I’ve mentioned previously that the Mars Curiosity rover LEGO model designed by Stephen Pakbaz , who had worked as an engineer on the real Curiosity rover at JPL, would become a commercial product from LEGO. The project was part of the LEGO® CUUSOO hobbyists program, which has seen some of their other models become production products for LEGO as well.
This past week LEGO announced that the model will hit the store shelves on January 1st:
Here is the latest episode of The Virtual SpaceTV 3D show with Amanda Bush. The programs are created by BINARY SPACE (www.binary-space.com) with story content from HobbySpace.com.
Amanda reports on the following topics: 01:32 — 03:40 SpaceX launches its first big commercial satellite 03:41 — 05:17 Cubesat Swarms 05:18 — 05:58 Comet ISON comes and goes, comes and goes 05:59 — 06:59 Curiosity explores while waiting for NASA’s MAVEN and India’s MOM 07:00 — 08:00 China launches rover to the Moon
These videos are intended as educational programs and as demonstrations of an experimental technique for generating animated presentations. The show was generated autonomously by software according to a text script. The project is described in the Virtual Producer whitepaper (Release 1.1, Oct.2013, pdf). For further information contact info@binary-space.com.
When Amy McCormick’s class developed their science experiment studying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), they could only dream of flying it to space. Their experiment won the Teachers In Space annual spaceflight contest and later this month, their dream will become a reality when it launches to the International Space Station (ISS). Tucked into a storage rack aboard the Cygnus (along with 22 other experiments flying as part of Mission 4 of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program), these experiments will blast off to the ISS on top of an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (M.A.R.S.). This will be the first commercial flight to the ISS provided by Orbital Sciences. SpaceX is the only other commercial company providing ISS resupply.
“This is an exciting moment for these students,” said James Pura, President of the Space Frontier Foundation. “They are learning how to conduct cutting edge science in a space laboratory. Short of going to space yourself, there is no better way to experience the wonder of spaceflight.”
On Wednesday,December 18th, representatives from Teachers in Space, a project of the Space Frontier Foundation and coordinator of the contest, will be at Wallops Island, VA to witness the launch into space. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:42 pm Eastern Time. Many on the Eastern seaboard of the United States should be able to witness this spectacular launch as well.
The experiments are scheduled to return to Earth on a later flight. From there the students will gather their data and present the results of their experiments.
About SSEP
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (http://ssep.ncesse.org) is undertaken by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE; http://ncesse.org) in partnership with Nanoracks, LLC.
This on-orbit educational research opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks, LLC, which is working in partnership with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.
About Teachers in Space
A project of the Space Frontier Foundation (SFF), Teachers in Space stimulates student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by giving teachers authentic astronaut training and real space science experiences combined with information and resources they can take back with them to their classrooms.
Teachers in Space improves science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in America through summer workshops that give teachers authentic astronaut training and real space science experiences combined with information and resources they can take back to their classrooms. The goal is to inspire large numbers of young people to study STEM while spreading understanding of the opportunities offered by the emergent private space industry. Visit http://TIS.spacefrontier.org.
A message from Challenger Center about yesterday’s Google+ Hangout with representatives from Virgin Galactic and Galactic Unite who answered questions from students at several Centers aropimd the US.
Challenger Center Partners with Virgin Galactic and Galactic Unite for Google+ Hangout Virgin Galactic and Challenger Learning Center Students Fly to the Moon and Discuss Importance of STEM Education
WASHINGTON (December 3, 2013) – Today, Challenger Center, the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education organization, hosted a Google+ Hangout with representatives from Virgin Galactic and Galactic Unite and several hundred students at Challenger Learning Centers around the country.
“Today’s event was a perfect opportunity to give Challenger Learning Center students the chance to connect their classroom lessons and Challenger Center missions to the real world,” said Kathleen Meehan Coop, vice president of education, Challenger Center. “We are constantly finding new ways to excite students about STEM, and this was an exceptional opportunity. It was great to watch the students energized and engaged with the Virgin Galactic team.”
Throughout the hour long event, students learned more about Virgin Galactic’s efforts to become the world’s first commercial spaceline, what it is like to build and work on future space vehicles, and why STEM subjects are vital for future success. A recording of the event can be viewed at www.challenger.org/galactichangout.
“We are so excited to share our passion for space exploration with the next generation and to inspire them to write the next chapter of space history,” said George Whitesides, CEO, Virgin Galactic.
Several students at each of the Challenger Learning Center locations had the opportunity to ask the Virgin Galactic team questions. At the conclusion of the virtual event, the Virgin Galactic team participated in Challenger Center’s simulated “Return to the Moon” mission with the students in Downey, Calif.
Challenger Center is embarking on a renewed effort to reach even more students and help equip them for future success. In early 2014, the organization is launching revolutionary software and missions that will further improve its education offering. In addition, within the next two years, six new communities will open a Challenger Learning Center. Included in this expansion is the creation of a National STEM Innovation Center in Washington, DC.
Using space exploration as a theme and simulation as a vehicle, Challenger Center and its international network of more than 40 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, foster long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and inspire students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea reach more than 400,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs and engage more than 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops, and other programs. Founded in 1986, Challenger Center for Space Science Education was created to honor the seven astronauts of shuttle flight STS-51-L: Commander Dick Scobee, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael J. Smith. To learn more about Challenger Center visit www.challenger.org.
Virgin Galactic and its Future Astronaut customers have teamed up with Virgin Unite, the nonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group, to make a difference in this new age of commercial space travel. Based on the fact that future generations will have opportunities to see the world as never before, Galactic Unite embraces the idea that new advances in science and technology have the potential to unlock answers to global challenges and change the world for the better. Galactic Unite is investing to help future generations make the most of these new advances in three ways: education, entrepreneurship and inspiration. By working together, the future astronauts of Galactic Unite will leverage their knowledge, their resources and their experience to make a positive impact on the world of tomorrow.
Virgin Galactic, owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and aabar Investments PJS, is on track to be the world’s first commercial spaceline. To date, the company has accepted nearly $80 million in deposits from approximately 640 individuals, approximately 10% more than the total number of people who have ever gone to space. The new spaceship (SpaceShipTwo, VSS Enterprise) and carrier craft (WhiteKnightTwo, VMS Eve) have both been developed for Virgin Galactic’s vehicle fleet by Mojave-based Scaled Composites. Founded by Burt Rutan, Scaled developed SpaceShipOne, which in 2004 claimed the $10 million Ansari X Prize as the world’s first privately developed manned spacecraft. Virgin Galactic’s new vehicles, which will be manufactured by The Spaceship Company in Mojave, CA, share much of the same basic design, but are being built to carry six customers, or the equivalent scientific research payload, on suborbital space flights. The vehicles will allow an out-of-the-seat, zero-gravity experience with astounding views of the planet from the black sky of space for tourist astronauts and a unique microgravity platform for researchers. The VSS Enterprise and VMS Eve test flight program is well under way, leading to Virgin Galactic commercial operations, which will be based at Spaceport America in New Mexico.