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NASA Education Express Message — Nov. 13, 2014

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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles Available for Educational UseNASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles and other special items offered on a first-come, first-served basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.There will be a nominal shipping fee that must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visithttp://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/Special_Item_Request_Procedure.pdf.Questions about this opportunity should be directed toGSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional DevelopmentNASA Educator Professional Development is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.MAVEN: Red Planet -- Read, Write, Explore! Audience:Pre-service and In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 3-5Event Date:Nov. 13, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. ESTParticipants will learn about the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission to study the atmosphere of Mars and will receive a set of educational activities called Red Planet: Read, Write, Explore! The resources include six standards-based science lessons incorporating reading, writing and art activities for grades 3-5.NASA's New Horizon's Mission: Pluto up Close and Personal Audience:Pre-service and In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-8Event Date:Nov. 19, 2014, at 4:30 p.m. ESTParticipants will explore the mystery of Pluto and will learn exciting ways to bring the fascination of Pluto into the classroom while also integrating the Next Generation Science Standards into curriculum.For more information about these webinars and to register online, visithttps://paragon-tec.adobeconnect.com/admin/show-event-catalog.Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Clarence Jones atClarence.F.Jones@NASA.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________2015 NASA Space Technology Research FellowshipsNASA is seeking applications from U.S. graduate students for the agency's Space Technology Research Fellowships. The research grants, worth as much as $74,000 per year, will coincide with the start of the 2015 fall academic term.Applications will be accepted from students pursuing or planning to pursue master's or doctorate degrees in relevant space technology disciplines at accredited U.S. universities. The grants will sponsor U.S. graduate student researchers who show significant potential to contribute to NASA's strategic space technology objectives through their studies. To date, NASA has awarded grants to 247 student researchers from 79 universities located in 35 states and one U.S. territory.Sponsored by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, the fellowships are improving America's technological competitiveness by providing the nation with a pipeline of innovative space technologies.The deadline for submitting applications isNov. 13, 2014.For more information, visithttp://tinyurl.com/oemporz.Please email any questions about this opportunity tohq-nstrf-call@mail.nasa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________National Science Foundation's East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes Fellowship ProgramThe National Science Foundation, or NSF, is accepting applications for its East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes, or EAPSI, Fellowship Program. This program provides U.S. graduate students in science and engineering with an opportunity to spend eight weeks (10 weeks for Japan) during the summer conducting research at one of seven host locations in East Asia and the Pacific. Host locations are Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan. The program is a collaboration between NSF and counterpart agencies in each host location.EAPSI is open to graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a research-oriented master's or doctoral program in science or engineering. Applicants must propose a research project in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field supported by NSF. Applicants identify and contact host researchers on their own prior to submitting their EAPSI proposals. Lists of prospective host institutions are available at the opportunity website.NSF provides EAPSI Fellows with a $5,000 stipend and roundtrip airplane ticket to the host location. The program's foreign counterparts provide in-country living expenses and accommodations (arrangements vary by host location).The application submission deadline for summer 2015 isNov. 13, 2014.For additional information about the program, including location-specific handbooks, a How to Apply guide and helpful tips for applicants, visitwww.nsf.gov/eapsi.Questions about this fellowship opportunity should be directed tooiia-ise-eapsi@nsf.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________2015 NASA High-Altitude Student Platform OpportunityNASA is accepting applications from students at U.S. colleges and universities who want to send experiments to the edge of space on a high-flying scientific balloon.The annual NASA project provides near-space access for 12 undergraduate and graduate student experiments to be carried by a NASA high-altitude research balloon. The flights typically last 15 to 20 hours and reach an altitude of 23 miles. Experiments may include compact satellites or prototypes.The experiments are flown aboard the High-Altitude Student Platform, or HASP, a balloon-born instrument stack launched from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility's remote site in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The goals of the project are to provide a space test platform to encourage student research and stimulate the development of student satellite payloads and other space-engineering products.HASP seeks to enhance the technical skills and research abilities of students in critical science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The project is a joint effort between NASA and the Louisiana Space Consortium. The Science Missions Directorate Astrophysics division manages the NASA scientific balloon program; Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia oversees Balloon Flight Operations.A question-and-answer teleconference will take place onNov. 14, 2014, at 11 a.m. EST. Groups who have previously flown experiments on HASP, as well as new organizations, are encouraged to attend. To participate, dial in to 1-866-717-2684 a few minutes prior to conference time. When requested, enter the conference ID number 6879021 followed by the # key.The deadline for applications isDec. 19, 2014.For application information and technical details about the program, visithttp://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp.Questions about the High-Altitude Student Platform opportunity should be directed to T. Gregory Guzik atguzik@phunds.phys.lsu.edu.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Student Spaceflight Experiments Program -- Mission 8 to the International Space StationThe National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announce an authentic science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest flight opportunity, Mission 8 to the International Space Station, or ISS, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low-Earth orbit on the ISS. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research minilaboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment and all launch services to fly the minilab to the space station in fall 2015 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community -- engaging typically 300+ students -- allows student teams to design and proposerealexperiments vying for their communitys reserved minilab. Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. Additional SSEP programming leverages the experiment design competition to engage the community, embracing a learning community model for STEM education.This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations are also encouraged to participate. Interested communities must inquire about the program no later thanNov. 15, 2014. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities in the U.S. secure the needed funding.To learn more about this opportunity, visit the SSEP Mission 8 to International Space Station National Announcement of Opportunity athttp://ssep.ncesse.org/2014/10/new-flight-opportunity-for-school-districts-announcing-student-spaceflight-experiments-program-ssep-mission-8-to-the-international-space-station-starting-february-2015/.SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a national laboratory. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/) is a national partner on SSEP. To view a list of all SSEP national partners, visithttp://ssep.ncesse.org/national-partners/.If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein atjeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Virginia Space Grant Consortium's STEM Takes Flight ProgramVirginias community college students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, also known as STEM, fields have access to new scholarships, research experiences, internships and courses thanks to a two-year NASA grant to the Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Community College faculty in STEM fields will have access to professional development at NASA.The Consortiums new program, STEM Takes Flight at Virginias Community Colleges, provides $5,000 mentored scholarships, paid industry internships, NASA research experiences and new courses to foster STEM career awareness and workplace skills. The goal is community college retention in STEM academic tracks through graduation with an associates degree or transfer to a four-year institution.Application deadlines are as early asNov. 17, 2014.For more information, visitwww.vsgc.odu.edu/stemtakesflight.Please email any questions about this program tovsgc@odu.edu.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Free Smithsonian's "STEM in 30" Webcast Series

