Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.
New This Week!
Free NASA Educator Professional Development Webinars
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Sept. 22, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
Free Educator Professional Development Workshops From NASA's Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Sept. 29, 2016, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. CDT
Workshop Location: Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi
NASA's Digital Learning Network Event: Game-Changing Technology
Audience: 5-12 Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 19, 2016, at Noon EDT
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
Sign Up for NASA Education 'Science WOW!' Weekly Email Newsletter
Audience: All Educators and Students
2016 von Kármán Lecture Series -- Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, 2016, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
Educator Workshop -- Comets Close Up
Audience: Formal and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: Sept. 24, 2016, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. PDT
Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops -- Fall/Winter 2016-2017
Audience: Current and Future College Instructors of Astronomy
Next Event Date: Sept. 24, 2016
Join STEM@NASA Goddard in Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 28, 2016, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT
Host a Real-Time Conversation With Astronauts Aboard the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators
Next Optional Informational Session: Sept. 28, 2016, at 7 p.m. EDT
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 1, 2016
REGISTRATION OPEN: Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2016
Audience: 9-12 Educators and Students
Registration Deadline: Sept. 28, 2016
NASA Swarmathon: Seeking College Teams for Virtual Robotics Competition!
Audience: Higher Education Faculty and Students at Minority Serving Universities and Minority Serving Community Colleges
Application Deadline: Sept. 30, 2016
Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications
Audience: All Educators
Application Period: Sept. 1-30, 2016
2017 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Notice of Intent Deadline: Sept. 30, 2016
Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2016
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: Oct. 1, 2016
Celebrate World Space Week 2016
Audience: All Educators
Event Date: Oct. 4-10, 2016
NASA's Centennial Challenges: Space Robotics Challenge
Audience: All Interested U.S. Citizens, Including Higher Education Educators and Students
Registration Deadline: 5 p.m. EDT on Oct. 7, 2016
2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students
Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 14, 2016
Entry Deadline: Nov. 17, 2016
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
National Science Foundation's Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
Audience: Organizations Interested in Advancing STEM Learning in Informal Environments
Full Proposal Deadline: Nov. 8, 2016
NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
Audience: Informal Educators, Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 22, 2016
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Audience: Educators and Students, Ages 14 to 18
Entry Deadline: Dec. 3, 2016
Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
Audience: Education Institutions and Organizations
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis Through Dec. 31, 2017
Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Audience: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students and Higher Education Institutions
Don't miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA's website:
-- Educators
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html-- Students
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.htmlAre you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum? Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at
http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels -- from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs.
http://nasawavelength.org/Visit NASA Education on the Web:
NASA Office of Education: http://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club:
http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclubNEW THIS WEEK!
Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University 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 that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 -- Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: Sept. 22, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
Learn how to help students study exoplanetary systems through hands-on activities, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multiuser virtual world simulations. To prepare teachers to use the vMAX virtual world with students, the vMAX Technical (Part 2) webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install and navigate the virtual world as an avatar. It is suggested that educators participate in BOTH webinars for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/196416Solar System and Beyond: JUNO to Jupiter
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Sept. 26, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about the “Solar System and Beyond” with NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter. Join us to learn about the JUNO mission, which started in August of 2011, and hands-on activities related to the solar system. This educational activity aligns to NASA Education API 2.4.2. Continue to support STEM educators through the delivery of NASA education content and engagement in educator professional development opportunities. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/196775Exploring the Extreme: Spacewalking
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: Sept. 27, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Celebrate over 50 years of spacewalking! Explore the history of spacewalking, the critical role of spacewalks in human space exploration, the harsh space environment endured during spacewalks, and how spacesuits are designed to protect astronauts from the space environment. NASA STEM education curriculum, online resources and teaching strategies will be integrated into this "walking with the stars" webinar. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/201573Seeing Your Students at NASA: Engineering for Robotics
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 3-12
Event Date: Sept. 28, 2016, at 5 p.m. EDT
Join a NASA robotics engineer as he talks about his job at NASA's Johnson Space Center and takes questions from you. NASA’s Johnson Space Center provides research, engineering, development, integration, and testing of robotic hardware and software technologies for robotic systems applications in support of human spaceflight. Participants will receive ideas for getting kids started in building and programming robots of their own from household materials, electronic building blocks, and LEGO EV3 kits. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/198982Seeing Your Students at NASA: Engineering for Mars, Part 2
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 3-10
Event Date: Sept. 29, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
In Part 2 of this series, educators will review two follow-on classroom activities in which students will work in engineering design teams to test various components of a Mars exploration vehicle. Students will build an electromagnet and electromagnetic motor to learn about magnetism and energy conversion. The facilitation guide will be included to help teachers and students assess their Martian vehicle. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/198528For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit
http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
Free Educator Professional Development Workshops From NASA's Stennis Space Center Office of Education
NASA's Stennis Space Center Office of Education is presenting a series of free science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, educator professional development workshops open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Workshops will be five hours in length and presented at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (Map) Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the workshop description.
