\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEducational Activities in Space\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/49723740928-1b358b8718-o.jpg?w=1536\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe SpaceX Dragon resupply ship (at right) and a pair of the International Space Station’s main solar arrays foreshadow a trek into an orbital sunset.<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCredits: <\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nScience in Space: September 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs students of all ages returned to school this month, crew members on the International Space Station<\/a> continue to conduct a variety of educational programs and activities that support learning on the ground. These efforts are part of a wider commitment at NASA to engage, inspire, and attract future generations of explorers and to build a diverse future workforce equipped with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iss067m951461245-robo-pro-challenge-large.gif?w=1144\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nAn Astrobee robot moves through the space station for the Robo-Pro Challenge.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOne current activity is Robo-Pro Challenge 5<\/a>, an educational program hosted by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in cooperation with NASA. For the challenge, students create software programs to control NASA\u2019s Astrobee and JAXA\u2019s Internal Ball Camera, using image processing to move the free-flying robots through a series of coordinates to a target point. The challenge helps support computing and coding curricula, and the hands-on experience inspires the study of STEM subjects.<\/p>\nAnalyzing DNA in space<\/strong><\/h2>\nGenes in Space<\/a> is a national contest for students in grades 7 through 12 to design DNA analysis experiments for the space station. It is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs in collaboration with Boeing and miniPCR bio. There have been more than a dozen contests to date, many producing significant results.<\/p>\nGenes in Space-5<\/strong> provided proof of concept<\/a> of simultaneously amplifying multiple DNA sequences in space, expanding the possibilities for in-flight research and health monitoring.<\/p>\nGenes in Space-6<\/strong> used<\/a> CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for the first time in space, using the technique to generate breaks in the DNA of a common yeast, direct a method to repair the breaks, and sequence the patched-up DNA to determine whether its original order was restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Kocalar](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/jsc2022e042476orig.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nSelin Kocalar, the student who designed the experiment on which Genes in Space-9 is based, prepares her samples for launch. <\/div>\nGenes in Space<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGenes in Space-9<\/strong> validated technology<\/a> used to synthesize proteins without needing living cells. This technique could produce proteins for research, vaccines, and development of diagnostic tests for environmental contaminants and infectious agents. Ultimately, such synthesis also could enable portable, low-cost devices for health monitoring, detection of environmental hazards on Earth and in space, and other applications.<\/p>\nSending code to space<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Pesquet](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/bha_totc_iss051e029182_center.png?w=600\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet poses with the AstroPi Raspberry Pi computers. <\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn addition to the Robo-Pro challenge, several other programs involve student coding. AstroPi<\/a><\/strong>, a program from ESA (European Space Agency), uses special computers, one equipped with an infrared camera and the other with a standard visible spectrum camera. European students write programs for the computers that address specific challenges such as measurement and calibration and image processing. One project successfully identified<\/a> and computed the horizontal wavelengths of atmospheric gravity waves in clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Dyson,](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/iss071e046270.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson performs a Zero Robotics demonstration with an Astrobee.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nZero Robotics<\/a><\/strong> also is a competition where students write software to control one of the Astrobees, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and other collaborators. Finalists have their code downloaded to the Astrobee platform and can observe its performance in space.<\/p>\nStudents have good \u201cHUNCHes\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Hopkins](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/iss064e039521orig.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA Astronaut Mike Hopkins uses the HUNCH Tape Dispenser, which can be operated with one hand.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHigh school students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH<\/a>, is a learning program where high school students design and fabricate real-world products for NASA. More than 2,500 students have participated to date, flying some 3,000 products to space, including a tape dispenser that can be operated with one hand, footpads, sleeping pad liners, and orange blackberry croissants and other food products.<\/p>\nVery long-distance calls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Williams,](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/iss071e414058.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA astronaut Suni Williams talks to students from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, during an ISS Ham Radio session.