Space Camp

Honeywell Advanced Camp 6/07

• The Honeywell Educators program is one of four science and math education programs supported by Honeywell in order to provide students and teachers from middle schools to high schools to college with unique experiences and world-class content. Honeywell’s science and math education programs have already reached more than 200,000 students and teachers in 34 countries and 48 states.

I feel very honored and privileged to be a part of such a wonderful program these last two years. I am indebted to Honeywell for the experiences I have had, the wonderful people I have connected with and for inspiring the enthusiasm I will bring back to the classroom. I also would like to thank both Honeywell and my district for their support. Without them none of this would have been possible. I encourage others to take the time to pursue endeavors like this and to share them with others.

One of the Elite 35, an honor and privilege to be placed with such a dynamic group of people.

Flying Missions is great fun!

As a Mission Scientist on the Canada arm changing the antenna on the satellite. You are about 20 feet in the air being controlled by another scientist in the shuttle. First you need to power down the satellite, remove the antenna and hand it off to you partner.

She then had to go get a new one to give to me and then I inserted the new one and powered the satellite back up. It took great team work!

Hanging off the ISS

(we didn't really do this one):)

Back for Round 2 of the Aviation Challenge

Walking up to propel backwards off the top.

The "helo dunker". You and 5 crew mates have crashed into the ocean. Can you be saved?

Drag your crew mates to the rope bucket to be lifted to safety.

Fighter jet simulation area.

This was one of the most difficult areas for me. I could take off okay, it was the landing that I did not do well. I did not even make it to the dog fighting!! My children were not surprised as I am not good at video games either.

Of our two experiences here, I only did the 3 Gs one. I could not be put in a chair and spun until the fluid in my ear was spinning!!!! I have a great video of a fellow teacher doing it I hope to add. He even sang I'm a Little Teapot when he was done. Go Tom!

This one I could do, it spins around with you inside to give you the feeling of 3 Gs. I felt like my ribs were coming through my back.

This nice man makes sure you are all buckled in nice and secure. You are half sitting, half lying down.

Hydroponics, how we could live on the moon. Here's one idea we came up with.

A turtle we saw at Kennedy Space Center

Vehicle Assembly building, one of the largest buildings in the world. This is where the shuttle is put together before it is very carefully transported by a crawler to the launch pad. Next shuttle launch is scheduled for Aug. 7 - STS 118.

Our tour guides for the Up Close tours. Our bus driver had been working here as a fireman and/or bus driver since the 60s, he had lots of stories to share.

Launch pad Complex 39 on Merritt Island, Florida was built in the 60s to launch the huge Apollo/Saturn Vs that took us to the moon and back. Today it is used for the shuttle missions. It appears small from far away but it is 60 feet tall.

Interesting Facts

-touching your nose in space is difficult

- Astronauts enter the shuttle 2 1/2 hours before take off and are in this position for about 10 hours. Lying on your back at a 90 degree angle causes a fluid shift, astronauts get what they call "puffy face" because of the sensation/swelling in their temples and sinuses.

- It takes over 6,000,000 lbs of explosives to get them off the ground.

- 24 hours before landing back on Earth they take salt tablets to help them retain fluid. If their landing is delayed they have to drag out their exercise equipment again. They exercise about 2 hours a day.

- 40% of all astronauts experience kidney stones, due to protein/calcium buildup.

-In the ISS they put the lights in the same place in each unit to help keep the astronauts oriented. If not, some experience a "crazy, irriated,want to vomit feeling.

The Crawler, that carries the shuttle to the launch pad.

The memorial to our astronauts that gave the greatest sacrifice of all believing the quest for space is worth the risk of life. THis monument is directly across from the mirror monument that lists the names of those astronauts that have died.

WOW to be among the Mercury 7.

The helmet timeline

Kennedy Space Center, just walking around in the 90 degree heat.

My friends, Carole, Lisa, Kelly and Tara.

Mission Control INCO

• Flight Director - This crew member is ultimately responsible for the overall operation of the orbiter and shuttle system from ignition to touchdown. This crew member is also responsible for the actions and professionalism of the entire mission team.
• Capcom - The sole source of communication to/from the orbiter crew on board the shuttle, this person is responsible for relaying messages and instructions from mission control to the flight crew, interpreting all data from the orbiter and keeping mission control informed of the shuttle status.
• EVA Officer - This position has the responsibility of monitoring the hydraulic systems during lift-off and landing. While on orbit this position communicates with the Mission Specialists as they perform their EVA's. Also helps work through any and all anomalies that arise during the mission. Reports to the Flight Director in mission control during the mission.
• Public Affairs Officer (PAO)- This individual is responsible for keeping the public informed of all activities on the spacehab, space station and orbiter, including EVA. This person is the "voice" of the Mission.
• Propulsions Officer (Prop)- This mission control position is responsible for monitoring and reporting all aspects of the space shuttle's propulsions systems, including the orbital maneuvering system and reaction control system, space shuttle main engines and solid rocket boosters. Reports directly to the Flight Director.
• Mission Scientist (Science)- This highly qualified team member has the responsibility of coordinating the everyday activities of spacehab or space station. This includes experimentation and command activities. Communicates with the Payload Specialists and reports to the Flight Director all progress and problems.
• I am CAPCOM on this mission.