Exploring the Solar System
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: Sept. 25, 2016 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Sept. 29, 2016, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. CDT
Come explore the solar system from a unique mathematical perspective. Using NASA STEM activities, participants will investigate worlds beyond our planet Earth and probe the origins of our universe. Everywhere imaginable, NASA is out there! Activities presented will be aligned to Next Generation Science Standards domain of Earth and Space Sciences; Space Systems.
Register Online:
https://www.etouches.com/201521Space Technology Drives Exploration
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: Oct. 9, 2016 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Oct. 13, 2016, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. CDT
Join us for a fun-filled technology workshop highlighting NASA’s past and present high-tech space exploration initiatives. Hands-on STEM activities will include the use of three-dimensional (3-D) and smart technology, so bring your smart phones and prepare to be amazed! Activities presented will be aligned to Next Generation Science Standards domain of Engineering, Technology and Applications of Science; Engineering Design.
Register Online:
https://www.etouches.com/201528Earth Right Now: NASA and Weather
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: Nov. 6, 2016 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Nov. 9, 2016, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. CDT
Explore NASA's role in our understanding and forecasting of weather. Climate, seasons and hurricanes will also be explored as part of this earth science workshop. NASA data, STEM curriculum and resources will guide us through a storm of classroom activities and learning strategies in this unique climate of learning. Join us, rain or shine. Activities presented will be aligned to Next Generation Science Standards domain of Earth and Space Sciences; Earth Systems.
Register Online:
https://www.etouches.com/201516For more information on the upcoming NASA Educator Professional Development workshops, visit
http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/workshops.asp.NASA's Digital Learning Network Event: Game-Changing Technology
In 2013, life changed drastically for the families of 19 firefighters trapped in an Arizona wildfire. The fire shelters that the firefighters were carrying could not protect them. That tragedy inspired scientists and engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia to look at how technology that was developed for inflatable heat shields for spacecraft could be used to prevent this kind of tragedy.
Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for a special webcast on Oct. 19, 2016, at Noon EDT to learn personally from the scientists, engineers and representatives of the National Forestry Service about how they will use this technology to save lives. Viewers may submit questions live during the event.
To join the webcast on the day of the event, visit
https://v-msfc-rp1-vidyo.vidyoproto.cso.nasa.gov/replay/webcastShow.html?key=zAVpJWq82feGvo3.Please direct questions about this event to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.
For more information about other DLN events, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/dln.PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
Sign Up for NASA Education 'Science WOW!' Weekly Email Newsletter
Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” mailing list. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”
Science starts with a question, and so does "Science WOW!" Each week's message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. "Science WOW!" also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!
Plus, "Science WOW!" delivers -- right to your inbox -- the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It's a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.
To register your email address and be added to the list, visit
https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/.2016 von Kármán Lecture Series -- Attend in Person or View Online
The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL's Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program's missions, instruments and other technologies.
Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL's Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College's Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.
