May 13 2013

From The Space Library

RELEASE: 13-138 - NASA ANNOUNCES SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR U.S. STUDENTS --WASHINGTON -- NASA has unveiled plans for its 2013 Summer of Innovation project, which challenges middle school students across the United States to share in the excitement of scientific discovery and space exploration through unique, NASA-related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) opportunities. Summer of Innovation leverages the expertise and reach of NASA's 10 field centers, national academic and industry partners and smaller, non-traditional collaborators to keep students engaged in STEM activities during the summer school break. NASA's facilities and partner organizations will host family activity days, opportunities for students to talk with NASA experts, and summer day camps. Students attending the day camps will design and construct their own rockets, build water filtration systems, learn to become as fit as an astronaut, and participate in NASA hands-on activities. The main focus will be on the Exploration Design Challenge, a NASA and industry STEM initiative announced in March. Exploration Design Challenge components will be woven into many Summer of Innovation offerings. Interested students, parents and teachers also may participate in the challenge without taking part in Summer of Innovation. The Exploration Design Challenge is an amazing opportunity for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and is a fun way to keep a STEM focus this summer, said Leland Melvin, NASA's associate administrator for education in Washington. "For the middle school set, we have an opportunity for them to learn about space radiation and how it can affect astronauts traveling to deep space. They then will design and develop a radiation shield prototype to mitigate these risks. After successfully completing these activities, the students may submit their names to be flown to space aboard the Orion spaceflight test next year." National partners selected previously will continue STEM efforts begun during Summer of Innovation sessions in 2011 and 2012, predominantly through summer camps that use NASA-themed curricula and hands-on activities that present academic challenges. NASA also will engage and leverage the STEM expertise of other national organizations, such as the Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, YMCAs, 4-H chapters, science centers and museums. The agency will offer Summer of Innovation mini-grant awards of as much as $2,500 to allow smaller, non-traditional organizations to spur STEM interest in their communities. The agency will begin soliciting proposals in early June. NASA piloted Summer of Innovation in 2010 in response to President Obama's Educate to Innovate initiative. Studies have shown that students who are engaged in STEM activities during their middle school years are more likely to pursue the scientific and technical career fields critical to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the future. Entering its fourth year, Summer of Innovation has reached more than 128,000 students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. It has provided professional development opportunities to more than 16,000 educators.

RELEASE: 13-140 - SPACE STATION EXPEDITION 35 ASTRONAUTS LAND SAFELY IN KAZAKHSTAN, EXPEDITION 36 BEGINS --WASHINGTON -- Three members of the International Space Station Expedition 35 crew undocked from the orbiting laboratory and returned safely to Earth Monday, May 13, wrapping up a mission lasting almost five months. The departure marks the beginning of Expedition 36. Space station Commander Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency, Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn undocked their Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft from the space station at 7:08 p.m. EDT. They landed southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, about 10:31 p.m. (8:31 a.m. May 14, Kazakh time). Hadfield, Romanenko and Marshburn traveled almost 62 million miles while completing 2,336 orbits of Earth. The trio arrived at the station Dec. 21 and spent 146 days in space, 144 of which were aboard the station. Pavel Vinogradov of Roscosmos is in command of Expedition 36. He is joined by NASA Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin. That trio will work aboard the station until three additional crew members, including NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, arrive May 28.