NASA Education Express Message — Sept. 24, 2015

Are you curious about recent research, developments and discoveries related to space? Come to the Smithsonian’s “What’s New in Aerospace?” lecture series presented in collaboration with NASA. The lectures will be held in the Moving Beyond Earth gallery at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Each hourlong lecture begins at 1 p.m. ET and will be streamed live online.

Upcoming lectures include:

Oct. 6, 2015 — Sally Ride: Curating Her Life
Join Tam O’Shaughnessy, Sally Ride’s partner in life and author of a new Ride biography; historians Valerie Neal and Margaret Weitekamp; and archivist Patti Williams for a discussion of the personal possessions and papers that are part of the museum’s new Sally K. Ride Collection. Learn how the selected objects and papers signify Sally Ride the public figure and private person, and how Sally Ride’s story intersects with social and cultural themes of her era.

Dec. 15, 2015 — Sewing Machines, Balloons and Rocket Fuel
Join in a discussion about the process and technologies used to land the Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity, on Mars. Ian Clark from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will provide historical context for the development of those technologies and talk about the need for improvements as Mars missions move to larger and larger payloads.
For more information about the “What’s New in Aerospace?” lecture series and to watch the live webcast events, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/whats-new-aerospace/.

Please direct questions about this event to Trusilla Steele at Trusilla.Y.Steele@nasa.gov.
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Educator Workshop: Primarily Physics

NASA has a variety of fun and stimulating science, technology, engineering and math activities for primary grades. Enrich your STEM curriculum using art and music, tangram rocket math, engineering design challenges and online books. Enhance your STEM curriculum with ideas from NASA!

The target audience for the workshop is grade K-2 educators, but the workshop is open to all educators.

The free workshop will take place Sept. 26, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the von Kármán Auditorium at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

For more information, directions to the workshop location and instructions for reserving a spot, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2015/9/26/primarily-physics/.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Paula Partida at Paula.Partida@jpl.nasa.gov.NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of educator workshops for astronomy and space science educators.

Sept. 26-27, 2015 — University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors CAE Southeast Regional Teaching Exchange
Oct. 17, 2015– Everett Community College in Everett, Washington
CAE Northwest Regional Teaching Exchange New Faculty Workshop for Physics and Astronomy CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

For more information and to register for workshops online, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.

Inquiries about this series of workshops should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.
Distinguished scientist and trailblazing astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan has made her career in looking at Earth from land, sea and space. Fascinated with maps as a young child, Sullivan grew up to view Earth from the unique perspective of the space shuttle. She was one of the first six women selected to join the NASA astronaut corps in 1978. Over the course of her NASA career, she flew on three shuttle missions and worked on many others. She became the first American woman to walk in space and helped to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope.

Currently, she heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where today’s means of looking at Earth with satellites and ocean sensors provide practical predictions about our environment.

On Sept. 29, 2015, Sullivan will discuss her life of exploration and discovery, what it’s like to fulfill her childhood dreams, and how NOAA’s study of our planet helps us understand today’s environmental challenges.

The lecture is free, but tickets are required. The lecture begins at 8 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. and will be webcast live.

For more information, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/detail.cfm?id=17802.

Questions about this lecture should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.
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“Where Over the World Is Astronaut Scott Kelly?” Geography From Space Trivia Contest

During his year-long stay on the International Space Station, astronaut Scott Kelly wants to test your knowledge of the world through a geography trivia game on Twitter. Traveling more than 220 miles above Earth, and at 17,500 miles per hour, he circumnavigates the globe more than a dozen times a day. This gives Kelly the opportunity to see and photograph various geographical locations on Earth. In fact, part of his job while in space is to capture images of Earth for scientific observations.

Follow @StationCDRKelly on Twitter. Each Wednesday, Kelly will tweet a picture and ask the public to identify the place depicted in the photo. The first person to identify the place correctly will win an autographed copy of the picture. Kelly plans to continue posting weekly contest photos until he returns from the space station in March 2016.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/where-over-the-world-is-astronaut-scott-kelly.

To learn more about the One-Year Mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/one-year-crew.
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Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space Station

ARISS-US is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between July 1 – Dec. 31, 2016. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS-US is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due Nov. 1, 2015.

Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. ARISS provides experienced mentors and relies on local amateur radio volunteers to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students.

Informational Sessions
To help organizations in preparing their proposals, the ARISS program coordinator will offer hourlong online information sessions. These are designed to provide more information regarding U.S. ARISS contacts and the proposal process, and offer an opportunity to ask questions. While attending an online information session is not required, it is strongly encouraged.

An informational session will be offered Sept. 30, 2015, at 7 p.m. EDT.

Advance registration is necessary. Email ARISS (ariss@arrl.org) to sign up for an information session.

For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, visit http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.

ARISS-US is offered through a partnership between NASA; the American Radio Relay League, or ARRL; and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT. ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group, including several countries in Europe as well as Japan, Russia, Canada, and the USA.

Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to ariss@arrl.org.
The NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassadors Program, a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, is accepting applications through Sept. 30, 2015.

Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer SSAs to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning Jan. 1, 2016.

While applications are being sought nationwide, interested parties from the following areas are especially encouraged to apply: Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. SSA hopes to add 100 new volunteers to the program in 2016.

To learn more about the SSA Program and to apply online, visit https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ssa/home.cfm. The Announcement of Opportunity and application form are now available.

If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Kay Ferrari, SSA Coordinator, by email at ambassad@jpl.nasa.gov.
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REGISTRATION OPEN: Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2015

The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2015 will take place this fall. The tournament will offer U.S. high school students the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space.

Zero Robotics challenges high school student teams to write their own algorithms to fly the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The competition starts online where teams compete to solve an annual challenge guided by mentors. Students can create, edit, share, save, simulate and submit code from a Web browser. After several phases of virtual competition, finalists will be selected to compete in a live championship aboard the International Space Station.

Registration for the competition closes on Sept. 30, 2015.

For more information about the tournament and to register your team to participate, visit http://zerorobotics.mit.edu/tournaments/20/.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to zerorobotics@mit.edu.

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Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System: Appendix A

NASA is seeking ground-based research proposals from graduate students to use NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics system to develop new analyses and scientific insights. The PSI system is designed to be a resource for researchers to data mine information generated from completed physical sciences experiments performed on the International Space Station or from related ground-based studies.

This solicitation appendix focuses on the following five research areas: combustion science, complex fluids, fluid physics, fundamental physics and materials science.

For graduate students (students working towards an advanced degree), this NASA Research Announcement is soliciting proposals that advance fundamental research in one of the physical sciences disciplines identified above and also assist in the awarding of an advanced degree to the graduate student. This call is open to students who meet the following eligibility requirements:
— The student is pursuing an advanced degree directly related to a physical sciences discipline — only technical degrees are permitted (not degrees in policy or management).
— The student is a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident alien of the U.S., or on a student visa at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission.
— The student is enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission, or, if the student is an undergraduate starting their graduate studies, he or she has been accepted to a master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission and will start during the next academic year.
— The student has an academic graduate advisor who will submit the application for the graduate student. The student must perform the proposed research under the guidance of the assigned graduate advisor.

The agency expects to make approximately 10-15 awards in early 2016, The award for each proposal selected from this Appendix will be $50,000 – $75,000 per year, for a total maximum award amount up to $150,000 for a two-year period. Research and development efforts will take place over two years.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Sept. 30, 2015.

For information concerning this NASA Research Announcement solicitation, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1EiCJkv.

For more information about the Physical Science Informatics System, visit http://psi.nasa.gov/home.aspx.

Please direct questions about this NASA Research Announcement to Dr. Francis Chiaramonte at francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.gov.

Additional technical information about the Physical Science Informatics System for this NASA Research Announcement is available from:

Name: Teresa Miller
Title: Physical Sciences Informatics System – Technical POC
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Email: teresa.y.miller@nasa.gov
Phone: 256-544-7815
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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Live Video Chat: So You Want To Be A Martian

As NASA prepares for humans’ first steps on Mars in the 2030s, it is important to understand what is fact versus fiction about living on Mars. On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will conduct a Journey to Mars Education Event called So You Want to Be a Martian. There will be a curated panel discussion with NASA experts, including a scientist and an astronaut.

Join the discussion by asking questions of NASA experts and The Martian stars through NASA Education’s Digital Learning Network. A representative from NASA will moderate questions during the program.

Submit questions via Twitter using #AskNASA or via email starting Sept. 24, 2015, to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.

The 90-minute event will be webcast on the NASA DLiNfo Channel on Oct. 1, 2015, at 11:30 a.m. EDT.

For more information, visit http://dln.nasa.gov.

Please direct questions about this event to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.
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NASA Swarmathon: Seeking College Students for Swarming Robotics Competition!

The Swarmathon is a NASA challenge to develop cooperative robotics to revolutionize space exploration. Selected teams will receive three Swarmie robots (valued at $6,000), training and instruction, a $1,000 stipend for their faculty member who is serving as their mentor, and a chance to compete against other teams from across the United States for a $5,000 cash prize.

The First Annual Swarmathon, will occur April 18-22, 2016, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants will be challenged to develop search algorithms for robotic swarms. Swarmathon participation will improve students’ skills in robotics and computer science, and further advance technology for future NASA space exploration missions.

NASA seeks students from Minority Serving Universities and Community Colleges to apply and compete. All teams are encouraged to submit a Notice of Intent to apply by Oct. 1, 2015.

For more information, visit http://nasaswarmathon.com/.

Please direct questions about the NASA Swarmathon to Info@NASASwarmathon.com.
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Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMPVC+)

The NASA Office of Education invites proposals from museums, science centers, planetariums, NASA Visitor Centers, youth-serving organizations, and other eligible nonprofit institutions via this 2015 NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMPVC+), Announcement Number NNH15ZHA001N. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the NASA proposal data system NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

Proposers may request a grant or cooperative agreement to support NASA-themed science, technology, engineering or mathematics education, including exhibits, within these congressionally directed topics: space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science or microgravity. CP4SMPVC+ is a competitive, high-quality, national program. The basic goal of the CP4SMPVC+ solicitation is to further NASA Strategic Objective 2.4: “Advance the Nation’s STEM education and workforce pipeline by working collaboratively with other agencies to engage students, teachers, and faculty in NASA’s missions and unique assets.”