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThrough ISS Ham Radio<\/a><\/strong>, a collaboration with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, students use ham radio to ask astronauts questions about life in space, career opportunities, and other space-related topics. Participating teachers report<\/a> that the program has a significant and positive impact on students, increasing interest in all STEM areas. The experiences also help students<\/a> make real-world connections among disciplines, learn problem-solving, and hone communication skills. To date, more than 100 crew members have communicated with over 1 million students from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent.<\/p>\nOut-of-this-world videos<\/strong><\/h2>\nDeveloped through NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement, STEMonstrations<\/a> are short educational videos demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. The videos are available online and every STEMonstration includes materials teachers can use to explore the topics in their classrooms. Six videos released in the past 12 months have been viewed 98,705 times to date across various social media platforms. The program provides students with a connection to NASA and scientific work conducted on the space station, inspiring the next generation of explorers and contributing to a diverse future workforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nMelissa Gaskill<\/em>
International Space Station Research Communications Team<\/em>
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Science in Space: September 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs students of all ages returned to school this month, crew members on the International Space Station<\/a> continue to conduct a variety of educational programs and activities that support learning on the ground. These efforts are part of a wider commitment at NASA to engage, inspire, and attract future generations of explorers and to build a diverse future workforce equipped with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nAn Astrobee robot moves through the space station for the Robo-Pro Challenge.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOne current activity is Robo-Pro Challenge 5<\/a>, an educational program hosted by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in cooperation with NASA. For the challenge, students create software programs to control NASA\u2019s Astrobee and JAXA\u2019s Internal Ball Camera, using image processing to move the free-flying robots through a series of coordinates to a target point. The challenge helps support computing and coding curricula, and the hands-on experience inspires the study of STEM subjects.<\/p>\nAnalyzing DNA in space<\/strong><\/h2>\nGenes in Space<\/a> is a national contest for students in grades 7 through 12 to design DNA analysis experiments for the space station. It is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs in collaboration with Boeing and miniPCR bio. There have been more than a dozen contests to date, many producing significant results.<\/p>\nGenes in Space-5<\/strong> provided proof of concept<\/a> of simultaneously amplifying multiple DNA sequences in space, expanding the possibilities for in-flight research and health monitoring.<\/p>\nGenes in Space-6<\/strong> used<\/a> CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for the first time in space, using the technique to generate breaks in the DNA of a common yeast, direct a method to repair the breaks, and sequence the patched-up DNA to determine whether its original order was restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nSelin Kocalar, the student who designed the experiment on which Genes in Space-9 is based, prepares her samples for launch. <\/div>\nGenes in Space<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGenes in Space-9<\/strong> validated technology<\/a> used to synthesize proteins without needing living cells. This technique could produce proteins for research, vaccines, and development of diagnostic tests for environmental contaminants and infectious agents. Ultimately, such synthesis also could enable portable, low-cost devices for health monitoring, detection of environmental hazards on Earth and in space, and other applications.<\/p>\nSending code to space<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet poses with the AstroPi Raspberry Pi computers. <\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn addition to the Robo-Pro challenge, several other programs involve student coding. AstroPi<\/a><\/strong>, a program from ESA (European Space Agency), uses special computers, one equipped with an infrared camera and the other with a standard visible spectrum camera. European students write programs for the computers that address specific challenges such as measurement and calibration and image processing. One project successfully identified<\/a> and computed the horizontal wavelengths of atmospheric gravity waves in clouds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson performs a Zero Robotics demonstration with an Astrobee.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nZero Robotics<\/a><\/strong> also is a competition where students write software to control one of the Astrobees, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and other collaborators. Finalists have their code downloaded to the Astrobee platform and can observe its performance in space.<\/p>\nStudents have good \u201cHUNCHes\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA Astronaut Mike Hopkins uses the HUNCH Tape Dispenser, which can be operated with one hand.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHigh school students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH<\/a>, is a learning program where high school students design and fabricate real-world products for NASA. More than 2,500 students have participated to date, flying some 3,000 products to space, including a tape dispenser that can be operated with one hand, footpads, sleeping pad liners, and orange blackberry croissants and other food products.<\/p>\nVery long-distance calls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA astronaut Suni Williams talks to students from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, during an ISS Ham Radio session.