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Teaching From Space
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Why We Explore
Why Do We Explore?
From the time of our birth, humans have felt a primordial urge to explore -- to blaze new trails, map new lands, and answer profound questions about ourselves and our universe.
Overview
Charting Your Journey to Mars!
About the Challenge
The goal of the Exploration Design Challenge is for students to research and design ways to protect astronauts from space radiation. NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and on to an asteroid or Mars. Protecting astronauts from radiation on these distant travels is an important -- and very real -- problem that needs solving. NASA would like your help!
Start the Challenge Now
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Welcome to the Challenge -- From Astronaut Sunita Williams
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Invitation to Participate -- From NASA Associate Administrator for Education Leland Melvin
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Join the Team -- From Orion Propulsion Engineer Heather McKay
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Exploration Design Challenge Partners
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Ask the Experts
Lockheed Martin and NASA experts answer questions about Orion, radiation and deep space travel.
Orion
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Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle
Orion will carry the crew to space and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.
› Orion Home Page
› Orion Paper Model
NASA EDC Participation Map
In the News
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NASA's Orion Spacecraft Proves Sound Under Pressure
06.06.13 - After a month of being poked, prodded and pressurized in ways that mimicked the stresses of spaceflight, NASA's Orion crew module successfully passed its static loads tests on Wednesday.
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NASA Launches Exploration Design Challenge
03.11.13 - NASA unveiled an Exploration Design Challenge on Monday to give students from kindergarten through 12th grade the opportunity to play a unique role in the future of human spaceflight. The innovative educational opportunity was announced in a special event at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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NASA, Lockheed Martin Announce Exploration Design Challenge for Students
03.07.13 - NASA and Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda, Md., will involve students in the flight test of NASA's Orion spacecraft through an Exploration Design Challenge to be unveiled in Houston on Monday, March 11.