing educational technology support and leadership in the development and distribution of educational programs and materials reaching over 50 million people worldwide. Mr. Cline, will share information about the most recent EPO programs and activities including MMS models (LEGO, paper, edible), Virtual Environments (Second Life), NASA Edge Video Podcasting, Mathematics Educator’s Guide, the Space Weather Media Viewer, and the Sun-Earth Day program.
MMS mission videos are available here.
Click here to download the presentation (40 MB ppt)
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Colonel Fred Gregory
November 10th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted for a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Dr. Fred Gregory. This is part of an exciting series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut, as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
Colonel Fred Gregory was selected as an astronaut in January 1978. Colonel Gregory's technical assignments included: Astronaut Office representative at the Kennedy Space Center during initial Orbiter checkout and launch support for STS-1 and STS-2; Flight Data File Manager; lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM); Chief, Operational Safety, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.; Chief, Astronaut Training; and a member of the Orbiter Configuration Control Board and the Space Shuttle Program Control Board. As veteran of three Shuttle missions, Colonel Gregory has logged over 455 hours in space. Colonel Gregory served as pilot on STS-51B, and was the Commander on STS-33, and STS-44. Colonel Gregory served at NASA Headquarters as Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (1992-2001), Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight (2001-2002), and NASA Deputy Administrator (2002-2005).
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Dr. Thomas Jones
October 25th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted for a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Dr. Thomas Jones. This is part of an exciting series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut, as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Dr. Bernard Harris
September 28th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted for a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Dr. Bernard Harris. This is part of an exciting series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut, as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Roger Crouch
June 26th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted for a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Roger Crouch. This is part of an exciting series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut, as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions.
- Roger Crouch Bio (pdf, 53KB)
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Bob Crippen
June 21st, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted for a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Bob Crippen. This is part of an exciting series of interactive webcasts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenger Center’s educational programs. Each month during the 25th anniversary year, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut, as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions. Mr. Crippen will give a presentation and answer questions during the live webcast. No registration is required and the webcast is free. To join the webcast, visit http://webcast.challenger.org.
You may submit questions at: http://www.challenger.org/25 or by email to 25@challenger.org, or use the instant message feature during the live webcast. Adobe Flash Player is required to participate and view the webcast. A new web environment will open on your computer with a chat interface to ask questions.
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Ken Reightler
May 31st, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted a live interactive webcast with former NASA Astronaut, Ken Reightler.
Selected by NASA in June 1987, Mr. Reightler completed a year of astronaut candidate training and was designated an astronaut in August 1988. Mr. Reightler served as the pilot on missions STS-48 and STS-60. In 1995, Mr. Reightler retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of Captain and joined Lockheed Martin in Houston, Texas. He was responsible for managing engineering, science, communications, and mission operations programs providing technical services to NASA. After serving as Vice President and Senior Vice President, in 2004 he was promoted to President, Lockheed Martin Space Operations in Greenbelt, Maryland. Following the win of the Orion/Crew Exploration Vehicle contract in 2006, Mr. Reightler joined Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company as Vice President, NASA Program Integration. In 2011, Mr. Reightler joined ATK as Vice President, Engineering Services.
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with William F. Readdy
April 27th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted a live interactive webcast with astronaut and former Associate Administrator at NASA, William F. Readdy.
Earth to Astronaut - Live Interactive Webcast with Barbara Morgan
March 16th, 2011 - Challenger Center for Space Science Education hosted a live interactive webcast with astronaut and Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, Barbara Morgan.
Comet Mysteries Revealed: A tale of two spacecraft, three comets, and four missions!
EPOXI, the Deep Impact spacecraft was re-purposed in November 2010 to flyby Comet Hartley 2. The presenters reviewed some exciting imagery and science from this mission and previewed the Stardust-NExT mission set to flyby Comet Tempel 1 on February 14, 2011. Participants experienced hands-on educational activities provided by the education and public outreach team from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL).
Co-presenter Dr. Lori Feaga from the University of Maryland is a planetary scientist with a background in spectroscopy. As a graduate student, she studied UV spectra of Io to determine the composition and distribution of Io's tenuous atmosphere. More recently, she was a science team member of the Deep Impact mission to comet Tempel 1, using the IR spectrometer to study the abundance, distribution, and production rate of molecules in the coma and ejecta of a Jupiter family comet. From the Deep Impact data, she was able to map the water and carbon dioxide in the innermost coma of Tempel 1. She is also on the EPOXI science team and intends to interpret the spectral data acquired at comet Hartley 2 to compare and contrast Jupiter family comets and shed light on their history in the solar system.
