Dec 15 2010
From The Space Library
RELEASE: 10-134
NASA LAUNCHPAD? TV EPISODE CAPTURES EMMY AWARD
HAMPTON, Va. -- A NASA video program aimed at helping high school students learn more about science, technology, engineering and mathematics(STEM) has won an Emmy, one of the best-known awards in regional television. NASA Launchpad? took home an Emmy award in the Informational/Instructional category for its episode, ?Bernoulli's Principle,? at the 52nd Capital Regional Emmy Awards held in Washington, June 5. We're thrilled that the Emmy judges have singled out one of NASA's many educational video programs again this year,? said Roger Hathaway, the head of the Education Team at NASA's Langley Research Center that oversees the NASA eClips project, which includes NASA Launchpad. We try to excite students not only about the work we do at NASA, but also about science, technology, engineering and math.? NASA Launchpad? is targeted at high school students and features five to seven minute programs that apply STEM topics learned in the classroom, to real world challenges. The segments are produced by Scott Bednar and Tom Shortridge of the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA). Teacher guides that are aligned to national standards accompany the online educational program. NASA Launchpad is making a positive impact in high school classrooms across the nation,? said Bob Lindberg, NIA president and executive director. ?We are grateful to NASA for their financial support of NIA's multimedia educational programming.? Another NASA TV program, ?NASA 360,? a 2009 Emmy recipient was nominated in the Magazine category for an episode featuring Olympic swimmer Katie Hoff, and nominated in the Informational/Instructional category for episode, ?Volcanoes, Making Oxygen From Lunar Soil.? NASA 360 also is developed and produced by NIA in collaboration with the Langley Research Center. NASA 360? and ?NASA Launchpad? can be seen on NASA TV and on the Internet. The Emmys were awarded by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which includes 29 media outlets in Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland. To stream or download NASA Launchpad,visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education/nasaeclips
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MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-059
NASA'S SHUTTLE ATLANTIS MOVES TO LAUNCH PAD, LIFTOFF PRACTICE SET
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Journalists are invited to cover the STS-132 space shuttle crew's Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, a practice countdown and related training, April 20-23 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Reporters also may cover space shuttle Atlantis' move from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A on Monday, April 19. Atop a giant crawler-transporter, Atlantis' first motion on its rollout to the pad is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. EDT. The 3.4-mile journey is expected to take approximately six hours. Reporters with permanent Kennedy credentials, STS-131 mission credentials and those credentialed specifically for Atlantis' rollout and TCDT for the STS-132 mission to the International Space Station are invited to cover the move. An interview opportunity will be held at 8:30 p.m. with Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer. Media accreditation for these events now is closed. Badges for the events may be picked up on April 19 before 4 p.m., at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405. On April 19, international reporters must arrive at the Kennedy Pass and ID Building on State Road 3 before 7 p.m. for transportation to the press site for Atlantis' rollout. Beginning April 20, Atlantis' astronauts and ground crews will participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test related training. TCDT provides each shuttle crew with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training.
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RELEASE: 10-331
ASTRONAUT ALAN POINDEXTER LEAVES NASA
HOUSTON -- Veteran NASA astronaut Alan Poindexter has left the agency to return to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Poindexter, a U.S. Navy captain, earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the school in 1995. He will return to serve as the dean of students and executive director of programs. "Dex was a well-respected leader within our office, said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. We will miss him being part of our team and wish him the best in his new role as he continues his service to the Navy and the country. A veteran of two spaceflights, Poindexter logged more than 669 hours in space. In 2008, he was the pilot on the STS-122 space shuttle mission to deliver and install the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. In 2010, he was the commander for STS-131, a resupply mission to the station that delivered more than 13,000 pounds of hardware and equipment. He was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and served in the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch as the lead support astronaut at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He also served as a spacecraft communicator, or capcom, for several missions. For Poindexter's biographical information, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/poindexter.html
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RELEASE: 10-222
NASA ASSIGNS CREW FOR FINAL LAUNCH ON NEED SHUTTLE MISSION
WASHINGTON -- NASA announced the four astronauts who will make up the crew of STS-335, the rescue mission that would fly only if needed to bring home the members of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission, currently the final scheduled shuttle flight. Chris Ferguson, a retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran of two previous shuttle missions, would command the flight. Astronaut and U.S. Marine Col. Doug Hurley would serve as pilot, and astronauts Sandy Magnus and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Rex Walheim would be the mission specialists. Based on recommendations made after the loss of space shuttle Columbia in February 2003, NASA has trained a launch on need crew to be ready to fly in the event of irreparable damage to a shuttle while in orbit. Typically, the next crew to fly serves as the rescue crew for the current mission. The STS-335 crew will prepare for a potential rescue mission and preserve flexibility if another shuttle flight is added to the launch manifest. These astronauts will begin training immediately as a rescue crew as well as in the baseline requirements that would be needed to fly an additional shuttle flight, said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. The normal training template for a shuttle crew is about one year prior to launch, so we need to begin training now in order to maintain the flexibility of flying a rescue mission if needed, or alter course and fly an additional shuttle mission if that decision is made. If required, the STS-335 rescue mission would launch on shuttle Atlantis in June 2011 to bring home the STS-134 crew from the International Space Station. STS-134 currently is scheduled to lift off on Feb. 26, 2011, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If converted to an additional shuttle flight, STS-335 would be redesignated STS-135 and targeted to launch in June 2011. Ferguson, who was born in Philadelphia, flew on two prior shuttle missions, STS-115 in 2006 and STS-126 in 2008. Hurley, who was born in Endicott, N.Y., but considers Apalachin, N.Y., his hometown, served as the pilot on STS-127 in 2009. Magnus, of Belleville, Ill., flew on STS-112 in 2002 and launched to the space station in 2008 on STS-126, where she served four and a half months as a flight engineer and science officer on Expedition 18 before returning to Earth on STS-119 in 2009. Walheim was born in Redwood City, Calif., and considers San Carlos, Calif., his hometown. He flew on STS-110 in 2002 and STS-122 in 2008.
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