News Links
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images)
Space Science Is for Everyone: Creating and Using Accessible Resources in
Educational Settings Available at NASA.gov
7/17 - Over the past seven years, the
Southeast Regional Clearinghouse, or SERCH, convened seven highly successful
"Exceptional Space Science Materials for Exceptional Students" workshops.
Teacher In Space Christa McAuliffe's Original Lessons Now Available Online
at Challenger Center
7/9 - Challenger Center for Space
Science
Education
is pleased to announce that Teacher in Space Christa McAuliffe's original
lessons are now available for teachers on Challenger Center's website at
www.challenger.org. The lessons feature links to
videos of Christa McAuliffe and her back-up Barbara Morgan.
California Wildfires Continue to Burn Out of Control
7/9
- Numerous wildfires continue to burn out of control throughout California.
Many of these fires were ignited in late June by dry lighting and made worse
by parched conditions and a lack of rainfall, fire officials report.
NASA Educational Materials Available for Download
7/7 - The Educational Materials section of NASA's Web site offers classroom
activities, educator guides, posters and other types of resources that are
available for use in the classroom. Materials are listed by type, grade
level and subject. The following items are now available for downloading.
Calculator-Controlled Robots: Hands-on Mathematics and Science Discovery
Educator Guide -- Grades 6-9 OR just
register now for the Satellite Educators Association conference at Cal State
LA, August 7-9. DO IT NOW!
NASA grant will fund satellite data project
7/1 - A major grant
from NASA will help South Dakota State University scientists make satellite
data easier to use and access via the Internet.
Johnson Space Center: Core of NASA's universe
6/30
- --"Houston, we have a problem."
If there is a five-word phrase more recognizable than that in the annals of
modern science or space exploration, I want to hear it.
Earth from Space: The Planetary Society Urges Stepped-Up Monitoring of Our
Home Planet’
6/24 - Bill Nye the Science Guy will conduct
a Planetary Society presentation on Capitol Hill on June 25, 2008, urging
the United States to lead a global response to climate change on Planet
Earth, with increased observations from space and greater global
coordination.
Take your classroom into space’ winners announced
6/19 - The winners of the ’Take your
classroom into space’ Call for Education Ideas have been selected. The two
best experiment ideas will be performed in space by ESA astronaut Frank De
Winne during his spaceflight in 2009. Pupils throughout Europe will be able
to compare results obtained in their classroom to those obtained in space.
Getting trained at Space Camp
6/19 - Space Camp, if you're not familiar
with it, is an Alabama state program that since 1982 has given more than
half a million kids a week of training in what it takes to be an astronaut.
Space Place
Newsletter
6/18 - JPL/NASA has just published their second issue of a bi-monthly
newsletter for formal and informal educators. The newsletter is all about
the many useful and--it goes without saying--free resources on The Space
Place website that can be helpful to classroom and home school teachers,
after-school program directors, museum and library program directors, and
other informal educators.
Teacher's Corner
6/18 - Although the entire Space Place site
may be helpful to teachers and students, the resources linked here were
developed specifically to help in the classroom.
Teachers To Be Taught More About Space
6/17 - The Space
Foundation's Space Discovery Institute is set to start on June 16th. This
engaging program is comprised of five intensive, week-long, graduate-level,
in-residence courses in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Carthage teacher to take part in Space Academy
6/17 - Hundreds of
educators from around the world get the chance every summer to take part in
the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy
Towards a National Climate Service
6/17 - Climate influences every sector of
society. Changes in the climate can influence economic prosperity, human and
environmental health, and national security.
Program aims to launch girls into aerospace, aviation careers
6/11 - When thinking about the icons of aviation
and space, you may have images of Neil Armstrong, Charles Lindbergh, Tom
Cruise in "Top Gun" or Captain Kirk of the starship Enterprise. Ceci
Stratford wouldn't.
NOAA: U.S. Has 36th Coolest Spring on Record
6/9 - The March-May spring season was the
36th coolest on record for the contiguous United States, according to an
analysis by
NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center
in Asheville, N.C. Separately, last month ended as the 34th coolest May for
the contiguous United States, based on records dating back to 1895.
Utah State University Rocketeers Win NASA Competition
6/2 - A team of enterprising student
rocketeers from Utah State University in Logan has won the 2007-2008
University Student Launch Initiative, according to event organizers at
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.
Hurricane Preparedness Week
5/29 - History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation
are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. By knowing your
vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the effects
of a hurricane disaster. Hurricane Preparedness Week during 2008 will be
held May 25th through May 31st.