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum is presenting a series of free education webcast events called "STEM in 30." This new program consists of live, fast-paced 30-minute webcasts designed to increase interest and engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, for students. To enhance the learning experience, students can get involved with the content through the interactive "Cover It Live" feature, including poll questions and classroom activities. The webcasts will be available live on the National Air and Space Museum website as well as on NASA TV, and will be archived for on-demand viewing.Vacuum-Packed Space Food: It's What's for DinnerNov. 19, 2014, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ESTFrom John Glenn's food in a tube to the shuttle astronauts' candy-coated chocolates, space food has come a long way. In this fast-paced webcast designed for students in sixth to eighth grades, students will learn about the history of space food, how food is prepared and packaged for space, and the changes in nutrition over time."STEM in 30" webcasts are online learning experiences, but are filmed in front of a live audience. If you are interested in bringing your school group to a live filming of "STEM in 30," please contact Myra Banks-Scott atbanksscottm@si.edu.For more information about the Smithsonian's "STEM in 30" Webcast Series, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/stem-in-30/.Questions about this series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________NASA's ESTEEM "Ask US" Online Professional Development SeriesNASA's Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, is sponsoring a series of Google Plus Hangout professional development events for K-12 educators. The Earth Systems, Technology and Energy Education for MUREP, or ESTEEM, team will lead the monthly sessions that will cover a variety of climate topics. This month's webinar topic is:Change Over Time: Investigate Climate Change Impacts in the Southeast U.S. -- Nov. 20, 2014, at 4 p.m. ESTThe National Climate Assessment, released in May of 2014, summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, touching on many disciplines: earth science, biology, human health, engineering, technology, economics and policy. Explore the document with Dr. Fred Lipschultz from the United States Global Change Research Project, and then learn about educator resources that will enable you to bring this topic into classroom lessons, engage students in data collection and analysis, and share visualizations and citizen science projects. The focus this month will be on the Southeast and Caribbean region. Watch for additional regions of the U.S. to be featured in upcoming Ask US sessions.Certificates of professional development hours are available upon request.For more information on this event and upcoming webinar sessions, visithttps://nice.larc.nasa.gov/asknice/. Questions about this series should be sent to Bonnie Murray atbonnie.murray@nasa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Museum Alliance Webcast: Beyond Earth Orbit With the Orion SpacecraftThe Orion team invites home school families, museums and schools to participate in an interactive webcast featuring Lockheed Martin engineer Joe LeBlanc. In this interactive webcast onNov. 20, 2014, at 4 p.m. EST, LeBlanc will broadcast live from the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. He will share NASAs efforts in deep space exploration and the importance of Orions first flight.You may view the webcast as an individual at your personal computer or set up audio visual equipment in your museum or school for a large group to participate.LeBlanc will take questions from a live audience at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as from webcast viewers nationwide. Questions may be submitted before or during the event tojsc-orion-outreach@mail.nasa.gov.To view the webcast, visithttp://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-jsc.To learn more about the upcoming Orion mission and to learn how you can plan an event to celebrate the launch, visitwww.ExploreDeepSpace.com.Additional Orion resources may be found athttp://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/mpcv/andhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/nasaorion.After the webcast, presentation materials will be posted on the Museum Alliance member site athttps://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/Conversations. A downloadable copy of the webcast and transcript will be posted a week or so later at the same location. Username and password are required to access the member site.To learn how to become a Museum Alliance member, visithttps://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/About.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program Accepting Applications for 2015-2016 Fellowship YearThe Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, or AEF, Program provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, to serve in the national education arena. Fellows spend 11 months working in a federal agency or U.S. congressional office, bringing their extensive classroom knowledge and experience to STEM education program and/or education policy efforts. Program applications are dueNov. 20, 2014, and must be submitted through an online application system.To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens who are currently employed full time in a U.S. public or private elementary or secondary school or school district, and must have been teaching full time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years in a STEM discipline.Federal sponsors have included NASA, the Department of Energy, or DOE, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The DOE sponsors up to four placements in U.S. congressional offices.The AEF Program is managed by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, in collaboration with the Triangle Coalition for STEM Education and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.Information about the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits, application requirements and access to the online application system can be found athttp://science.energy.gov/wdts/einstein/.Inquiries about the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program should be directed tosc.einstein@science.doe.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________NASA's Balance Mass Challenge: Using "Dead Weight" on Mars Spacecraft to Advance Science and TechnologyThe Mars Balance Mass Challenge seeks design ideas for science and technology payloads that could potentially provide dual purpose as ejectable balance masses on spacecraft entering the Martian atmosphere.The payloads may serve two roles: perform scientific and/or technology functions that help us learn more about the Red Planet, and provide the necessary mass to balance planetary landers.Submissions are dueNov. 21, 2014. All potential solvers submitting ideas must be 18 years of age or older. A winner will be announced in mid-January 2015 and receive an award of $20,000.For more information about the challenge, visithttps://www.