Next Lecture in the Series:
Revealing Saturn: Cassini Science Highlights and the Grand Finale
Event Date: Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, 2016, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2016&month=9The Cassini mission’s findings have revolutionized our understanding of Saturn. With its mission winding down, what new puzzles will Cassini solve before it plunges into Saturn’s atmosphere? Cassini Project Scientist Dr. Linda Spilker will present highlights of Cassini’s ambitious inquiry at Saturn and an overview of science observations in the final orbits. Dr. Earl Maize, Cassini program manager, will discuss Cassini’s exciting challenges and the final year of the mission, ultimately flying through a region where no spacecraft has ever flown before.
For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.Questions about this series should be directed to
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.Educator Workshop -- Comets Close Up
The Rosetta spacecraft is on a 10-year mission to study the comet "67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko" (C-G) and answer questions about comets. Join lead scientists for the Rosetta mission in an educational workshop that explores hands-on activities and resources for engaging students in the science of comets and small bodies.
In this workshop, Rosetta project scientist Bonnie Buratti and project manager Art Chmielewski will share some of the basic physics of comets and discuss how the Rosetta mission was able to land on one for the first time. Hear about the mission's latest discoveries, see incredible up-close images of the comet, and get the inside scoop on a second landing on the comet scheduled for Sept. 30, 2016.
The target audience for the workshop is formal and informal educators of grades 6-12, but it is open to all educators.
The event will take place Sept. 24, 2016, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT at the von Kármán Auditorium at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
For more information, directions to the workshop location, and instructions for reserving a spot, visit
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2016/9/24/educator-workshop-comets-close-up.To learn more about the Rosetta mission, visit
http://rosetta.jpl.nasa.gov/.Please direct questions about this workshop to Andrea Angrum at 818-354-6775.
Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops -- Fall/Winter 2016-2017
NASA's Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of regional teaching exchanges and workshops for astronomy and space science educators.
Teaching exchanges foster a sense of community among geographically linked current and future college instructors of astronomy. Regional experts from the broader CAE community are ready to provide the opportunity for you to meet your neighbors, expand your instructional repertoire and share your own expertise.
Workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But more importantly, workshop participants will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies.
Sept. 24, 2016 -- Seattle University in Seattle, Washington
CAE Northwest Regional Teaching Exchange
Sept. 24, 2016 -- Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina
CAE Southeast Regional Teaching Exchange
Jan. 4, 2017 -- Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop -- New Methods for Teaching About Exoplanets
Jan. 5, 2017 -- Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop -- New Methods for Teaching in the Flipped Classroom
For more information and to register for the teaching exchanges, visit
http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.Inquiries about this series of events should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.
CAE is funded through NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Exoplanet Exploration Program.
Join STEM@NASA Goddard in Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night!
Are you ready to look at the moon in an entirely new way? Join NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center on Sept. 28, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT for STEM@NASA Goddard: International Observe the Moon Night. During this 30-minute event, Andrea Jones, education specialist for Planetary Science Institute at NASA Goddard, will share how International Observe the Moon Night encourages appreciation and understanding of our moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration.
The program will stream live on NASA Goddard’s Ustream channel, and participants will be able to submit questions by email and Twitter.
For more information, please contact Erin McKinley at erin.e.mckinley@nasa.gov.
Host a Real-Time Conversation With Astronauts Aboard the International Space Station
ARISS-US is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations (working individually or together) to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, radio contact with an orbiting space station crew member between July 1 - Dec. 31, 2017. Proposals are due Nov. 1, 2016.
ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Students can learn about satellite communications, wireless technology, science research conducted on the space station, what it is like to work in space, radio science, and any related STEM subject. Students learn to use amateur radio to talk directly to an astronaut and ask their STEM-related questions. ARISS will help educational organizations locate amateur radio groups who can assist with equipment for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students. Exact dates for the 10-minute radio contact are determined by crew scheduling and space station orbits.
Informational Sessions
To help organizations learn about ARISS radio contacts and the proposal process, ARISS offers one-hour online information sessions; all questions are welcomed. Attending an online session is not required but strongly encouraged.