I was communicating with Dave and Carole, commander and pilot.

Mission Scientist on a Space Mission. It is difficult to maneuver from this MMU. (manned maneuvering unit)

Von Braun Planetarium

He was one of the world's first and foremost rocket engineers and a leading authority on space travel. His will to expand man's knowledge through the exploration of space led to the development of the Explorer satellites, the Jupiter and Jupiter-C rockets, Pershing, the Redstone rocket, Saturn rockets, and Skylab, the world's first space station. Additionally, his determination to "go where no man has gone before" led to mankind setting foot on the moon.

Living in Huntsville, Alabama from 1950 to 1970, Dr. von Braun first directed the technical development of the U.S. Army's ballistic missile program at Redstone Arsenal, and later served as Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. When he transferred to Washington, D.C., he left Huntsville with a rich legacy:

LEGO Robotics NXT

First they taught us the symbols we would need to know to program our robots.

And the name of the pieces we would use.

The challenge was issued.

The challenge course.

Okay here's the plan on paper, now we need to input into the computer.

looks good

Okay let's load and see what we've got.

All we need to do is add an arm, a hook, some sensors, make it turn, lift, go forward, backward...

2nd place, not bad for amateurs going against the experienced!

Having fun pretending to be astronauts.

Fun at Kennedy

Scuba diving, what a wonderful experience.

How to talk underwater.

Learning how to clear our goggles and retrieve our mouth pieces.

Building underwater.

Going down a few steps at a time and trying to clear your ears each time.

This was very cool.

Waving to my friends at the port holes.

STS 117 lands at Edwards and Story Musgrave enjoys the view with us.

Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117 began as an 11-day mission to add more power capability to the International Space Station on June 8th.

The inclement weather held firm over Kennedy on June 22 for the first landing opportunity. Mission Control gave the returning astronauts the go-ahead for landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Atlantis made a safe and smooth landing on Runway 22 at 3:49 p.m. EDT to the cheers and applause of the waiting crowd, wrapping up a 5.8-million-mile mission.

The STS-117 astronauts returned to Johnson Space Center on June 23 for a well-deserved rest and family reunion.

Although this was her first time in space, Williams also became the record holder for the most hours outside a spacecraft by a female, completing four spacewalks during Expedition 14. Williams wrapped up a six-month tour of duty following her flight to the space station on mission STS-116 in December 2006.

Homer Hickman - a delightful man with an incredible exciting life to share.

Hickam had two passions in life. The first was to work in the space industry. He did so as a NASA aerospace engineer where he trained astronaut crews for both Spacelab and space shuttle missions. When he retired from NASA in 1998 he was a Payload Training Manager for the International Space Station.

His second passion was writing and he has published a number of books, including "Rocket Boys" that became the critically acclaimed movie "October Sky." Asked about his favorite books as a child, Hickam responded, "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "Huckleberry Finn."

This book is a great read and the movie is wonderful also. Did you know where the title October Sky comes from? Try rearranging the letters in Rocket Boys.

Landing on Mars

Exploring Mars Workshop, we had to build a landing unit that would protect our egg from breaking when it landed on Mars.

Team work to build a system

I think the egg is safely wrapped.

We think this is a good plan.

Here goes nothing.

successful!!

The thermal heat shield workshop. The supplies - wooden dowel with screw hot glued to it. The shield supplies - a piece of foil, a small piece of metal grid, 2 nuts and a washer. We had to protect the screw from the heat source (a propane torch) for as long as we could. Once it fell away from the dowel we are out. Team with longest time wins.

Our first attempt -

only lasted about 6 seconds.

Building the heat shield to protect the screw from following away from the dowel. It was attached by a drop of glue fro a hot glue gun.

2nd try at the heat shield and a much better model it over 6 minutes to burn through. The secret was using air as an insulator.

The 55 foot climb

Rock climbing builds team work, we were daisy chained together.

We are almost there, this was much harder than it looks.

WE DID IT !

And now for the fun part.

That was so worth the climb!

"We will give our students the

vision to reach for the STARS,

the skills and fortitude

to climb the ladder,

and the wisdom to appreciate the

beauty of the journey."

- Author Unknown