Co-presenter John Ristvey works at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) on NASA's EPOXI and Stardust-NExT missions. He is currently principal investigator for two National Science Foundation funded projects, including A Nanoleap into New Science creating activities for high school students about nanoscale science and technology. A former science teacher, Mr. Ristvey has also helped NASA to develop many K-12 instructional materials.
- Comparing Comets Presentation (pdf, 1.5 MB)
- Comparing Comets Student Activity (pdf, 150 KB)
To the Moon, Mars and Beyond: A Talk with Andrew Chaikin, Space Journalist
Watch Andrew Chaikin on a live webcast with Challenger Center for Space Science Education, held on Wednesday, September 29th from 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET. Learn more about human adventures of our planet and the awesome discoveries of yesterday, today and tomorrow in space. From the Apollo astronauts' experiences to the coming explorations of Mars and the fantastic images from the Hubble Space Telescope, Mr. Chaikin discussed the importance of space and lunar exploration and why we should continue to explore other worlds and our universe.
Journalist, author and speaker Andrew Chaikin is an internationally renowned authority on space exploration. His books include the best-selling chronicle of the Apollo moon missions, A Man on the Moon, the main basis for the Tom Hanks Emmy-winning HBO miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon. Mr. Chaikin says "My mission is to inspire and educate about the wonders of the universe and the incredible adventure of space exploration."
- Presentation (pdf, 1.2 MB)
- Andrew Chaikin Website
Space Policy and You – How can you participate in the adventure?
Watch Challenger Center archived webcast with Angela Peura, Space Policy Consultant held on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 1:00PM EDT.
Let's say that you love space, but space technology is not where your talents lie. Does that mean you can't participate in the adventure? Not at all. In this webcast we'll discuss multiple possibilities for careers related to space exploration. We will look at questions such as what space policy is, why we go to space, what "the future" will be like, and how individuals can contribute.
Angela Peura is currently a space policy consultant in Washington, DC. she has worked in the fields of space science education - as a Space Camp Counselor and Challenger Learning Center Flight Director - and archaeology. She recently graduated from George Washington University's International Science and Technology Policy Masters degree program. She hopes to meld her life-long interest in space with her international experience to foster international collaboration and guide human endeavors in space in a peaceful and mutually beneficial manner.
- Angela Peura Bio (pdf)
NASA Simulation Software: Technology for Space Mission Design by NASA’s Rebecca Mazzone
Watch Challenger Center for Space Science Education and NASA simulation software manager Rebecca Mazzone to learn about modeling and simulation for space systems.
Modeling and simulation helps scientists, engineers, technicians and operators understand what something is, how it behaves, and how to interact with it, all without having the real thing in front of them. In a business like space, where systems are large and expensive and have to operate in an environment that can’t easily be tested, these technologies play an important role in making sure everything will work together as expected when expected. NASA uses simulation throughout the entire process of developing a mission, from the early concepts of deciding what systems to build to training astronauts on how to use those systems once they exist. The end product is often safer, easier to operate and less expensive in the long-term.
Ms. Mazzone is the Data Presentation and Visualization Manager for NASA’s Constellation Program and Exploration Strategic Analysis team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Throughout her career Ms. Mazzone has been actively involved in simulation outreach, co-authoring several conference papers and travelling within the U.S. and abroad to share NASA’s advances and experiences with the modeling and simulation community. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and a Masters Degree in Space Systems, both from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Zero Robotics with AURORA Flight Sciences' John Tylko
Challenger Center and John Tylko from Aurora Flight Sciences talked about the ZeroRobotics project on the International Space Station (ISS). Partnering with MIT and NASA, the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Zero-Robotics investigation establishes a opportunity for high school students to design research for the ISS. As part of a competition, students write algorithms for the SPHERES satellites to accomplish tasks relevant to future space missions. The algorithms are tested by the SPHERES team and the best designs are selected for the competition to operate the SPHERES satellites on board the ISS. The program provides dozens of high school students access to the microgravity environment for experimentation and analysis; thereby, inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers to push the limits of space exploration and engineering, which developments and builds critical engineering skills for students; such as, problem solving, design thought process, operations training, teamwork and presentation skills. Students work on the design of software to accomplish complex tasks in space; such as docking, assembly, and formation flight. As for the competition, each team must complete a set of pre-determined tasks, whereby they are measured for performance.
For more information click here.
Check out our webcast with Dr. Jeff Goldstein on the Power of Models
It’s a big, often intimidating universe out there. How do we - scientists and students alike - even begin to fathom objects and distances that dwarf anything we’ve ever experienced? You might memorize all the facts and figures—our galaxy possesses 100 billion stars, our Sun is 93,000,000 miles away. But where’s the learning? The numbers are big, impersonal—even irrelevant. Alternately, you might construct a simpler world view with Earth, our Sun, some neighboring planets and stars adrift in an endless ocean of space. But both approaches do a disservice to the majesty of the cosmos.