An informational session will be offered Sept. 28, 2016, at 7 p.m. EDT.
Advance registration is necessary. Email ARISS (ariss@arrl.org) to sign up for an information session.
For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, visit
http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.ARISS-US is offered through a partnership between NASA; the American Radio Relay League, or ARRL; and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT. ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group.
Please email questions about this opportunity to ariss@arrl.org.
REGISTRATION OPEN: Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2016
The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2016 will take place this fall.
The tournament will offer U.S. high school students the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space. Zero Robotics challenges high school student teams to write their own algorithms to fly the Synchronized, Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The competition starts online where, guided by mentors, teams compete to solve an annual challenge. Students can create, edit, share, save, simulate and submit code from a web browser. After several phases of virtual competition, finalists will be selected to compete virtually in a live championship aboard the International Space Station.
Registration closes on Sept. 28, 2016.
For more information about the tournament and to register your team to participate, visit
http://zerorobotics.mit.edu/.The competition began with a live webcast kickoff from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Sept. 10, 2016. Visit the Zero Robotics website to watch an archived video of the kickoff event.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to zerorobotics@mit.edu.
NASA Swarmathon: Seeking College Teams for Virtual Robotics Competition!
The NASA Swarmathon is now accepting applications for the 2017 NASA Swarmathon Virtual Competition. Selected teams will receive a $500 stipend for their faculty member; training via live webinars, videos and guides; and access to technical forums to post questions and receive answers. The top scoring team will receive a $3,000 prize.
The Swarmathon Virtual Competition will challenge students to develop search algorithms for robotic swarms, and these algorithms will be tested by competition organizers in a virtual environment. Winners will be announced at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in April 2017.
Swarmathon participation will (1) improve students’ skills in robotics and computer science and (2) further advance technologies related to future NASA space exploration missions. Faculty members at Minority Serving Universities and Minority Serving Community Colleges are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is Sept. 30, 2016.
For more information, visit
http://nasaswarmathon.com/.Please direct questions about the NASA Swarmathon Virtual Competition to Info@NASASwarmathon.com.
Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications
The NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassadors Program, a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, will be accepting applications from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, 2016.
Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer SSAs to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning Jan. 1, 2017.
While applications are being sought nationwide, interested parties from the following areas are especially encouraged to apply: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. SSA hopes to add 100 new volunteers to the program in 2017.
To learn more about the SSA Program and to apply online, visit
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ssa/home.cfm. The Announcement of Opportunity and application form will be available on Sept. 1.
If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Kay Ferrari, SSA coordinator, by email at ambassad@jpl.nasa.gov.
2017 BIG Idea Challenge
NASA’s Game Changing Development Program and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing Idea Challenge. The BIG Idea Challenge invites teams and their faculty advisors to work together to design and analyze potential modular concepts and systems that provide the ability to construct large solar electric propulsion, or SEP, tugs in space that can transfer payloads for low Earth orbit to a lunar distant retrograde orbit. Concepts can employ new approaches for packaging modules in one or more launch vehicles that minimize launch loads; modular (distributed) solar arrays and ion engines; and robust robotic assembly (joining) of the modules that form the SEP tug.
Interested teams of three to five undergraduate and/or graduate students will submit proposals (eight to10 pages) describing their BIG Idea. Based on a review of the proposals, four teams will be selected to submit full technical papers and present their concepts to a panel of NASA judges at the 2017 BIG Idea Forum at NASA's Langley Research Center on Feb. 15 and 16, 2017, in Hampton, Virginia.
The final four qualifying teams will receive a $6,000 stipend to facilitate participation in the BIG Idea Forum. The winning team will receive offers to participate in paid internships with the Game Changing Development team at Langley Research Center where they can work toward further developing their concept under the mentorship of NASA experts.
Interested teams are encouraged to submit a notice of intent by Sept 30, 2016, and teams must submit proposals by Nov. 30, 2016.
