Jacques van Oene
July 22nd 05, 12:03 PM
Ed Campion July
21, 2005
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
(Phone: 301/286-0697)
Keith Koehler
NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Va.
(Phone: 757-824-1579)
Linda McCarty
National Federation of the Blind, Md.
(Phone: 410-659-9314, ext. 2220)
RELEASE NO: 05-34
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NASA AND NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
ALLOWS VISION-CHALLENGED STUDENTS TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS
For the second year in a row, a collaborative effort between the National
Federation of the Blind and NASA, has allowed blind high school students the
opportunity to become real rocket scientists.
Earlier this week, the eleven students learned about the history of
rocketry, the physics associated with rocket launches and basic electronics.
They then had the opportunity to build electronic circuits for sensors that
were installed on a rocket they helped launch from NASA's Wallops Flight
Facility (WFF), Wallops Island, VA at 8:20 a.m. EDT today.
Through audible signals, the students were able to determine the readiness
of their experiments and the rocket. The student-built electrical circuits
allowed them to measure light, temperature, acceleration and pressure during
the rocket's flight.
Over the past week, the students were involved with presentations and
activities at both the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
in Baltimore and NASA Wallops. Topics included an overview of launch
operations, trajectory planning, circuit building, launch pad operations and
developing countdown procedures. The students learned about how data can be
collected, reviewed and analyzed. They also received presentations on space
exploration and astronomy and were given a tour of NASA facilities.
"With about 100,000 blind and visually impaired students in the
United States, there is a growing need for alternative methods to teach
visual subjects and NASA is a leader in this area," said Dr. Adena
Williams Loston, NASA Chief Education Officer. "The space agency has
created 3-D physical models to illustrate the topography of the Earth,
the sun and planets."
Mark Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, added
"This collaborative effort between the NFB and NASA is working to
eliminate the perception that blind students can not comprehend complex
scientific concepts simply because they cannot see. With the right
adaptive resources and encouragement, blind children can reach for the
stars just as many blind NASA scientists and engineers are already
doing."
Note To News Media: The students involved with today's launch will hold a
press conference tomorrow, Friday, July 22, 2005, at the NFB Jernigan
Institute in Baltimore beginning at 9 a.m. EDT to talk about their
experience and present their preliminary results from the sensors they built
and flew on the rocket. Reporters wishing to cover the event should contact
NFB's Linda McCarty at 410-659-9314, ext. 2220, to arrange accreditation and
access to the event.
- end -
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
21, 2005
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
(Phone: 301/286-0697)
Keith Koehler
NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Va.
(Phone: 757-824-1579)
Linda McCarty
National Federation of the Blind, Md.
(Phone: 410-659-9314, ext. 2220)
RELEASE NO: 05-34
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NASA AND NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
ALLOWS VISION-CHALLENGED STUDENTS TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS
For the second year in a row, a collaborative effort between the National
Federation of the Blind and NASA, has allowed blind high school students the
opportunity to become real rocket scientists.
Earlier this week, the eleven students learned about the history of
rocketry, the physics associated with rocket launches and basic electronics.
They then had the opportunity to build electronic circuits for sensors that
were installed on a rocket they helped launch from NASA's Wallops Flight
Facility (WFF), Wallops Island, VA at 8:20 a.m. EDT today.
Through audible signals, the students were able to determine the readiness
of their experiments and the rocket. The student-built electrical circuits
allowed them to measure light, temperature, acceleration and pressure during
the rocket's flight.
Over the past week, the students were involved with presentations and
activities at both the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute
in Baltimore and NASA Wallops. Topics included an overview of launch
operations, trajectory planning, circuit building, launch pad operations and
developing countdown procedures. The students learned about how data can be
collected, reviewed and analyzed. They also received presentations on space
exploration and astronomy and were given a tour of NASA facilities.
"With about 100,000 blind and visually impaired students in the
United States, there is a growing need for alternative methods to teach
visual subjects and NASA is a leader in this area," said Dr. Adena
Williams Loston, NASA Chief Education Officer. "The space agency has
created 3-D physical models to illustrate the topography of the Earth,
the sun and planets."
Mark Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, added
"This collaborative effort between the NFB and NASA is working to
eliminate the perception that blind students can not comprehend complex
scientific concepts simply because they cannot see. With the right
adaptive resources and encouragement, blind children can reach for the
stars just as many blind NASA scientists and engineers are already
doing."
Note To News Media: The students involved with today's launch will hold a
press conference tomorrow, Friday, July 22, 2005, at the NFB Jernigan
Institute in Baltimore beginning at 9 a.m. EDT to talk about their
experience and present their preliminary results from the sensors they built
and flew on the rocket. Reporters wishing to cover the event should contact
NFB's Linda McCarty at 410-659-9314, ext. 2220, to arrange accreditation and
access to the event.
- end -
--
--------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info