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9933607.The Mars Balance Mass Challenge is managed by NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, or CoECI. CoECI was established in coordination with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to advance NASA's open innovation efforts and extend that expertise to other federal agencies. The challenges are being released on the NASA Innovation Pavilion, one of the CoECI platforms available to NASA team members, through its contract with InnoCentive Inc. Also please visit the newNASA Solvewebsite to watch avideoon the Mars Balance Mass challenge and to learn more about all NASA challenge and prize-based activities.Questions about the contest series should be directed to NASAs Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation atnasa-coeci@mail.nasa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________NASA CubeSat Space MissionsNASA has opened the next round of its CubeSat Launch Initiative, part of the White House Maker Initiative, in an effort to engage the growing community of space enthusiasts that can contribute to NASA's space exploration goals.The CubeSat Launch Initiative gives students, teachers and faculty a chance to get hands-on flight hardware development experience in the process of designing, building and operating small research satellites. It also provides a low-cost pathway to space for research in the areas of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations consistent with NASA's Strategic Plan.Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by4:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 25, 2014. NASA will select the payloads by Feb. 6, 2015, but selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Selected experiments are slated to be flown as auxiliary payloads on agency rocket launches or to be deployed from the International Space Station beginning in 2015 and running through 2018. NASA does not provide funding for the development of the small satellites, and this opportunity is open only to U.S. nonprot organizations and accredited educational organizations.One goal of the CubeSat Launch Initiative is to extend the successes of space exploration to all 50 states by launching a small satellite from at least one participant in each state in the next five years. During this round, NASA is particularly focused on gaining participation in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 21 states not previously selected for the CubeSat Launch Initiative. These states are: Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.CubeSats are in a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The base CubeSat dimensions are about 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters by 11 centimeters), which equals one "cube," or 1U. CubeSats supported by this launch effort include volumes of 1U, 2U, 3U and 6U. CubeSats of 1U, 2U and 3U size typically have a mass of about three pounds (1.33 kilograms) per 1U Cube. A 6U CubeSat typically has a mass of about 26.5 pounds (12 kilograms). The CubeSat's final mass depends on which deployment method is selected.To date, NASA has selected 114 CubeSats from 29 states, 17 of which have already been launched. Nine more CubeSats are scheduled to go into space in the next 12 months.For additional information about NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/cubesats.Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jason Crusan atJason.Crusan@nasa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Louisiana Tech University Online Course -- Steps to STEM: NASA Education Resources for STEM EngagementLouisiana Tech University is teaming up with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to offer a 10-week course for educators interested in putting a space-themed twist on learning. The course is designed to be a self-paced, online professional development experience focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education resources available from NASA. These resources have application methods for use in grades 4-9 classrooms with the goal of advancing high quality STEM education utilizing NASA's unique capabilities.Applications are dueNov. 30, 2014.For more information and to enroll in the course, visithttp://education.latech.edu/departments/science_technology_education_center/opeo.php.Requests for a course syllabus and additional course information, and questions about the course should be directed to Amy McDowell atamy.mcdowell@nasa.gov.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEADLINE EXTENDED: 2014 Humans in Space Art Video ChallengeThe Humans in Space Art Program and NASA's International Space Station Program have teamed up to launch the international Humans in Space Art Challenge. How will humans use space science and technology to benefit humanity? College students and early career professionals are invited to ponder this question and to express an answer creatively in a video less than three minutes long. Video artwork can be of any style, featuring original animation, sketches, music, live action drama, poetry, dance, Rube Goldberg machines, apps, etc. Younger students may also participate, but all artwork will be judged in one age category.Individuals or teams of participants should include one clear reference to the International Space Station in their videos and may use space station footage if desired.An interdisciplinary team of space representatives and art experts will evaluate the videos. NASA and the Humans in Space Art program will make the highest scoring artwork visible worldwide through online and local touring events. NASA will also take the winning video on a trip into orbit on the International Space Station and provide montages with flown patches for winners.The deadline for submissions has been extended. All submissions must be received byNov. 30, 2014.For additional information and a complete list of guidelines, visithttp://www.lpi.usra.edu/humansinspaceart/challenge/.Inquiries about this opportunity should be directed tohumansinspaceart@lpi.usra.edu.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Beautiful Earth Program Presents: Bella Gaia, a Multimedia PerformanceNASA's Beautiful Earth Program invites educators and students to take part in a musical and visual tour of Earth from space onDec. 1, 2014, at 1 p.m. EST. During this one-hour event, composer and musician Kenji Williams will perform Bella Gaia, a multimedia experience that incorporates music and NASA imagery. Following the performance, scientist Dr. Dalia Kirschbaum from NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission will lead a discussion on extreme weather science. During the discussion, students and teachers from across the country are invited to ask questions on the theme of extreme weather. (There are only six slots available for schools to interact live.)Other participants can view and interact with the program via webcast.For more information and to register to attend, visithttp://beautifulearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/Events/.Questions about this event should be directed tovcasa@umbc.edu.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Free Smithsonian's Stars Lecture Series