For full competition details, including design constraints and submission guidelines, please visit
http://BigIdea.nianet.org.If you have any questions about the competition, please contact BigIdea@nianet.org.
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research Center
NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2016. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but reservations are required to guarantee admission. Visitor parking is also free.
On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn's main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes, and a stop at Glenn's Gift Shop follows the tour.
Glenn’s 2016 Tour Schedule
Oct. 1, 2016 -- Prepare for Impact: Come explore Glenn's Ballistic Impact Facility. See the laboratory that helped to identify the cause of the space shuttle Columbia accident and to return NASA’s shuttle fleet to flight.
Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html.Please direct questions about the tours to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
Celebrate World Space Week 2016
Join educators and space enthusiasts around the world to celebrate the United Nations-declared World Space Week, Oct. 4-10, 2016. This international event commemorates the beginning of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on Oct. 4, 1957.
World Space Week is the largest public space event in the world, with celebrations in more than 70 nations. During World Space Week, teachers are encouraged to use space-themed activities to excite students about science and technology.
Participating is easy. Visit the World Space Week website to find educational resources to use in the classroom. Share your own lessons and events to get maximum recognition for your school. After your events, visit the website to share details and lessons learned.
To learn more about World Space Week, visit
http://www.worldspaceweek.org.NASA's Centennial Challenges: Space Robotics Challenge
NASA, in partnership with Space Center Houston and NineSigma, has opened registration for a new competition -- the Space Robotics Challenge. This event seeks to develop the capabilities of humanoid robots to help astronauts on the journey to Mars.
The Space Robotics Challenge is a $1 million prize competition designed to push the boundaries of robotic dexterity. Teams must program a virtual robot, modeled after NASA’s Robonaut 5, or R5 robot, to complete a series of tasks in a simulation that includes periods of latency to represent communications delay from Earth to Mars.
The competition will be held in a virtual environment. Each team’s R5 will be challenged with resolving the aftermath of a dust storm that has damaged a Martian habitat. This involves three objectives: aligning a communications dish, repairing a solar array and fixing a habitat leak.
Registration for the Space Robotics Challenge closes at 5 p.m. EDT on Oct. 7, 2016. A qualifying round will run from mid-September to mid-November. Finalists of that round will be announced in December and will engage in open practice from January to early June 2017. The final virtual competition will be held in June 2017, and winners will be announced at the end of June at Space Center Houston.
For more information about the Space Robotics Challenge, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/spacebot.Please direct questions about this competition to info@spaceroboticschallenge.com.
2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage, or RASC-AL, Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge. This new special edition challenge for 2017 is taking place in celebration of the 100th anniversary of NASA's Langley Research Center! This design competition is aimed at university-level engineering students and is one of several NASA RASC-AL competitions.
The Mars Ice Challenge requires participants to build a prototype ice drilling system. Teams will compete to extract the most water from simulated Martian subsurface ice at NASA Langley in a three-day competition during summer 2017. During this competition, each participating team will receive a simulated subsurface ice test station composed of solid blocks of ice. The blocks will be in an ice container with a layer of overburden (dirt, rocks, etc.) on top. After drilling through the overburden into the ice, teams must devise innovative solutions to deliver clean water from the ice to an external storage tank (filtering out sediments).
Up to four members of the team (plus the faculty advisor) may travel to NASA Langley for the onsite testing. The drilling and water extraction systems must operate autonomously or via teleoperation, and they are subject to mass, volume and power constraints.
After completion of the test and validation portion of the project, teams will present their drilling concepts to a design review panel composed of NASA judges. Presentations will be based on the team’s technical paper that details the drill concept’s path-to-flight (how the design can be applied to actual drilling on Mars).
Interested teams are encouraged to submit a notice of intent by Oct. 14, 2016, and teams must submit a project plan for their proposed system by Nov. 17, 2016.
A Steering Committee of NASA experts will evaluate the project plans and select up to eight teams to compete against each other at NASA’s Langley Research Center in summer 2017. Each of the selected teams will receive a $10,000 stipend to develop their drilling and water extraction system.
