By: Jordan Bryan, LARRS intern

The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) academies are incorporating more technology to make the fourth year of the program even more educational than the first three have been.

On June 25, the first group of rising Virginia high school seniors arrived to begin this year’s first academy. The second and third academies will be begin July 9 and July 23.

All VASTS students participated in a semester of on-line instruction from December to May prior.

"This year we had 420 students participate in the online program, of which 145 will attend one of the three academies," said Amber Agee-Dehart, manager of the program, which is a product of the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, in partnership with NASA Langley, the Commonwealth of Virginia and industry.

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Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) Catherine Breen and Jordan Schafer study a model of the planet Mars at an academy last year. This year's VASTS attendees will get more real-life instruction. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith

Each VASTS academy will have about 48 participants who will spend a week at NASA working in teams to plan a mission to Mars.

"The program provides a unique, real-world overview scenario of the challenges related to getting to, living in and working in space," said Amanda Cutright, an engineer who works as a VASTS resident expert, helping students with challenges dealing with getting to Mars.

With the addition of technology, those involved with the program aim to authenticate the process of planning a mission.

"We are integrating two new software programs for them to use. One of which is Krucible, a physics software program with which they can manipulate data and variables as well as simulate designs they are working on at the academy," Agee-Dehart said.

The second program that is being utilized is the URU Live Mars Colony. It will benefit the program by "allowing students to go into the virtual Mars to demonstrate technical designs and surface operations," Agee-Dehart said.

Modeling and simulation are going to be utilized more this year then in past academies.

"Students can put in the information to run simulations to get real-time data, something we have not had before," Agee-Dehart explained.

Feedback from academies and program additions incorporated this year are helping to move the program forward.

"We'll have different ways of communicating in groups, which will simulate lag time that is experienced in the real world while people are waiting for messages to be returned," she said.

Agee-Dehart said that more research will be assigned before the students reach the center, so students can get right down to work, making decisions and applying what they have learned. Students have been asked to pick sites for landing, living and exploring the Mars surface using Google Mars.

"The students bring amazing energy and excitement with them when they arrive at the academy, and rightfully so," Cutright said.

Students will work alongside 22 NASA mentors, as well as industry contractors in science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) applications.

Cutright has worked with students each year of the VASTS academy, some years being able to devote more of her time than others.

"Overall, working with them gives me confidence in what our future holds," Cutright said.

Said Agee-Dehart: "It is deepening the pool of students going into college pursuing STEM degrees, exposing students to more internship opportunities and is fueling the workforce pipeline."

Besides the knowledge gleaned from the on-line and academy work, the VASTS scholars experience working in teams to solve problems. For many, that is a new experience. They also learn communications and business skills that will help them in research efforts in the future.

Students are benefitting from the program after they leave VASTS. "Some have applied and been accepted for internships through different student programs offered at NASA Langley," Cutright added.

Said Agee-Dehart, "After participation in VASTS, the majority of students indicate they plan to pursue STEM degrees in college. Several students have also been awarded full scholarships to study engineering at select college and universities."

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