NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

These launch pads and towers are at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, one of NASA's primary launch sites. Credit: NASA

What does it take to get a NASA mission off the ground? People, planning and perseverance! Preparing mission objectives, designing spacecraft and fitting all the mission components together successfully require dedication and excellence from scientists, engineers and many other people who help NASA prepare for the journey. Tune in to NASA TV from January 10 through January 16, 2005, as NASA showcases some of its award-winning shows about "Preparing for the Journey."

NASA TV Education Schedule
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This 'Extra' feature highlights educational products, multimedia, and assorted other materials and Web sites related to "Preparing for the Journey."


NASA Educational Products

Image above: NASA Educational Products are available online. Credit: NASA

3... 2... 1... Liftoff! (Grades Pre-K-2)
The lesson plans in this NASA Educator Guide focus on activities about the International Space Station and the role rockets play in its construction.
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Aeronautics Educator Guide (Grades 2-4)
The three chapters in this guide are (1) Air, (2) Flight, and (3) We Can Fly, You and I. They are designed to be fun and simple and have been tested in countless homes, classrooms and teacher workshops.
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Rockets Educator Guide (Grades K-12)
Learn about the history, scientific principles and mathematics of Rockets through exciting problem-solving and cooperative learning activities.
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Consider a Career in Aerospace Poster (All Grades)
This NASA educational poster was developed to encourage young women to pursue careers in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology. It also provides information and activities relating to past, present, and future careers in aerospace.
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Launch a Career in Engineering Bookmark (All Grades)
Use the resources on this NASA educational bookmark to access career information about the fields of engineering.
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Space Shuttle Glider (Grades 5-12)
This NASA Educational Brief provides a hands-on activity for building a model of the Space Shuttle.
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NASA Educational Multimedia Materials

Image above: NASA develops multimedia resources for educators.

Visit the Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) which serves as the worldwide distribution center for NASA-produced multimedia materials. CORE offers 'Education Modules' which are bundled by topic and may include CD-ROMs, videotapes, educator guides, posters, lithographs, books, lesson plans, bookmarks, fact sheets, slide sets and activity kits.

CORE has the Mathematics Module and the Physics Module related to this theme.

For materials related to Preparing for the Journey, click on 'Search Catalog' and enter the keywords "launch" or "exploration."
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Online Educational Activities

Shuttle Launch Game (Grades K-4) Play the game by putting the pieces in order to stage the launch sequence of the Space Shuttle. + View site

Planning for a L-o-o-o-ng Trip to Mars (Grades 5-8) Decide what you need to take on a 2½ year journey to Mars. Everything must fit in a 1-cubic-meter box. + View Acrobat PDF + Download viewer

Future Flight Design (Grades 5-8) This is a web-based interactive, problem-based learning environment where students learn about forces of flight and design air transportation and aircraft systems of the future. Biographies highlight careers in aeronautics and aerospace engineering. + View site

Escape Velocity: Fun and Games (Grades K-12) Achieving escape velocity is one of the biggest challenges facing space travel. Use these articles and classroom activities to investigate what it takes to get a spacecraft off the ground. + View site

Tutorials

Kennedy Space Center Payload Processing
What happens on Earth to prepare the Space Shuttle payload for flight? Track the sequence of events on this Web site.
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From the Satellite to the Ground
The satellite has been launched and is working perfectly in its designated location. But how does it send information back to scientists on Earth? Here are the basics for receiving data from space.
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Cool Sites & Hot Activities

Behind the Scenes Thousands of people across the U.S. support our nation's human spaceflight effort. Meet some of these people and learn what they do everyday at NASA. + View site

Astronaut School Thinking of one day becoming a NASA astronaut? Here's your chance to join a series of virtual training exercises to see if you've got what it takes. + View site

Astronaut Training Journal What do the astronauts do every day? The Astronaut Class of 2004 reported for duty in June 2004 and they are logging their daily experiences. + View site

NASA Robots NASA uses robots for moving things, exploring and repairs. Read this online book and learn about different uses of these robotic devices. + View site

Discovery Zone - Deep Impact Mission Challenge What types of questions do scientists and engineers discuss when planning a mission? Try this brain twister and see how pre-planning is vital to a successful mission. Can you determine the velocity of the impactor spacecraft relative to the comet at the time of impact? + View site

Let's Go to Mars You and your crew are about to blast off to Mars! Now you must decide what to take on the long journey in space. You will be allowed to take only 10 items. Just remember, some things that work fine on Earth will cause problems in zero gravity! + View site

Interact with NASA!

Images / Videos / Webcasts / Interactive

What Do Astronauts Do If They Get Sick?
NASA has taken special precautions in case astronauts get sick while they are in space.
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Faster Than the Speed of Sound
Younger students can flip through this online storybook to learn about how NASA is testing the fastest jet that has ever flown - the X-43A or the Hyper-X.
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Launch Services Video
Why launch anything into space? Because launching spacecraft has a major impact on your life. Learn about the different types of rockets that NASA uses to launch vehicles into space.
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NASA History Lesson - Launching From Kennedy Space Center - Past, Present and Future
40 years after Kennedy Space Center was founded, NASA Historian Roger Launius discussed the evolution of launches at the Cape.
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Mars Fun Zone - Build a World
Play this game and design a future world on Mars.
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Astro-Venture
Students are transported to the future where they role play NASA occupations and use scientific inquiry, as they search for and build a planet with the necessary characteristics for human habitation.
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Videos Showcased in the January 2005 Education File Schedule
Rocket to the Stars; Better Health From Earth to Space; Safety First; Destination Tomorrow™: Program 5; Good Stress: Building Better Muscles and Bones; Dressed for Space; Underground Railroad II; Tortillas in Space; Explorer Generation Music Video; Bouncing to Mars; First Look; Case of the Great Space Exploration; New Views; Case of the Galactic Vacation; and Case of the Radical Ride.

Videos are available from the Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE).
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Additional Resources

NASA's Vision for Space Exploration
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NASA Missions
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How Are Astronauts Picked? (For younger students)
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Astronaut Selection and Training Facts
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Ground Operations
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NASA Kennedy Space Center
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Launch Schedule
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Join the NASA Education EXPRESS mailing list to receive announcements of new NASA educational publications, Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) multimedia materials and other opportunities for educators.


Next Month's Theme: Back to the Moon and On to Mars

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