NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

|4|5|7|8|9|

Performed on multiple Shuttle flights and on ISS Increments 4-5 and 7-16.

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• The objective of Education Payload Operations (EPO) investigation is to use toys, tools and other common items in the microgravity environment of the ISS to create educational video and multimedia products that inspire the next generation of mathematicians, physicists, engineers, and other scientists.



• The products are used for demonstrations and to support curriculum materials that are distributed across the United States and internationally to educators.



• The individual EPO projects are designed to explore physical phenomena such as force, motion, and energy. Each ISS Expedition involves different on-orbit activities and themes as well as different partners such as museums, universities, and public school districts.

The objective of Education Payload Operations (EPO) investigation is to use toys, tools and other common items in the microgravity environment of the ISS to create educational video and multimedia products that inspire the next generation of engineers, mathematicians, physicists, and other scientists. The products are used for demonstrations and to support curriculum materials that are distributed across the United States and internationally. The individual EPO projects are designed to explore physical phenomena such as force, motion, and energy. Each ISS Expedition involves different on-orbit activities and themes, as well as different partners, such as museums, universities, and public school districts.

The EPO payloads are small, weighing less than 6.8 kg (15 lbs). When possible, the demonstrations will include hardware and objects already available on Station. Some of the activities cover physical properties, such as Newton's Laws of Motion or Bernoulli's Principle for air pressure, and others are specific to life in space, such as explaining how the ISS solar panels work or demonstrating extravehicular activities.

Increment specific activities are as follows:

• Expedition 4 included demonstrations of "Weight versus Mass", "Tools in Space" and "Pouring Liquid into a Container".



• Expedition 5 focused on "International Toys", of particular interest were different ways to use the toys in microgravity.



• During Expedition 9, Tomatosphere II, a project of four packets containing 1.5 million tomato seeds will be delivered to ISS. Following return from ISS on flight STS-114/LF1 the seeds will be distributed to classrooms throughout Canada. Students will measure the germination rates, growth patterns and vigor of growth of the seeds.



• Expeditions 7 - 9 include Education Demonstration Activities (EDAs) that show students how familiar objects on Earth perform differently in microgravity and how humans adapt to use these objects in space. EDA demonstrations include activities such as, a tour of the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), Extravehicular Activity (EVA)/Intravehicular Activity (IVA) Tools, Principles of Weight and Mass, and the concept of Center of Mass. Other demonstrations of operations of several items on ISS include a Blues Harp (harmonica), Bits and Pieces Puzzle and Crazy Maze, dexterity puzzles and balsa wood Wright Flyer.

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EPO introduces the next generation of explorers to the environment of space.

EPO is part of NASA's continuing effort to use space as a unique educational tool for K-12 students. Everyday items, such as toys and tools, are given a new twist by combining them with the allure of space flight and the unusual weightless environment to produce educational materials that inspire interest in science and technology and encourage curiosity and creativity.

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EPO does not require power, telemetry, or specialized hardware. However, each demonstration requires several hours from at least two crew members, one of whom will operate the video equipment and the other will demonstrate the activity.

After setting up the demonstration, at least one crew member will perform the demonstration while another films it. Each demonstration will have its own props (e.g., toys or tools). The demonstration is then dismantled and returned to stowage. After the videos are returned to Earth, they will be used to develop teaching guides, project plans, and educational packages focusing on the physical sciences and technology.

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EPO has been a successful education program on ISS. By using simple objects and the microgravity environment, NASA is able to produce videos that demonstrate physical properties, such as force, motion, and energy, that may be obscured by gravity on Earth. To date, over 500 videos, DVDs, and video clips have been produced and distributed to science teachers and schools throughout the United States. About 1500 teachers each year are trained to use the materials in their classrooms. An additional 30.9 million students have had the opportunity to participate in live downlink events where their classmates pose questions of ISS crews on orbit.

The 1.5 million Tomatosphere-II seeds from Expedition 9 were divided and distributed to 160,000 students in 6000 classrooms across Canada.

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