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThrough ISS Ham Radio<\/a><\/strong>, a collaboration with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, students use ham radio to ask astronauts questions about life in space, career opportunities, and other space-related topics. Participating teachers report<\/a> that the program has a significant and positive impact on students, increasing interest in all STEM areas. The experiences also help students<\/a> make real-world connections among disciplines, learn problem-solving, and hone communication skills. To date, more than 100 crew members have communicated with over 1 million students from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent.<\/p>\nOut-of-this-world videos<\/strong><\/h2>\nDeveloped through NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement, STEMonstrations<\/a> are short educational videos demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. The videos are available online and every STEMonstration includes materials teachers can use to explore the topics in their classrooms. Six videos released in the past 12 months have been viewed 98,705 times to date across various social media platforms. The program provides students with a connection to NASA and scientific work conducted on the space station, inspiring the next generation of explorers and contributing to a diverse future workforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nMelissa Gaskill<\/em>
International Space Station Research Communications Team<\/em>
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/figure>One current activity is Robo-Pro Challenge 5<\/a>, an educational program hosted by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in cooperation with NASA. For the challenge, students create software programs to control NASA\u2019s Astrobee and JAXA\u2019s Internal Ball Camera, using image processing to move the free-flying robots through a series of coordinates to a target point. The challenge helps support computing and coding curricula, and the hands-on experience inspires the study of STEM subjects.<\/p>\n Genes in Space<\/a> is a national contest for students in grades 7 through 12 to design DNA analysis experiments for the space station. It is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs in collaboration with Boeing and miniPCR bio. There have been more than a dozen contests to date, many producing significant results.<\/p>\n Genes in Space-5<\/strong> provided proof of concept<\/a> of simultaneously amplifying multiple DNA sequences in space, expanding the possibilities for in-flight research and health monitoring.<\/p>\n Genes in Space-6<\/strong> used<\/a> CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for the first time in space, using the technique to generate breaks in the DNA of a common yeast, direct a method to repair the breaks, and sequence the patched-up DNA to determine whether its original order was restored.<\/p>\n Genes in Space-9<\/strong> validated technology<\/a> used to synthesize proteins without needing living cells. This technique could produce proteins for research, vaccines, and development of diagnostic tests for environmental contaminants and infectious agents. Ultimately, such synthesis also could enable portable, low-cost devices for health monitoring, detection of environmental hazards on Earth and in space, and other applications.<\/p>\n In addition to the Robo-Pro challenge, several other programs involve student coding. AstroPi<\/a><\/strong>, a program from ESA (European Space Agency), uses special computers, one equipped with an infrared camera and the other with a standard visible spectrum camera. European students write programs for the computers that address specific challenges such as measurement and calibration and image processing. One project successfully identified<\/a> and computed the horizontal wavelengths of atmospheric gravity waves in clouds.<\/p>\n Zero Robotics<\/a><\/strong> also is a competition where students write software to control one of the Astrobees, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and other collaborators. Finalists have their code downloaded to the Astrobee platform and can observe its performance in space.<\/p>\n High school students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH<\/a>, is a learning program where high school students design and fabricate real-world products for NASA. More than 2,500 students have participated to date, flying some 3,000 products to space, including a tape dispenser that can be operated with one hand, footpads, sleeping pad liners, and orange blackberry croissants and other food products.<\/p>\n Through ISS Ham Radio<\/a><\/strong>, a collaboration with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, students use ham radio to ask astronauts questions about life in space, career opportunities, and other space-related topics. Participating teachers report<\/a> that the program has a significant and positive impact on students, increasing interest in all STEM areas. The experiences also help students<\/a> make real-world connections among disciplines, learn problem-solving, and hone communication skills. To date, more than 100 crew members have communicated with over 1 million students from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent.<\/p>\n Developed through NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement, STEMonstrations<\/a> are short educational videos demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. The videos are available online and every STEMonstration includes materials teachers can use to explore the topics in their classrooms. Six videos released in the past 12 months have been viewed 98,705 times to date across various social media platforms. The program provides students with a connection to NASA and scientific work conducted on the space station, inspiring the next generation of explorers and contributing to a diverse future workforce.<\/p>\n Melissa Gaskill<\/em>Analyzing DNA in space<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Sending code to space<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure>Students have good \u201cHUNCHes\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Very long-distance calls<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Out-of-this-world videos<\/strong><\/h2>\n
International Space Station Research Communications Team<\/em>
NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n