The research, tools and theories of spaceflight and science took center stage Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as children and families took part in the center’s Community Day.
From an educator dazzling children by making clouds of nitrogen erupt from a bucket to robotics demonstrations to a helicopter and MRAP display, people had lots of competition for their curiosity. Not to mention a show from astronaut Bob Cabana, Kennedy’s director, detailing his adventures in orbit assembling the first elements of the International Space Station. There was even a snake, courtesy of the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.
“Anytime you can present science and technology and math to children it’s worthwhile,” said Mike Tillema, chief of Flight Operations at Kennedy. Answering questions about his helicopter and posing for photos with kids as they sat in the pilot seat, Tilemma said the students show interest from the moment they see the NASA logo-emblazoned Huey. “The young people’s look – you can see that interest, the excitement.”
The helicopter and MRAP armored vehicle parked by the rocket garden highlighted some of the infrastructure involved with operating NASA’s primary spaceport. The helicopters are used in numerous operations year-round including wildlife surveys in addition to launch day work. The MRAPs are relatively new to the center and are being fitted for use as emergency evacuation vehicles for the next generation of human-rated rockets and spacecraft.
Inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit area, hundreds of visitors talked space lettuce with the scientists of Veggie whose experimentation produced the first space-grown vegetables consumed by astronauts in space. Children and their parents peered at the leafy plants that were grown on Earth under identical conditions to those on the station, but with gravity of course. The researchers also discussed the importance of growing even a small amount of food in space during long voyages such as those required of the astronauts who will make a journey to Mars.
It wasn’t always the people that got the attention during the event. A few robots gathered crowds around them as they and their operators showed off abilities such as shooting basketballs. The robots are part of the FIRST competition that requires students to design and build their own machines for competitions.
“The students are always excited as soon as soon as they see the robots,” said James Rallo, a mentor for the Boeing Combbat 21 team. “They want to build the biggest, baddest robot. So we show them where to start and what it can lead to.”
Students had plenty of chances to make things and take home creations, too. Paper airplanes and rockets along with scores of coloring pages and collector cards filled NASA shopping bags as the children made their way between the Community Day stations. All of Kennedy’s programs were represented, along with NASA’s variety of disciplines. Each stop usually ended with a similar message from agency experts: study science and math carefully and you can do this one day.