Curious about icy bodies in the outer reaches of our solar system, the effects of space junk on deep-space observation, the latest discoveries about the origins of the universe and new ways galaxy formation is mapped? Come to the Smithsonian's Stars Lecture Series presented by Smithsonian researchers who are exploring the sun, the moon, planets, stars, galaxies and the universe. These speakers will share behind-the-scenes details about how their research is done and about technologies that advance new discoveries. The lectures will be held at the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.Each lecture begins at 5:15 p.m. EST and is followed by a Q&A session. Stay after the lecture to visit the museum's observatory, weather permitting.Dec. 6, 2014 -- Rubble Trouble: How Space Junk Impacts AstronomyThe incredible information and images gathered using space telescopes have revolutionized what we know about the cosmos. Could space junk hinder future findings? Research associate Lisa Rand will discuss this question and the impact space junk has on astronomy. Jan. 24, 2015 -- Observing the Origin of the Universe From the South PoleAfter three years of observing from the South Pole, scientists may have found confirmation that the universe underwent a burst of inflationary growth at the time of the Big Bang. Cosmologist Colin Bischoff will discuss these findings as well as the excitement of astronomy from Antarctica.Feb. 21, 2015 -- Tracing the Structure of the Universe With Galaxy SurveysStudies of galaxy formation and cosmology have exploded in recent years due to the immense data obtained from large galaxy surveys. Postdoctoral fellow Cameron McBride will discuss how observational data and theory are combined to better understand fundamental questions in our universe, and will highlight some exciting results from ongoing research.