Earth’s place in space - our place - IS knowable in a tangible way, even for elementary school students. The secret is placing the universe in a context that is familiar. You’re not convinced? Come and explore your universe with Dr. Jeff Goldstein. To make his point, he'll use content from his Blog on the Universe to take you where you've never been (even though you thought you've been there many times.)
Dr. Goldstein oversees programs that engage entire communities, trains thousands of teachers annually, and emphasizes family learning. He led the team that permanently installed the Voyage model Solar System on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in front of the Smithsonian. It reveals Earth’s place-our place-in space. The Voyage National Program is permanently installing replicas in 100 communities world-wide. Dr. Goldstein was at the National Air and Space Museum for 8 years, departing in 1996 as acting Chair of the Lab for Astrophysics. He was on the senior staff at Challenger Center 1996-2005. In 2005 he created the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education.
Water on the Moon and the LCROSS Lunar Impactor Mission
Brian Day, NASA Education and Public Outreach manager presents how our new generation of robotic probes has discovered water on the Moon and its importance to our exploration of the solar system. We focused on the recent LCROSS lunar impactor mission which excavated one of the permanently-shadowed craters at the Moon’s South Pole. We looked ahead to one of NASA’s next missions to the Moon, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer scheduled for launch in late 2012.
Forty years ago, the Apollo missions were helping us to develop an understanding of our nearest neighbor in space, the Moon. In recent years, a series of robotic lunar missions has provided us with new and exciting views of the Moon. The stories these recent missions are telling us reveal a Moon that is far different from what we thought we knew from the Apollo era. Most excitingly, we now know that the Moon has water. Much of this is in the form of ice deposits in permanently-shadowed craters at the Moon’s poles. These mysterious dark regions are the coldest places yet measured anywhere in the solar system.
Brian Day works at NASA’s Ames Research Center leading development of education and public outreach (E/PO) programs for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission to the Moon. From 2007-2010 he served as the E/PO Lead for NASA's LCROSS lunar impactor mission which discovered deposits of water ice at the Moon’s South Pole.
Comets and Asteroids with John Ristvey
John Ristvey, NASA Education and Public Outreach Manager for the Dawn, Stardust NExT and Epoxi missions presented about three important new NASA missions to asteroids and comets.
- Presentation (ppt, 8.3 MB)
- Mission Status December 2009 (pdf, 79 KB)
Cool links:
- Stardust Next: Mission to a Comet
- Dawn: Mission to the Asteroids
- Dawn mission student interactive simulations on ion propulsion systems
- Epoxi: Fly By a Comet
Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica
The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) project and their fascinating Antarctic Mysteries, with Brian Campbell, Patricia Vornberger and Paul Przyborski from NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center.
The Kepler Mission
The Kepler mission to search for Earth-like worlds, with Edna DeVore, Education Director from the SETI Institute.
NASA’s Dawn, Stardust NExT, and EPOXI missions to Comets and Asteroids
NASA’s Dawn, Stardust NExT, and EPOXI missions to Comets and Asteroids: John Ristvey, Principal Consultant for Education and Public Outreach.
Links:
- Stardust Next: Mission to a Comet
- Dawn: Mission to the Asteroids
- EPOXI Mission
- Answers to students' questions about the following topics from John Ristvey:
Jupiter Impact
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2009-112
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/07/19/possible-new-impact-on-jupiter/ - Comet-like Asteroid
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/08/05/half-comet-half-asteroid-a-fluke-nope/ - Surprises from Stardust
http://stardustnext.jpl.nasa.gov/science/NASA_organics.html
Richard Garriott Video Downlink from the ISS, 2008
Richard Garriott, private space explorer talks to students from Challenger Learning Center and schools across the United States from the International Space Station.
If above link does not open, please use this link.
Barbara Morgan Video Downlink from the Space Shuttle, 2007
Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan and Mission Specialist Benjamin Alvin Drew talk to students from Challenger Learning Centers across the country. The event was hosted by Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, Founding Chairman of Challenger Center. NASA Biographies of Barbara Morgan and Benjamin Alvin Drew
Richard Garriott and June Scobee Rodgers
Leicester Challenger Center, United Kingdom
Richard Garriott, the sixth private explorer to travel to the International Space Station and Challenger Center's Founding Chairman Dr. June Scobee Rodgers spoke at the Challenger Learning Center in Leicester, England.
Return to the Moon with NASA’s Dr. Barbara Cohen
The Moon is a witness to 4.5 billion years of solar system history. Dr. Cohen discussed outstanding issues in lunar science today and the most intriguing scientific opportunities made possible by robotic and human exploration of our Moon.
