2011 Presentation Videos

I thought I would add the videos used in the 2011 NASA National Student Symposium presentation...

2011 NASA Student Symposium

Kennedy Space Center - Visitor Complex

We spent the morning at the Visitor Complex. We visitited many attractions, including:
Shuttle Launch Experience
Shuttle Explorer - a full scale orbiter replica
Robot Scouts
Rocket Garden
IMAX - Space Station 3D
In the afternoon, we participated in a "Career Panel" event that was webcast on the NASA Explorer School site.
John and Alex enjoyed making a science project: a speaker phone.
At dinner this evening, Alex and John received Certificates of Recognition.
Everyone is packed and ready to head home in the morning. Breakfast is at 6:00 a.m. and we board the bus for the airport at 6:30 a.m.

2011 NASA Student Symposium

Kennedy Space Center, Presentation, Astronaut Samuel Durrance, and Ron Jon's Surf Shop...

It was a beautiful day to visit the Kennedy Space Center. We toured KSC and made several stops:

The Shuttle Endeavour sits on the Launch Pad 39A waiting for a launch date/time, covered by the work/access platform.

We made a stop in front of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)...

and the countdown-clock,

and the media area.

We enjoyed our visit to the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

Alex and John stand below a Saturn V rocket... the type used during the Apollo program.

After our tour, John and Alex make the presentation for our Robotics Club. They really did a terrific job and received many complements for the work of the team and their presentation.

At dinner this evening, we treated to a presentation by Dr. Samuel Durrance. He was a Mission Specialist on STS-35 and STS-67.

After dinner, we made the 20 minute walk up the beach to Ron Jon's Surf Shop.

Tomorrow, we will spend the morning in the KSC Visitors Complex. In the afternoon, we will participate in a "Career Panel" event, which includes many employees of NASA in a wide variety of careers. Our group will be participating from 1:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. This event will be webcast at http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/chat-index.html.

2011 NASA Student Symposium

Travel Day

We left Parkside around 7:00 a.m. and arrived at the hotel on Cocoa Beach around 3:00 p.m. That gave us time to hit the beach before dinner.

John and Alex burried Glenn in the sand... it didn't take long.

At dinner, we heard Robert Cabana, the Director of Kennedy Space Center, talk about his days as an Astronaut and the many events and people who inspired him along the way. For more information about Director Cabana, see http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/cabana.html

After dinner, Alex and John practiced the presentation. Tomorrow, we will make our presentation and visit the Kennedy Space Center.

2010 NASA Student Symposium

With the presentation behind us, we spent a beautiful day at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex (http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/).

We had about 3 hours to enjoy the complex before lunch. We had a chance to ride the Shuttle Launch Experience, which is a simulation of a shuttle launch - including a very bumpy two minutes up to SRB (Solid Rocket Booster) separation. We also watched "Magnificent Desolation" at the IMAX theater (http://www.imax.com/magnificentdesolation/) and visited the gift shop.

After lunch, we attended a demonstration by the NASA Education Specialists, which included some fun with liquid nitrogen, a propane torch, and a Space Shuttle style sleeping bag. Crissy had the opportunity to demonstrate it for the group.

We also attended a "Career Panel" discussion about education and experience paths leading to a NASA career. The event was web-casted and included some questions from participating schools via email. Following that event, we loaded the buses for a trip to the Astronaut Hall of Fame (http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/astronaut-hall-of-fame.aspx). The visit included "Science on a Sphere," which was giant, TV-like sphere that I am unable to describe. You may want to visit the website listed above. It was really cool.

After dinner this evening, Crissy and Libby were presented with certificates and medals for presenting our team's investigation.

Tomorrow, we travel back to Jackson... and a forecast of highs in the upper 40's... uhg.

It truly has been a wonderful experience for our kids and we are all very proud of the work done by everybody on the Parkside Robotics Team (including Tim, Evan, and Devon).

2010 NASA Student Symposium

Kennedy Space Center

It has been a great day... a busy day! We are tired so today's post will list the highlights:

We visited the Kennedy Space Center today to tour the facility and to make our team's presentation. In the morning, our group toured KSC and what a thrill. We were able to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the launch pad being prepared for next Friday's launch. We were able to get as close as you possibly could without actually going up to the pad.

While touring, we also visited the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the Apollo Center (where our chicken friend, Glenn, joined the group.

After lunch, Crissy and Libby presented our team's robotics investigation. They did an awesome job.

At dinner, retired astronaut Robert Springer spoke to our group. We all enjoyed his presentation about his career as a pilot and Shuttle astronaut.

See http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/springer-rc.html for more information about Robert Springer.

2010 NASA Student Symposium

Photos - May 5, 2010

Crissy and Libby at DTW...

... on Cocoa Beach...

... and with Robert Cabana, Director of Kennedy Space Center.