For more information about the Smithsonian's Stars Lecture Series, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/events/lectures/smithsonian-stars/.Questions about this lecture series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space StationARISS-US is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between May 1 - Dec. 31, 2015. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS-US is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are dueDec. 15, 2014.

Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. ARISS provides experienced mentors and relies on local amateur radio volunteers to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once in a lifetime opportunity for students.Interested parties should visithttp://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contactto obtain complete information including how the technology works, what is expected of the host organization and how to submit the proposal form.Questions about this opportunity should be emailed toariss@arrl.org.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Future Engineers 3-D Printing in Space: Design a Space Tool ChallengeNASA, in conjunction with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation, has issued a series of Future Engineers 3-D Space Challenges for students focused on solving real-world space exploration problems. Students will become the creators and innovators of tomorrow by using 3-D modeling software to submit their designs. Multiple prizes are available, but the grand prize winner will have the opportunity for his or her design to be printed on the first 3-D printer aboard the International Space Station while watching from NASAs Payload Operations Center with the mission control team.The Design a Space Tool Challenge is the first in series of challenges where students in grades K-12 will create and submit a digital 3-D model of a tool that they think astronauts might need in space. Future Engineers is a multiyear education initiative that consists of 3-D space challenges and curriculum videos on the site that parents and educators can use to get kids designing today.Entries must be submitted byDec. 15, 2014.For more information about the challenge and to watch an introductory video from astronaut Doug Wheelock, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/content/printing-challenges-for-the-first-3d-printer-aboard-the-international-space-station/.If you have any questions about the Design a Space Tool Challenge, please emailinfo@futureengineers.org.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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NASA Education Express Message -- Nov. 13, 2014

For Colombia's Nasa Indians, the village lays down the law

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TORIBIO, COLOMBIA All it took was a roar from an angry crowd and a show of hands for Carlos Ivan Silva to get a 60-year jail sentence for murder. Minutes later, four of his collaborators were sentenced to 40 years. Two minors, one of them 14 years old, were given 20 lashes in public and sent to juvenile detention.

