| *** FEBRUARY 2006 *** |
| BRIDGER TEACHERS FLY THEIR EXPERIMENT ON NASA'S 'WEIGHTLESS WONDER' |
| Teachers from the Academy of Math, Science, Technology at Bridger Middle School, North Las Vegas, Nev., have taken their experiment out of their classrooms and into NASA's 'Weightless Wonder,' a flying microgravity laboratory. As part of their participation in the NASA Explorer Schools program, teachers Perry Lopez and Tyrel Cooper traveled to NASA's aircraft facility at Ellington Field, Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston. At JSC, the pair prepared themselves and their experiment. 14 flight on board NASA's modified C-9 aircraft. The unique flight produces 25 seconds of weightlessness as the plane flies in a roller-coaster-like path of steep climbs and free falls. "By working with teachers to develop a microgravity experiment to fly on the aircraft, the investigations help students see an application of science and mathematics concepts," said NASA Explorer Schools Program Manager Peg Steffen. "Students worked closely with NASA engineers and scientist mentors on the experiments, giving them a first-hand look at possible careers." The Bridger Middle School experiment flown on the C-9 was called Robotic Arm Reduced Gravity Testing. The experiment's goals were to collect performance data on a student-designed robotic arm in a reduced gravity environment and to compare them with data collected during similar tests conducted under normal gravity conditions at theschool. |
| NASA AMES TESTS MODEL OF NEW SPACESHIP CREW CAPSULE |
| Tests to help in development of NASA's new spaceship to support the Vision for Space Exploration begin this week at NASA Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley... NASA Ames' wind tunnel tests of the CEV crew capsule model will simulate airflow and temperature changes the capsule would experience in atmospheric flight. The tests are among the first steps that NASA Ames is taking to help develop a new space travel system that will return human beings to the moon and support later missions to Mars. NASA facilities across the nation also are taking part in the development effort. |
| NASA BRINGS SPIRIT OF SPACE EXPLORATION TO WYOMING STUDENTS |
| NASA educator astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger will visit Johnson Junior High School in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Feb. 23, 2006, to share NASA's future exploration goals and her excitement about the future of space exploration. Johnson Junior High was selected as one of 50 NASA Explorer School (NES) teams for 2005 and is the only NASA Explorer School in the state of Wyoming. As a teacher, Metcalf-Lindenburger brings a unique perspective to how classroom education can lead to exciting career opportunities in fields such as the space program. She will discuss the Vision for Space Exploration and the students' role as the next generation of explorers. Metcalf-Lindenburger will encourage students to pursue studies in math, science and technology and careers in aeronautics and space. |
| NASA AWARDS AMES RESEARCH CENTER SERVICES CONTRACT |
| NASA has selected Consolidated Safety Service Inc., Fairfax, Va., to support programs for occupational safety, industrial hygiene and medical services at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. The maximum contract value is $33.7 million. The contract includes providing support for the center's occupational safety and health programs, including: industrial hygiene, health physics, occupational safety, construction safety engineering, fire protection engineering, the Voluntary Protection Program, and injury/illness data analysis. It also includes medical services, health unit and fitness center operations, and the employee assistance program. The contract also provides for collaboration with the center's environmental services program, including emergency response, training services and computer support services. |