On July 20, 1969, our nation and the world watched in awe as the first humans stepped foot onto another world. Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of this momentous landing with Moonfest 2009: From Apollo to LCROSS, and Beyond. The festival is being held on Sunday, July 19, 2009, at NASA’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field in California. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event.
Moonfest 2009 will celebrate the accomplishments of NASA by focusing on the Apollo 11 landing and related events, while also showcasing subsequent and planned future explorations of the moon by the United States and other space-faring nations. The day will include scientific talks, rocket launches, musical performances and more.
The event is being organized by the NASA Lunar Science Institute and by LCROSS, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite mission. LCROSS had a successful launch on June 18, 2009.
For more information, visit http://moonfest.arc.nasa.gov/
Filed under: Cool Science, Educational Materials, K-12, NASA, Science, Space Age | Tags: National Geographic, TV, video clips, Moon, Apollo
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing, National Geogrpahic has produced several new programs about the Moon, the NASA Apollo missions, and future Moon exploration.
As usual, each of the programs has its own website where you can find video clips, trivia related to the program, and many interactive materials. Students, teachers, history buffs, and space enthusiasts will appreciate the large collection of information.
Visit the National Geographic website at http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/man-and-the-moon
Join educators and space enthusiasts around the world to celebrate World Space Week, Oct. 4-10, 2008. This international event commemorates the beginning of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on Oct. 4, 1957.
During World Space Week, teachers are encouraged to use space-themed activities in the classroom to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This year, $500 teacher grants will be awarded for the most creative use of space in the classroom during World Space Week.
World Space Week is the largest public space event in the world, with celebrations in more than 50 nations. To learn more about World Space Week, search for events in your area and find educational materials related to the event, visit http://www.worldspaceweek.org/index.html
According to a press release received this morning, an accalimed documentary, Sputnik Mania, opens this weekend in Portland at the Hollywood Theatre. The press release below describes more about this space age film. For more info visit http://www.SputnikMania.com
October 4, 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, the first manmade object ever to leave the atmosphere and successfully orbit the earth. Throughout the world, events are being planned to celebrate the “Sputnik Year,” which begins on the anniversary and runs through December 31, 2008. As part of that celebration, SPUTNIK MANIA tells the satellite’s story from America’s point of view.
Like today, 1957 was a time of fear. In place of Al Qaeda, dirty bombs, and the war in Iraq, there were the Soviets, hydrogen bombs, and the Cold War. The world’s two superpowers were hell-bent on beating one another by any means necessary. It was also a time of political wrangling, with a popular president under attack for not being strong enough on Communism.
The film leads us through the first year following the launch of Sputnik. In 1958, a nuclear weapon was tested in the atmosphere by either Russia or the United States every three days. By the end of that year, nothing was the same. Sputnik spurred us into an arms and space race, necessitating the creation of an academic army of scientists and engineers. This led to the development of NASA, massive reforms in our education system, and the discoveries that enabled many of the consumer technologies on which we depend today (the Internet, cell phones, global positioning systems, credit card verifications and high-definition televisions). The launch of Sputnik also led to widespread panic, fear and anxiety as leading politicians and the media whipped the public into an escalating mass frenzy – only months after Sputnik’s launch, 60% of Americans thought that nuclear war was imminent and that 50% of the American population would likely die (Gallup Poll, April 1958).
With our education system again in dire need of reform, the renewed focus on nuclear testing, and NASA’s plans to build a moon base by 2024, the cosmic frontier has reopened to a new generation of scientists, engineers, and soldiers. As the film’s epilogue asks: what will be our next “Sputnik moment” — the event that drives us to address these and other challenges?
SPUTNIK MANIA is based on Paul Dickson’s bestselling book Sputnik: The Shock of the Century. The filmmaker, David Hoffman, has 40 years of movie-making experience, including over one hundred television specials and four feature documentaries. Actor Liev Schreiber narrates the film with his dramatic and instantly recognizable style of storytelling.
Many key players of the Sputnik era supported the production of SPUTNIK MANIA. Russian representatives, NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the National Education Association, NPR’s Daniel Schorr, and Homer Hickam of Rocket Boys fame among others contribute to the film with short clips dramatically telling their stories.
SPUTNIK MANIA sings an uncannily prophetic song of the past to the tune of the present. It tells a story of great relevance to issues facing the 21st century.
The film will show Saturday, July 26th and 27th at 12:30pm, 3:45pm & 5:30pm, with an additional screening on Monday July 28th at 7:00pm. The showtimes for the second weekend will be set on Monday the 28th.