NOAA Predicts Near Normal or Above Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season
5/28 - Living in a coastal state means having
a plan for each and every hurricane season. Review or complete emergency
plans now - before a storm threatens
2008
Satellite Direct Readout Conference
5/27 - NOAA invites science teachers and
their students from universities, colleges and secondary schools in the
South Florida area to participate in a special day long event at NOAA’s
Satellite Direct Readout Conference scheduled for December 8-12, 2008, at
the Hilton Miami Airport Hotel.
We hope to build on our earlier success in
2004 to make the 2008 conference even better. Approximately 200
administrators, managers and scientists from 29 countries participated in
the last forum that was held in December, 2004.
Camera On Mars Orbiter Snaps Phoenix During Landing
5/27 - A telescopic camera
in orbit around Mars caught a view of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suspended
from its parachute during the lander's successful arrival at Mars Sunday
evening, May 25.
Phoenix Beams Dozens of Raw Mars Images
5/27 - New data beamed back by Phoenix show
it's in good health after its first night on Mars.
New Ocean-Mapping Satellite Primed for June Launch
5/21 - NASA and France are preparing to launch
a new satellite next month to map Earth's rising sea levels and study their
link to global climate change.
NASA Team Studies Pollutants' Effect on Arctic Climate Change
5/20 - A
NASA-led team completed April 21 the first of two planned field studies
using airborne and space-based sensors to collect data that will help
scientists better understand the impact of atmospheric pollutants on the
Arctic's climate.
NASA, NIA Announce NASA Education Television Partnership
5/15 - NASA Deputy
Administrator Shana Dale announced Wednesday the launch of NASA Education TV
(NASA eTV), a partnership with the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) to
produce new educational television programs for distribution on NASA
Television and the Internet.
Solar Variability: Striking a Balance with Climate Change
5/13 - The sun has powered almost everything
on Earth since life began, including its climate. The sun also delivers an
annual and seasonal impact, changing the character of each hemisphere as
Earth's orientation shifts through the year. Since the Industrial
Revolution, however, new forces have begun to exert significant influence on
Earth's climate.
NASA Satellite Captures Image of Cyclone Nargis Flooding in Burma
5/13
- The first cyclone of the 2008 season in the northern Indian Ocean was a
devastating one for Burma. According to reports from Accuweather.com,
Cyclone Nargis made landfall with sustained winds of 130 mph and gusts of
150-160 mph, which is the equivalent of a strong Category 3 or minimal
Category 4 hurricane.
NASA Goddard and Howard B. Owens Science Center Celebrate Partnership
5/7 - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and
the Howard B. Owens Science Center will celebrate a first year partnership
created to inspire and educate Prince George's County school students in the
study of Earth science during a special recognition program this Saturday
A New Wave of Learning
5/7 - NOAA is well known for conducting
cutting-edge science. But did you know that NOAA is blazing a new frontier
in the amazing virtual world of Second
Life? What appears to be an entertaining computer game conveys serious
science, bringing to life esoteric research with an engaging virtual
experience.
It’s Air Quality Awareness Week: Keep an Eye on the AQI
4/29 - May marks the beginning of ozone
season in most areas of the country – a good time to make sure that you
check your daily Air Quality Index (AQI)
and forecast information to help you protect your health.
Students take part in space research
Do plant seeds that have been grown in space
differ from those grown on Earth? NASA astronauts aren't sure, but that's
what Northeast Nodaway Elementary School pupils hope to discover.
Predicting the Weather
4/24
- From tornados to hurricanes and thunderstorms to climate change, these
nine scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) are
using math and science to better understand and predict severe weather
systems.
Running time 5:19 minutes.
Space Station Astronauts Marvel at Planet Earth
4/22
- NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, an Expedition 17 flight engineer living
aboard the space station, said the view of Earth from about 220 miles (354
km) up is both tremendous and precious.
NASA Researcher Visits One Tough P.I.G.
This past January, Robert Bindschadler led an
expedition to a previously untouched part of Antarctica that may be one of
the best places to gauge how global warming is affecting the continent.
NOAA Satellites Help Save 23 People in the North Atlantic
4/16 - In a dramatic distress case yesterday,
NOAA satellites helped the U.S. Coast Guard respond to a major engine room
fire aboard the merchant vessel M/V Sea Venus 1,200 miles east of
Cape Cod, Mass.
Project, space shuttle linked
4/14
- Wyoming Valley West Middle School students are planting, watering and
measuring the growth of basil “space seeds” as part of NASA’s “Engineering
Design Challenge.” The goal – see if seeds exposed to the harsh extremes of
space sprout at the same pace as seeds stored on Earth.