There was no defense attorney, no chance of a plea bargain, and no mercy from the riled-up crowd in Sundays proceedings.

Indigenous groups in Colombia have the right to mete out their own justice. And the Nasa of southwestern Colombia take great pride in their community judicial system in which the entire village lays down the law.

The crimes of these seven men seemed to rattle a community long-plagued by violence. The men most in their teens are accused of being Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas who were handing out leaflets and putting up a banner in a nearby village last Wednesday.

When members of the Nasa indigenous guard an unarmed and volunteer police force tried to force them to take down the propaganda, a fight ensued and Silva killed two guard members. Rather than withdraw, however, about 30 indigenous guards and a crowd of villagers, wielding little more than sticks, pursued the guerrillas for three hours before cornering them in the mountains.

This town is often caught in the crossfire between guerrillas, the military, and criminal groups, and eight Nasa members have been murdered this year. But Wednesdays clash has the community on edge.

Olmedo Ramos, 34, is one of the coordinators of the 900-strong indigenous guard that operates in three nearby communities. After sitting through his second funeral over the weekend, he struggled to stay calm.

Theyre acting like cowards and killing us, he said of the guerrillas. We were there as civilians, only with our sticks, which are symbols of the fact that were a peaceful people, and they simply opened fire on us.

That rage seemed to have been channeled during the trial. As the seven men sat in plastic chairs with their hands tied behind their backs, the audience shouted out its judgment.

At one point, community leaders argued that the 40-year sentences for the men who didnt kill anyone might be too harsh. But the crowd roared its disapproval and quashed the motion.

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For Colombia's Nasa Indians, the village lays down the law

NASA's New Capsule at Launch Pad for Test Flight

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NASA's new Orion spacecraft is now at the launch pad for next month's test flight.

The spacecraft was moved 22 miles overnight at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and reached the launch pad early Wednesday. It was then hoisted into place on top of a Delta IV rocket for the Dec. 4 launch.

The test flight will last just over four hours and propel the unmanned capsule 3,600 miles away from Earth, before returning it for a splashdown in the Pacific.

Future Orions are meant to carry astronauts on missions of deep-space exploration, including trips to Mars. Astronauts are expected to start flying on Orion in 2021. The capsules are built for four passengers, one more than the old Apollo spacecraft.

Online:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/index.html

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NASA's New Capsule at Launch Pad for Test Flight

Google Inks Billion-Dollar Deal for NASA's Moffett Airfield

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Moffett Federal Airfield includes about 1,000 acres of land on South San Francisco Bay.

NASA this week signed a lease with Google subsidiary Planetary Ventures for Moffett Federal Airfield (MFA) and its historic Hangar One.

The deal will save the space agency about $6.3 million annually in maintenance and operation costs, and provide a hefty $1.16 billion in rent over the 60-year lease term.

"As NASA expands its presence in space, we are making strides to reduce our footprint here on Earth," Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "We want to invest taxpayer resources in scientific discovery, technology development and space explorationnot in maintaining infrastructure we no longer need."

"We look forward to rolling up our sleeves to restore the remarkable landmark Hangar One, which for years has been considered one of the most endangered historic sites in the United States," said David Radcliffe, vice president of real estate and workplace services at Google.

Hangar One (pictured) is home to a fleet of private jets, including those owned by company execs Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt.

Since 2007, Google had a contract to rent space at Moffett Airfield, as well as secure fuel at $1 per gallon less than other private jet owners. But NASA declined to renew the agreement last fall, and instead solicited bids for the space.

Planetary Ventures in February was selected by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and NASA as the "preferred" company to manage the California-based airfield.

Currently maintained by NASA's Ames Research Facility Center in Moffett Field, MFA includes about 1,000 acres of land on South San Francisco Bay, which includes three hangars, and airfield flight operations building, two runways, and a private golf course.

The new lease will see Planetary Ventures invest more than $200 million in capital improvements to the property, including re-skinning and protecting Hangar One, as well as rehabilitating Hangars Two and Three, upgrading the existing golf course, and creating a public use/education facility.