Challenger Learning Center goes to Japan!
Sheree Kearns, Director of the Challenger Learning Center in Jacksonville Florida presented photos and stories from her journeys across the country of Japan as a member of the fall delegation with the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund (JFMF) Teacher Program.
Amateur Radio Downlinks with Richard Garriott from Space
Richard Garriott, private space explorer and son of NASA’s Skylab Astronaut Dr. Owen Garriott, spoke with students from seven Challenger Learning Centers in these audio downlink conversations sponsored by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team.
Webcasts with Richard Garriott and Korean Astronaut Soyeon Yi
Korean astronaut Soyeon Yi from Seoul completed a series of experiments and educational events for her country on the ISS flying under a commercial agreement between Russia and South Korea. In this event she teaches Richard Garriott about her demonstrations.
Sports in Space with Richard Garriott and Ken Harvey, former NFL Player
Richard Garriott, the next civilian to visit the International Space Station, teams up with former NFL player and four time pro bowler, Ken Harvey and Challenger Center to discuss how future athletes will play sports in space.
Earth Photography with Richard Garriott
When Richard Garriott is in space, he plans to take photographs of the Earth, many of which will replicate some of the photographs his father, astronaut Dr. Owen Garriott took 35 years ago on Skylab.
Webcast with Richard Garriott from Star City, Russia
Richard Garriott, son of NASA Skylab Astronaut Dr. Owen Garriott and the next civilian to fly to the International Space Station speaks to 200 students and teachers about his training in Star City Russia.
Webcast with the International Space Station Program
Patrick Buzzard, NASA engineer from the International Space Station and Constellation Program talks about the future of the International Space Station and the upcoming Constellation program that includes the new Space Shuttle replacement vehicle, Orion, and answers questions from students.
Barbara Morgan and the STS-118 Shuttle Crew inspires DC Students
The crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour talks to middle school students about their flight to the International Space Station and about careers in science, math and technology the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.
Webcast with Barbara Morgan, Educator Astronaut
Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan (back up to Christa McAuliffe, the first Teacher in Space) at the Buehler Challenger and Science Center in Paramus, New Jersey speaks about her recent flight on the space shuttle Endeavour and shows photographs.
Plants in Space IV Webcast with NASA’s Dr. Gary Stutte
Dr. Gary W. Stutte works at Kennedy Space Center determining the feasibility of using plants as bioregenerative life support systems for long duration space missions. Dr. Stutte is the principal investigator for several spaceflight experiments designed to grow plants in microgravity.
Plants in Space III Webcast with NASA’s Dr. Raymond Wheeler
Dr. Raymond Wheeler, a plant physiologist in the Biological Sciences Office at NASA's Kennedy Space Center studies crop production data for bioregenerative life support for long duration space missions.
Plants in Space II Webcast with NASA’s John Gruener
John Gruener from the Constellation Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center designs systems for supporting astronauts living and working on the Moon. He works closely with scientists in the development of scientific instruments and science operations that could be used on the Moon or Mars.
Plants in Space Webcast with NASA’s John Gruener
John Gruener from the Constellation Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center designs systems for supporting astronauts living and working on the Moon. "I am basically a space farmer trying to figure out how we will grow plants in space. Someday plants could give us food, oxygen, and clean water for our life support systems."
Spirit of Flight Webcast
Challenger Learning Center of Greater Washington webcast with NASA and the Department of Transportation’s Garrett A. Morgan Transportation and Technology Futures Program. The assembly held at Cameron Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia and involved 25 schools from several states.
Webcast with Astronauts Joseph Allen, William Readdy and Roger Crouch
Conversations with astronauts Dr. Joseph P. Allen, William F. Readdy & Dr. Roger Crouch and Challenger Learning Centers and students from across the country. NASA Biographies of Dr. Joseph P. Allen, William F. Readdy and Dr. Roger Crouch
Webcast with Astronauts and Astrobiologists from Devon Island
Challenger Center and the Mars Institute hosted"Earth as a Classroom for Exploring other Worlds" from Devon Island in the Arctic Circle with astronauts William Readdy and Leroy Chiao and astrobiologists Matthew Reyes and Keith Cowing and Challenger Learning Centers. Devon Island, a dry polar desert environment similar to Mars is the location of a large ancient meteorite impact, Haughton Crater. The Haughton-Mars Project, established in 1996, is a research platform for simulating space exploration on other worlds.
Additional Information
For more information on Challenger Learning Center programs, please contact a Learning Center Coordinator via e-mail at info@challenger.org; by telephone at (877) 443-5701 or (816) 471-7770; or by completing the Feedback Form.