Shuttle pilot lands in city to spark interest in science
4/14 - Retired Navy Capt. Jon A. McBride was
at Science Central as the keynote speaker for the fifth-anniversary
celebration of Keystone Schools. He not only discussed his time as an
astronaut and plans for the future of the space program but also tied his
remarks to comments made by the school’s founder about preparing students in
science and technology for a global economy.
Recognizing Teachers Who Inspire Today's Youth
4/11 - On April 9, 2008 Challenger Center
for Space
Science
Education
announced five recipients who received the 2008 Teacher of the Year Award.
All nominated
teachers
have gone above and beyond to educate their students, enriching their
community and ensuring that their students have the opportunity to succeed
in future endeavors.
Speech by Boeing President and Chief Executive Jim Albaugh at the National
Space Symposium
4/11 - More than 50 years ago I remember sitting in a second grade classroom
in Washington state and listening to the distinctive pinging coming back
from Sputnik.
NASA Launches Airborne Study of Arctic Atmosphere, Air Pollution
4/8 - The recent decline of Arctic sea ice is
one indication that this region is undergoing significant environmental
changes related to climate warming. To investigate the atmosphere's role in
this climate-sensitive region, NASA and its partners have begun the most
extensive field campaign ever to study the chemistry of the Arctic's lower
atmosphere.
Congress Considers Results of Planetary Society–Stanford Workshop
4/3 - Former shuttle astronaut Kathryn
Thornton
testifies
this week to the House Science and Technology Committee Subcommittee on
Space and Aeronautics about the results of Examining the Vision: the Balance
between Science and Exploration, a workshop co-sponsored by The Planetary
Society and the Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and
Astronautics.
Climate Change and National Security Panel Featured at 24th National Space
Symposium
4/2 - A featured panel at the 24th National
Space Symposium, "Climate Change, Space, and Implications for National
Security" will look at a range of climate change related issues. This panel
will draw a diverse and experienced group of industry, government, and
nonprofit leaders together to discuss the space implications of changes in
the Earth's weather and the subsequent impact on national
security.
NASA Imagery available in Google Earth
3/28
- The Goddard Earth Science (GES) Data and Information Service Center (DISC)
is making some of its data available in Google Earth to facilitate
scientific research.
Students learn through teacher's NASA job internship
3/25 - Annesly Wood admits she was never really interested in astronauts or
space, but when a job opportunity came up at NASA, she knew better than to
pass it by.
NASA Satellite Measures Pollution From East Asia to North America
3/25 - In a new NASA study, researchers
taking advantage of improvements in satellite sensor capabilities offer the
first measurement-based estimate of the amount of pollution from East Asian
forest fires, urban exhaust, and industrial production that makes its way to
western North America.
NOAA: Coolest Winter Since 2001 for U.S., Globe
3/20 - The average temperature across both
the contiguous U.S. and the globe during climatological winter (December
2007-February 2008) was the coolest since 2001, according to scientists at
NOAA’s National Climatic Data
Center in Asheville, N.C. In
terms of winter precipitation, Pacific storms, bringing heavy precipitation
to large parts of the West, produced high snowpack that will provide welcome
runoff this spring.
Testing rules prompt new science products
3/17 - New testing
requirements that will take effect this fall under the federal No Child Left
Behind Act are forcing schools to ramp up their science instruction—and
curriculum companies are responding in turn with solutions designed to meet
schools’ needs.
The Wildest Weather on Earth
3/13 - The world’s wildest and most varied
weather is here in the United States. Hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms,
thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods and drought batter our country each year.
In fact, no other nation endures the wide range of weather we see here.
Space Shuttle Endeavour Docks At Internationl Space Station
The
seven crew members of the space shuttle Endeavour boarded the International
Space Station on Thursday after docking high over Southeast Asia, NASA said.
Discover the Earth's Magnetic Personality
3/11
- As part of its public education efforts NASA has developed a series of
simple classroom experiments that illustrate a number of principles from
planetary and space science.
Teach climate change
It's a controversial subject, but that's no
reason to keep it out of the classroom
Ideas for Teachers to Explore Environmental Solutions
3/7 - A new, free resource is available to
teachers looking for ideas to stimulate classroom conversations about
environmental concerns and solutions. Sally Ride Science™,
the company founded by America’s first female
astronaut in space, has started the “Living Green”
blog at
http://sallyridescience.com.
Greenland's Rising Air Temperatures Drive Ice Loss at Surface and Beyond
3/6 - A new NASA study confirms that the
surface temperature of Greenland's massive ice sheet has been rising, stoked
by warming air temperatures, and fueling loss of the island's ice at the
surface and throughout the mass beneath.
