April 15, 1999

Michael Mewhinney

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

(Phone: 650/604-3937 or 604-9000)

mmewhinney@mail.arc.nasa.gov

NASA LICENSES NEW EDUCATIONAL MARS VIRTUAL EXPLORATION CD-ROM

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, has licensed a new interactive CD-ROM that allows students to virtually explore Mars, understand the basic concepts of space exploration and search for life in the universe.

NASA Ames developed the Mars Virtual Exploration CD-ROM as a captivating way to educate students about Mars. Ames recently licensed the CD-ROM to Modern School Supplies, Inc., Bloomfield, CT, which plans to market the CD-ROM to schools throughout the country.

"We think this partnership will enable the largest distribution possible of this innovative, educational CD-ROM," said Phil Herlth of NASA Ames' Commercial Technology Office.

Designed for students in the fourth through eighth grade, the CD-ROM provides the equivalent of 40 hours of classroom instruction about the red planet. To use the CD-ROM, students divide into four teams and are assigned a research category in exopaleontology, meteorology, exobiology or volcanology, to conduct their search for life. For their mission objective, students virtually explore four landing sites on Mars and select the site best suited for their experiment.

Developed by the Educational Multimedia Research and Development Group of Ames' Office of External Affairs, the CD-ROM also includes a teacher's guide and student logbook, which provide additional content and interdisciplinary classroom activities to complement the multi-media product. Further information about Modern Supplies, Inc., is available at:

http://www.webcom.com/modernss/modern/aboutus.html

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