Eligible institutions do not need to have the words “museum,” “visitor center,” “science,” “planetarium,” or “youth” in their official name, but they must be located in the United States or its Territories. See the NRA for full eligibility requirements and other limitations. Check the NSPIRES website once a week to learn if amendments or frequently asked questions have been added. Amendments and FAQs also will be announced via the NASA Education EXPRESS listserv.

Pre-proposal telecon (optional): Oct. 1, 2015
Notices of Intent Due (optional but strongly encouraged): Oct. 8, 2015
Full proposals are due Dec. 7, 2015.

For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={6105DEEC-925A-A216-322B-8E3B34FA2B07}&path=open.

Amendments Posted –Two new amendments to 2015 NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMPVC+), Announcement Number NNH15ZHA001N, have been posted on NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={6105DEEC-925A-A216-322B-8E3B34FA2B07}&path=open. One amendment concerns information requested for Notices of Intent.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NRA.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is announcing a national climate game jam that will be held in multiple sites around the U.S. on Oct. 2-4, 2015. This event offers a unique opportunity for educators, students, scientists, game designers and interested members of the public to work together on the development of climate game jam prototypes that span a range of platforms, topics and audiences.

Please direct questions about this event to Peg Steffen at Peg.Steffen@noaa.gov.
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2016 RASC-AL Robo-Ops Competition

NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2016 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage Exploration Robo-Ops, also known as the RASC-AL Robo-Ops, competition. This design competition is aimed at university-level engineering students.

The Robo-Ops contest challenges participants to build a planetary rover prototype and demonstrate its capabilities in field tests at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Rock Yard. Up to three members of the team (plus the faculty advisor) may travel to Johnson for the onsite testing. The remaining team members will stay behind at the local university to conduct mission control tasks. The prototype rovers will be tele-operated by the mission control team members and must negotiate a series of obstacles while accomplishing a variety of tasks that include sample collection and acquisition. The only information available to the rover controller to perform the required tasks will be information transmitted through onboard rover video camera(s), microphone(s), or other onboard sensors.

Interested teams must submit a project plan for their proposed project by Oct. 3, 2015.

The Robo-Ops Steering Committee of NASA experts will evaluate the project plans and select up to eight teams to compete against each other at the Rock Yard in late May 2016. Each of the selected teams will be provided with a $10,000 stipend to develop their rover.

The Robo-Ops competition is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering, science or related disciplines at an accredited university. University design teams must include one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and two or more undergraduate or graduate students. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged. 

For more information about this competition, visit http://robo-ops.nianet.org.

If you have questions about this competition, please contact the RASC-AL team at rascal@nianet.org.
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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours will be offered each month through October 2015. Tours are free of charge for groups and individuals on an advance reservation basis. Visitor parking is also available free of charge.

A tour bus departs from Glenn’s main gate every hour beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop.

Glenn’s 2015 Tour Schedule

Oct. 3, 2015 — Explore Locomotion on Planets: Come explore the Simulated Lunar Operations facility, which is home to a 60-foot-long, 20-foot-wide sandpit filled with simulated lunar soil and a lunar rover test bed. Other areas simulate Martian soil conditions. Research in this facility will help NASA develop the components of rovers capable of traveling long distances and investigating planetary surfaces during future human and robotic missions to keep NASA’s journey to Mars moving forward.

Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html.

Questions about the tours should be directed to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.

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Family Day Events at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

The National Air and Space Museum’s Family Day event series celebrates the diverse ethnic and cultural communities that have contributed to aviation and space exploration. Events will commemorate historic and current contributions through presentations and activities for the entire family. The events are free and open to the public.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Innovators in Aviation and Space
Oct. 3, 2015, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. EDT
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia
Celebrate the contributions of Latinos to aviation and space exploration during this Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day event. Meet Hispanic scientists and engineers — including a NASA astronaut — and participate in bilingual activities.
http://airandspace.si.edu/events/detail.cfm?id=17546 Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.
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To learn more about World Space Week, search for events in your area, and find educational materials, visit http://www.worldspaceweek.org.
NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions, museums and other organizations to screen and request historical artifacts of significance to spaceflight. This is the 28th screening of artifacts since 2009.

Eligible schools, universities, museums, libraries and planetariums may view the artifacts and request specific items through Oct. 5, 2015. Online registration should include an assigned Department of Education number. Registration also may be made through the requester’s State Agency for Surplus Property office. For instructions on how to register and to view and request artifacts online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm.

The artifacts are free of charge and are offered “as-is.” Organizations must cover shipping costs and any handling fees. Shipping fees on smaller items will be relatively inexpensive; however, larger items may involve extensive disassembly, preparation, shipping and reassembly costs. NASA will work closely with eligible organizations to address any unique handling costs.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.