The Hollywood Theatre is located at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland. General admission is $6.50, $4.50 for seniors 65+ and children 4-12. Monday night all shows are just $4.
Filed under: STEM, Science, Space Age | Tags: Astronauts, Evergreen Aviation, Space Museum
Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum Launch
in McMinnville, Oregon
Prepare for LAUNCH!
Friday, June 6, 2008 at 9 a.m.
This once-in-a-lifetime museum launch features a dedication event including Astronauts Gen. Joe Engle, Gen. Tom Stafford and Titan II expert Chuck Rash.
Don’t miss this historic event and be here as the Evergreen Space Museum opens its doors for the first time!
Event Schedule – Friday June 6, 2008
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
8:30 am Doors open
9:00 am Opening Ceremonies Begin
11:00 am Opening Ceremonies Conclude
TICKET PRICES:
Children and Members $10
General Public $20
RSVP REQUIRED:
Tel: 503.434.4023 or E-mail: events@sprucegoose.org
or download the reservation form at http://www.sprucegoose.org/news_events/space_launch.html
Join the Space Studies Board for its upcoming colloquium, “Space Science: 50 Years and Counting,” on June 26, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The SSB will be capping its year-long celebration of the 50th anniversaries of the space age, the International Geophysical Year, and the SSB with an all-day colloquium at the National Academy of Sciences. The colloquium will run from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and will feature two sessions.
The morning session will include retrospective and prospective policy-oriented discussions and will include perspectives from a senior congressional leader, past leaders of the SSB and the Board’s incoming chair.
The afternoon session will include forward-looking assessments of successes, short-falls, opportunities and challenges in the sciences. This session will revolve around a series of town-hall-format interactions between the audience and panelists about applying lessons from the first 50 years of space exploration to hopes and aspirations for the next 50 years in four areas of space research. These areas are astrophysics and space physics, microgravity life and physical sciences, planetary exploration and astrobiology, and Earth sciences. The day will conclude with a special lecture about exploring space with humans and robots.
For more information about the colloquium, including online registration and a detailed schedule of events, visit http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/IGY_DC_event.html
Filed under: K-12, NASA, STEM, Science, Space Age, Webcasts | Tags: History, NASA 50th Anniversary
As part of NASA’s 50th anniversary celebration, the Digital Learning Network will inspire students across the country with a five-part series highlighting the contributions of each NASA center to a specific topic in NASA history. The DLN will take students on a journey into NASA’s past while linking them to the vision for space exploration. A look at past, present and future goals of the space program will offer a unique connection to student participants as they are invited to be a part of the future of space exploration.
Each live webcast will link participants to two of NASA’s centers with programs focusing on NASA’s past, present and future efforts of space exploration. All series segments will include discussions of the past, present and future of each center’s topic.
Go Flight!
May 13, 2008, 1 p.m. — 2 p.m. EDT
The year was 1958 and nothing would ever be the same. For the first time, the United States sent a man-made device into space. This new frontier of exploration required ingenuity and creativity. Much of the effort made to make space exploration a success was expended at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center. Join this webcast to re-live the incredible past events at these two centers, realize that the future milestones of NASA will be accomplished by the students inside today’s classroom!
Astronomy: Bringing the Past to Light
May 14, 2008, 1 p.m. — 2 p.m. EDT
May 14, 2008, 3 p.m. — 4 p.m. EDT
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining forces to bring the rich history and science of telescopes to light. This interactive learning event will peer back through time to “first light” for Galileo’s refractor, highlight the evolution of the telescope into today’s large mountaintop reflectors, and focus in on the present and future promise of NASA’s space-based Great Observatories. Witness the inspiring trek of innovation and discovery as NASA continues to explore.
Advancements in Aeronautics
May 20, 2008, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EDT
Fly away with NASA’s Langley and Dryden Flight Research Centers to learn about their roles in the development of aeronautics during NASA’s 50 years. Combined, the two centers have been studying aviation for more than 90 years. Participants will learn more about this fascinating area of science and how NASA’s advancements have benefited mankind.
Propulsion: Past, Present and Future
May 20, 2008, 1:10 p.m. — 2:10 p.m. EDT
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Stennis Space Center were built to examine Newton’s three fundamental laws of motion through testing large-scale engines used for propulsion, engines that would eventually take man to the moon. In recent years, both centers were key to the development of the Space Shuttle Program, from the conceptual stages to the last flight in the coming years. Today, as the shuttle is about to be retired, MSFC and SSC look to a new era of space exploration taking man back to the moon and beyond to new frontiers.