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Google Inks Billion-Dollar Deal for NASA's Moffett Airfield

NASA Highlights Mission Advances at Supercomputing Conference

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From our home planet to the far reaches of space, NASA will highlight science and engineering mission advances enabled by agency supercomputers at SC14, the international supercomputing conference, Nov. 16-21, 2014 in New Orleans.

Inside the NASA exhibit at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center at 900 Convention Center Boulevard, presenters will unveil on a 10-foot-wide hyperwall stunning new high-definition movies showing:

-- Unprecedented global maps of the ocean and sea-ice incorporating four years of observational data to address questions such as how our ocean takes up and releases heat;

-- A massive two-year Nature Run simulating Earths weather at local scales much finer than the highest-resolution global weather models that will help NASA design new satellite instruments;

-- Computational analysis supporting acoustic testing to ensure a safe lift-off for the Space Launch System, NASAs next heavy-lift rocket for deep space exploration; and-- The most realistic galaxy simulations ever produced, giving us a better understanding of cosmic mysteries including how dark matter behaves and how black holes evolve.

At SC14, NASA technology experts will also discuss upgrades to its two leading supercomputers. The NASA Center for Climate Simulation (NCCS), located at the agencys Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, is doubling the capability of its Discover supercomputer by installing SGI Rackable clusters using 14-core Intel E5-2697v3 (Haswell) processors--with a total of 47,040 new cores. By years end, Discover will have 62,400 cores and a peak performance of more than 2.6 quadrillion floating-point operations per second (petaflops). The new cores will primarily support NASA efforts to assess the credibility of downscaled climate projections, which use the results from global climate models to drive higher-resolution regional models.

The NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, is home to the Pleiades supercomputer, which supports the full spectrum of agency science and engineering missions. This fall, NAS expanded Pleiades to include the latest generation of SGI ICE X systems using 12-core Intel Xeon E5-2680v3 (Haswell) processors--with a total of 25,920 new cores. After the expansion, Pleiades has 198,432 cores and a peak performance of nearly 4.5 petaflops.

The 35 demonstrations in NASA's exhibit at booth #2739 represent work by scientists, engineers, and technologists at seven NASA locations: Ames Research Center; Glenn Research Center, Cleveland; Goddard Space Flight Center; Headquarters, Washington, D.C.; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California; Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia; and Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama; along with university and corporate partners.

In addition to the exhibit, NASA will co-lead SCs inaugural HPC Matters plenary, with NAS Division Chief Piyush Mehrotra as a speaker, and agency staff will present at several technical program and workshop sessions.

Media attending SC14 who wish to schedule onsite interviews must contact Jill Dunbar of Ames by email atjill.a.dunbar@nasa.govor by phone at 408-203-8048, or Jarrett Cohen of Goddard by email atjarrett.s.cohen@nasa.govor by phone at 301-257-9595.

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Close-up footage: NASA Soyuz Space Capsule lands in Kazakhstan – Video

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First US Orbital Flight: John Glenn "Friendship 7" Project Mercury 1962 NASA – Video

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First US Orbital Flight: John Glenn "Friendship 7" Project Mercury 1962 NASA
more at http://scitech.quickfound.net/astro/nasa_news.html This 58 minute movie, issued in 1962 as a motion picture, depicts events of the day when astronaut...

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Texas meteor sighting described as fireball by NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office – Video

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Texas meteor sighting described as fireball by NASA #39;s Meteoroid Environment Office
A brilliant fireball streaking through the Texas night sky on Saturday prompted numerous to call news outlets across the state from people reporting they #39;d sighted a meteor. Scientists...

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APOD: 2014 September 30 – A Full Circle Rainbow over Australia

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Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2014 September 30

Explanation: Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360 degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible. Pictured here, a full circle rainbow was captured over Cottesloe Beach near Perth, Australia last year by a helicopter flying between a setting sun and a downpour. An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the 84-degree diameter rainbow followed the helicopter, intact, for about 5 kilometers. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply. NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC & Michigan Tech. U.

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APOD: 2014 September 30 - A Full Circle Rainbow over Australia


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