Study Shows Ocean “Deserts” are Expanding
3/6 - The least biologically productive areas
of the oceans are expanding much faster than predicted, according to a new
study by researchers at NOAA and the University of Hawaii. This change in
ocean biology, linked to the warming of sea surface waters, may negatively
affect the populations of many fish species trying to survive in these
desert-like environments.
Former astronaut faces A very down- to-earth question
2/28
- A student at Totolita Middle School asked, "How do you go to the bathroom
in space?"
Searfoss' short answer: "Very carefully."
NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew
2/28
- NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping to date of the
moon's rugged south polar region, with a resolution to 20 meters per pixel.
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.,
collected the data using the facility's Goldstone Solar System Radar located
in California's Mojave Desert.
Upcoming NASA Opportunities for Educators
2/26 - NASA Presentations Planned for National
Afterschool Association Conference. Visit with NASA representatives at NAAs
2008 annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 12-14, 2008.
Afterschool educators can attend a variety of NASA sessions with hands-on
activities designed for all grade levels. Plan to visit the NASA booth to
obtain education materials and information on how NASA resources can be used
in out-of-school-time programs.
Sally Ride
blasts onto Tempe campus for festival
2/26 - Sally Ride, America’s first woman in
space, returns to ASU on March 1 as keynote speaker for the Sally Ride
Science Festival and Educator Institute. About 800 to 1,000 children,
teachers and parents are expected to attend the events, which will cover
topics like exploding stars, extreme astronomy and molecular madness.
Preserving Our Planet
2/26 - NOAA helps protect and restore our
natural resources through science, exploration, education, and outreach, as
well as a variety of programs.
Amazing Miniaturized 'SIDECAR' Drives Webb Telescope's Signal
2/25 - Many technologies have become so
advanced that they've been miniaturized to take up less space and weigh
less. That's what happened to some electronics being built for the James
Webb Space Telescope that will convert analog signals to digital signals and
provide better images of objects in space when they're sent to scientists on
Earth. The James Webb Space Telescope being built by Northrop Grumman.
Science guru takes kids on space walk
2/21 - Bob McDonald, of CBC Radio's Quirks &
Quarks and the host and author of TV Ontario's Head's Up, took students on a
scientific journey at the Capitol Centre Tuesday.
New Study Shows Extent of Harmful Human Influences on Global Marine
Ecosystems
2/19 - More than 40 percent of the world’s
oceans are heavily impacted by human activities, including overfishing and
pollution, according to a new study that will appear in tomorrow’s
peer-reviewed journal Science.
Scientists Reveal First-Ever Global Map of Total Human Effect
on Oceans
2/19 - More than 40 percent of the world's oceans are heavily affected by
human activities, and few if any areas remain untouched, according to the
first global-scale study of human influence on marine ecosystems.
Planetary News: Space Policy (2008)
2/13 - NASA was not the only agency to
benefit from the increased emphasis on Earth observations in
the Administration's budget request for 2009.
NOAA, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is also
charged with monitoring Earth from space, and has its own fleet of
satellites in orbit collecting and disseminating scientific data.
UNH-NOAA Ocean Mapping Expedition Yields New Insights into Arctic Depths
2/12 - New Arctic sea floor data released
today by the University of New Hampshire and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration suggests that the foot of the continental slope
off Alaska is more than 100 nautical miles farther from the U.S. coast than
previously assumed.
'Star Trek' Movie Gets Science Advice
2/12 - The out-of-this world visuals in the
new "Star Trek" movie will actually be based on science from our solar
system. A NASA planetary scientist has joined the film's production team to
ensure the scientific accuracy of the movie's astronomical scenes.
Antarctic Ice Loss Speeds Up, Nearly Matches Greenland Loss
1/29 - Ice loss in Antarctica increased by 75
percent in the last 10 years due to a speed-up in the flow of its glaciers
and is now nearly as great as that observed in Greenland, according to a
new, comprehensive study by NASA and university scientists.
NASA Earth Science Update
1/25 - NASA officials gave a briefing at NASA
headquarters yesterday to discuss NASA's Earth science program and preview
major activities planned for 2008, including the launch of two new
Earth-observing missions and a weather satellite.
Warmer Ocean Could Reduce Number of Atlantic Hurricane Landfalls
1/24 - A warming global ocean — influencing
the winds that shear off the tops of developing storms — could mean fewer
Atlantic hurricanes striking the United States according to new findings by
NOAA climate scientists.