Wind Tunnels and Their Use in Aerospace
May 21, 2008, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. EDT
May 20, 2008, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EDT
A design for a new aircraft or rocket may look great on paper, but if the craft is built, will it fly? Learn how scientists and engineers at NASA have answered this question over the past 50 years without leaving the ground. Take a journey with the DLN and see how NASA uses wind tunnel facilities for aviation and aerospace research.
For more information about this series of webcast events and to submit questions to be answered during the events, visit http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=622
Filed under: Astronomy, Cool Science, Science, Space Age | Tags: Celebration, Space Party
Yuri Gagarin embarked on the historic first manned space flight on 12 April 1961. Twenty years later on 12 April 1981, the US launched the first space shuttle flight. Every year on April 12, people around the world celebrate the first man in space and the first space shuttle flight. The celebration is called Yuri’s Night. Last year there were over 90 events or parties held in over 30 countries worldwide – and this year may be even bigger. The range of events is as diverse as the people who hold them – even the residents of the International Space Station have been known to join in the fun!
You can find an event near you or plan to host your own gathering at the official Yuri’s Night website: http://www.yurisnight.net/2008/
Filed under: Educational Materials, Interactive Materials, K-12, STEM, Science, Space Age | Tags: NOVA, Space Race, TV
Next on NOVA: “Astrospies”
http://www.pbs.org/nova/astrospies
Tuesday, February 12 at 8 p.m.
Check your local listings as dates and times may vary. Broadcast in HD where available.
Millions remember the countdowns, launchings, splashdowns, and parades as the U.S. raced the USSR to the moon in the 1960s. But few know that both countries also ran parallel space programs, whose covert goal was to launch military astronauts on spying missions. In this program, NOVA delves into the untold story of this top-secret space race, which might easily have turned into a shooting war in orbit.
Coproduced by investigative journalist James Bamford, acclaimed best-selling author of The Puzzle Palace and Emmy Award-winning producer Scott Willis, “Astrospies” uncovers new clues about the tensest period of the Cold War, when the U.S. and USSR were on the verge of war and desperate for intelligence on each other’s nuclear capabilities.
Here’s what you’ll find online:
Watch the Program Online: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/program.html
“Astrospies” will be available to view online starting February 13.
Secret Astronauts: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/profiles.html
Meet eight astronauts from the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program.
The Race Today: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/racetoday.html
Historian Asif Siddiqi discusses the space programs of China, India, and other new players, and their impact.
Space Race Time Line: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/timeline.html
Examine turning points in the heated competition between the U.S. and USSR to dominate space.
Spy Photos: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/astrospies/photos.html
A surveillance-image specialist examines photos of Iraq, North Korea, and other political hotspots.
Also, a video preview, Links & Books, the Teacher’s Guide, and more:
http://www.pbs.org/nova/astrospies
Filed under: Educational Materials, Higher Education, K-12, STEM, Science, Space Age, Sputnik | Tags: NOVA, TV
On The Next NOVA (from the latest NOVA newsletter)
SPUTNIK DECLASSIFIED
Tuesday, November 6 at 8 p.m.
Check your local listings as dates and times may vary.
On October 4, 1957, the Space Age dawned with the red hue of the Communist flag when the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite. Sputnik I stunned the world and spurred a surge in science education and innovation that changed our world forever. But was Sputnik I really a shock to America’s leaders, and how close was the U.S. to getting into space first?
In “Sputnik Declassified,” NOVA probes the prehistory of the Space Age, examining what makes Earth orbit so difficult to achieve; why the superpower rivalry in the wake of World War II made spaceflight attainable for the first time in history; and counters the popular view that President Dwight Eisenhower and the American science and defense establishments were caught completely off guard.
“Sputnik Declassified” draws on previously classified documents to tell the real story behind the opening chapter in the space race.
Here’s what you’ll find on the companion Web site:
Space Race Time Line
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/timeline.html
Examine turning points in the Cold War competition to dominate space.
A Tainted Legacy
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/vonbraun.html
How should Wernher von Braun be remembered — as a Nazi engineer or a space visionary?
A Blow to the Nation
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/nation.html
The launch of Sputnik came as a shock to Americans long accustomed to being number one.
Build a Rocket
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/v2.html
Learn more about how the innovative German V-2 rocket worked by assembling it yourself.
What Satellites See
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sputnik/satellite.html
Images from near-Earth orbit can tell us a lot about our world.
Also, Links and books, a Teacher’s Guide, the program transcript, and more:
http://www.pbs.org/nova/sputnik