The RASCAL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering, science or related disciplines at an accredited university in the United States. University design teams must include (a) one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and (b) two or more undergraduate or graduate students. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
For more information about this competition, visit
http://rascal.nianet.org/mars-ice-challenge.If you have questions about this competition, please contact the RASC-AL team at rascal@nianet.org.
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites U.S. educational institutions to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles, space shuttle thermal protective blankets, and other special items offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.A nominal shipping fee must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit
http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/Special_Item_Request_Procedure.pdf.Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
National Science Foundation's Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for the Advancing Informal STEM Learning, or AISL, program. This program seeks to advance new approaches to evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; to provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; and to advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments.
Proposals are due Nov. 8, 2016.
For additional information about the program, including anticipated awards, visit
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15593/nsf15593.htm.Please direct questions about this opportunity to DRLAISL@NSF.gov.
NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
NASA has opened the next round of its CubeSat Launch Initiative in an effort to engage the growing community of space enthusiasts who 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 by 4:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 22, 2016. NASA will choose the payloads by Feb. 17, 2017, but initial selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Certain 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 2017 and running through 2020. NASA does not fund the development of the small satellites, and this opportunity is open only to U.S. nonprofit organizations and U.S. 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 18 states not previously selected for the CubeSat Launch Initiative. These states are Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington 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 119 CubeSat missions from 66 unique organizations. Of those missions, 46 have been launched into space with 29 more CubeSats scheduled to go in the next 12 months.
For additional information about NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit
http://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative.Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jason Crusan at Jason.Crusan@nasa.gov.
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Imagine what it would be like to live in space. What kind of shelter would you live in? What kind of protection would you have from the elements? How long could you stay there?
On Earth, humans are protected from radiation by the atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field. Astronauts on the space station are above the atmosphere and receive a higher dose of radiation than when they are on the ground. The harmful effects of radiation that come from the sun and other sources outside the solar system pose danger to humans living and working in space.
Radiation is one of the top concerns for humans living in deep space for long durations. A NASA group called RadWorks is using radiation detectors the size of USB thumb drives to collect data inside the International Space Station. Together with the University of Houston and the Institute for Research in Schools, RadWorks is sharing the data with high school students who are helping to analyze the radiation that astronaut Tim Peake is exposed to during his time aboard the International Space Station.
NASA is making this same data available to teachers and students through the TimPix project administered by the Institute for Research in Schools, with funding from the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom Space Agency. During European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake’s time aboard the station, data is taken many times a minute while in orbit. A variety of data sets are currently available, and others are being added as the mission progresses. Aimed at high school physics classes, the TimPix project allows students ages 14-18 to access and analyze radiation data during Peake’s mission. They are able to take part in authentic research occurring aboard the station. What type of radiation is present? What impact do different altitudes or locations around the world have on the number and types of particles detected? What happens during a solar flare? Join us in helping NASA answer these questions!
For more information about NASA’s Radworks project, visit
http://techport.nasa.gov/view/10581.For more information or to register for the TimPix project, email timpix@researchinschools.org.
Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (
http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at
http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.
Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student seeking opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science -- in collaboration with the participating agencies in the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Science.gov Alliance -- has launched a search portal for both students and universities to discover federally sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities.
Student users can search the site for opportunities they can apply to directly, such as research internships and fellowships. Likewise, universities can search the site for federal funding opportunities to establish innovative training programs for undergraduates or graduate students.
Users can search the site through faceted searching capabilities for characteristics such as program type, STEM discipline, institution location, federal sponsor, and eligibility. Or they can search through the open text option.
For programs and opportunities for undergraduates, visit
http://stemundergrads.science.gov/.For graduate programs and opportunities, visit
http://stemgradstudents.science.gov/.Don't miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educators and Students Current Opportunity pages on NASA's website:
-- Educators
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html-- Students
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.htmlAre you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum? Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at
http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” message for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!”
https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/