Sally Ride Science Announces New Educator Institute on Climate Change
1/24 - To help
upper elementary and middle school teachers integrate today's hottest topic
in their classrooms, Sally Ride Science(TM) announces a new Educator
Institute, "Connecting with Climate Change: The CO(2) Story." The one-day
professional development workshop allows teachers to explore the latest
findings on climate change, and gain tips and strategies for incorporating
the science of Earth's changing climate into their curriculum.
NASA Tsunami Research Makes Waves in Science Community
1/22 - A wave of new NASA research on
tsunamis has yielded an innovative method to improve existing tsunami
warning systems, and a potentially groundbreaking new theory on the source
of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
NASA Observes La Niña: This 'Little Girl' Makes a Big Impression
1/17 - Cool, wet conditions in the Northwest,
frigid weather on the Plains, and record dry conditions in the Southeast,
all signs that La Niña is in full swing.
Space Station Modules Proposed by UK Scientists
1/17 - Two
habitation modules emblazoned with the United Kingdom's Union Jack could
launch to the International Space Station (ISS) by 2011 under a new plan
devised by British scientists and engineers.
Challenger Center Showcases Young NASA Student Engineers
1/15 - Someday plants could give us food,
oxygen, and clean water for our life support systems on Earth and in space,
and a showcase of student designs for space greenhouses for NASA has
premiered on the
Challenger Center for Space Science Education website this month.
Earth As A New
Frontier
1/14 - GEOSS is turning Earth into a new
frontier, driving a deeper understanding of Earth’s complex systems in a way
that will greatly improve our predictive capabilities and bring vital
societal benefits to people around the globe.
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Awards $1.2 Million Grant to Chabot Space
& Science Center
1/9 - The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
of San Francisco has awarded Chabot Space & Science Center a $1.2 million
grant over three years to increase Chabot's reach and impact of informal
science education programs within the Bay Area. The grant will be used to
support and expand Chabot's educational programs to the general public, with
a focus on increasing the number of students served.
NASA Announces Servicing Mission Details at Astronomy Conference
1/9 - NASA scientists and a space shuttle
astronaut today outlined details of a challenging mission that will repair
and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope in 2008.
US shuttle glitches may delay Hubble mission
1/9 - A US shuttle mission
to repair the Hubble space telescope this year could be delayed due to the
postponement of last month's Atlantis launch, a NASA official said Tuesday.
NOAA: Sunspot is Harbinger of New Solar Cycle, Increasing Risk for
Electrical Systems
1/7
- A new 11-year cycle of heightened solar activity, bringing with it
increased risks for power grids, critical military, civilian and airline
communications, GPS signals and even cell phones and ATM transactions,
showed signs it was on its way late yesterday when the cycle’s first sunspot
appeared in the sun’s Northern Hemisphere.
NASA Astronaut at Daytona Speedway Event for 50th Milestones
1/7 - Astronaut Andrew Feustel will
participate in NASCAR's Preseason Thunder Fan Fest at Daytona International
Speedway, Fla., on Tuesday, Jan. 8. The appearance is in celebration of
NASA's 50th anniversary and the Daytona International Speedway's 50th
running of the Daytona 500 in 2008.
NOAA to Ensure Global Navigation Satellite System Accuracy
1/4 - NOAA will lead an international effort
to pinpoint the locations of more than 40 global positioning satellites in
Earth orbit, which is vital to ensuring the accuracy of GPS data that
millions worldwide rely upon every day for safe navigation and commerce.
Lockheed Martin Has Lightning Moves
1/4 - Lockheed Martin
Space Systems Company has been selected by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA to design and develop a new
instrument on the nexgen of weather sats... this instrument is to detect
patterns in lightning flashes so forecasters can have an early indicator of
severe thunderstorms and tornados.
U.S. Climate Change Science Program Issues Revised Research Plan
1/3 - The U.S.
Climate Change Science Program Revised Research Plan Summary
is available in the Federal Register and online for review and
comment by the public. Comments received by February 26, 2008, will be
considered during the preparation of the final revised research plan and the
forthcoming scientific assessment.
Planetary News: The Planetary Society (2007) The Year in Pictures
1/3
- The year 2007 certainly has been one of the most active in planetary
exploration. Of the 20 robotic spacecraft in operation, 11 returned images
to Earth from four planets plus numerous moons, including our own recently
neglected natural satellite.
Teacher Survey Participation Requested: Earth and Space science
12/18 - Our team is trying to determine how teachers are using Earth and
Space science images, data, and web sites in teaching. The overarching goal
of the project is to figure out what things scientists can do to best
support teachers.
