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By NASA
Explore This Section Science Science Activation Connected Learning Ecosystems:… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 5 min read
Connected Learning Ecosystems: Educators Gather to Empower Learners and Themselves
Many educators would agree that despite working and communicating with dozens, even hundreds, of people each year, the role can feel isolating. Learners come and go, leaving educators to question: Was anything retained? Will they take this knowledge home? Will they share it at their after-school activities? How will it ultimately impact their lives and perspectives? What some educators may not fully realize is that they are not alone in their efforts. Their classroom or alternate education space is but one step along a learning pathway that winds through an entire network of educators. Learning pathways take many forms, but are most effective when each stop along the path builds upon what a learner has experienced during previous stops. These networks of educators, known as Connected Learning Ecosystems (CLEs), exist wherever learning takes place. Simply put, CLEs are made up of all the people involved at any point in a youth’s learning journey.
With this in mind, the NASA Science Activation Program’s Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE) project has been working to connect and support the regional networks found throughout Maine and the Northeastern United States, with a shared focus on Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) education. This inspiring community includes classroom teachers, librarians, 4-H staff, and land trust educators, to name a few, all collaborating to advance education about our changing planet and improve data literacy across a variety of learning environments.
In support of these regional networks, LENE hosts a Connected Learning Ecosystems Gathering twice each year, a multi-day event designed to unite educators who have these shared STEM education goals. These gatherings provide opportunities to reflect on past successes and plan future projects, ultimately benefiting not just the educators, but every learner they reach. They also help strengthen and amplify the lasting and positive impact these educators have on the lives of the youth they support.
This year’s Gathering took place in late February in Orono, ME at the University of Maine (a LENE project partner). The event featured hands-on science activities adaptable to various learning spaces, dedicated reflection time for educators, and collaborative planning sessions to design cross-context learning opportunities for local youth. Participants engaged with NASA’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program, supported by Jen Bourgeault (GLOBE US Country Coordinator) and Haley Wicklein (GLOBE Assistant US Country Coordinator), who facilitated field data collection and program exploration. NASA Subject Matter Expert Shawn Laatsch from UMaine’s Versant Planetarium led an immersive evening show on the molecular world inside the human body and also previewed other potential field trip shows for students. One highlight of the Gathering was a presentation on climate science and ice core collection by experts Sean Birkel and Daniel Dixon from UMaine’s Climate Change Institute. Educators also participated in a hands-on activity using model ice cores designed by project partner UMaine 4-H. Rounding out the two-day event were deep-dive sessions into various connected learning projects, where educators shared their insights, from idea formation to project execution and reflection.
One educator shared about their experience: “I just want the leadership team to know how grateful I am to be part of this community. As a veteran teacher of 28 years, this is by far the BEST workshop I have ever attended. The passion for evidence-based science among this group is incredible. I feel seen and connected in ways that other workshops have never made possible. I will definitely be a lifelong member and will be bringing more people to CLE workshops. Thank you for making this meaningful and valuable.”
Another educator shared, “During the gathering, I had the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and make new connections within [my region]. I engaged in insightful conversations with several individuals, discussing shared interests in environmental education, science literacy, and place-based learning…. From these connections, I hope to foster new collaborations that enhance environmental literacy opportunities for students and communities. By working together, I believe we can create interdisciplinary programs that bridge science, sustainability, and civic engagement in meaningful ways.”
Despite the support of regional groups, feelings of isolation persist, particularly in rural areas. These biannual gatherings serve as powerful reminders that this work is happening statewide, and that Connected Learning Ecosystems help establish and strengthen a network to bridge the distance between educators.
These Gatherings are part of ongoing programming organized by Learning Ecosystems Northeast, based at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, that fosters peer communities across the Northeast through which teachers, librarians, and out-of-school educators can collaborate to expand opportunities for youth to engage in data-driven climate investigations and integrate in- and out-of-school learning.
The Learning Ecosystems Northeast project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB94A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about Learning Ecosystems Northeast: https://www.learningecosystemsnortheast.org/
The whole group discussing their findings after a GLOBE fieldwork activity. Share
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Last Updated Apr 07, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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By NASA
6 Min Read NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Smoke for Safe Space Travel
An image shows engineers at an early version of the test stand at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility. From 1988 to the mid-1990s, NASA Stennis engineers operated the facility to conduct rocket engine plume exhaust diagnostics and learn more about the space shuttle main engine combustion process. Credits: NASA/Stennis NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is widely known as the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site. More than 35 years ago, it also served as a hands-on classroom for NASA engineers seeking to improve the efficiency of space shuttle main engines.
From 1988 to the mid-1990’s, NASA Stennis engineers operated a Diagnostic Test Facility to conduct rocket engine plume exhaust diagnostics and learn more about the space shuttle main engine combustion process. The effort also laid the groundwork for the frontline research-and-development testing conducted at the center today.
“The Diagnostic Test Facility work is just another example of the can-do, will-do attitude of the NASA Stennis team and of its willingness to support the nation’s space exploration program in all ways needed and possible,” said Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate.
The Diagnostic Test Facility work is just another example of the can-do, will-do attitude of the NASA Stennis team…
joe schuyler
NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate Director
Tests conducted at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility played a critical safety role for engine operations and also provided a real-time opportunity for NASA Stennis engineers to learn about exhaust diagnostics. NASA/Stennis An image shows the Diagnostic Testbed Facility test stand data acquisition trailer. NASA/Stennis The Need
Envision a rocket or space vehicle launching into the sky. A trail of bright exhaust, known as the engine plume, follows. As metals wear down in the engines from the intense heat of the combustion process, the flame glows with colors, some visible, such as orange or yellow, and others undetectable by the human eye.
The colors tell a story – about the health and operation of the engine and its components. For space shuttle main engines, which flew on multiple missions, engineers needed to understand that story, much as a doctor needs to understand the condition of a human body during checkup, to ensure future engine operation.
Where better place to study such details than the nation’s premier propulsion test site? Paging NASA Stennis.
An image shows the rocket motor and thruster at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility. NASA/Stennis An image shows the Diagnostic Testbed Facility blended team of NASA personnel and contractors. Kneeling, left to right, is Brantly Adams (NASA), Felix Bircher (Sverdrup Technology), Dennis Butts (Sverdrup Technology), and Nikki Raines (Sverdrup Technology). Standing, left to right, NASA astronaut John Young, Greg Sakala (Sverdrup Technology), Barney Nokes (Sverdrup Technology), John Laboda (Sverdrup Technology), Glenn Varner (NASA), Stan Gill (NASA), Bud Nail (NASA), Don Sundeen (Sverdrup Technology), NASA astronaut John Blaha.NASA/Stennis The Facility
NASA Stennis has long enabled and supported innovative and collaborative work to benefit both the agency and the commercial space industry. When NASA came calling in the late 1980s, site engineers went to work on a plan to study space shuttle main engine rocket exhaust.
The concept for an enabling structure about the size of a home garage was born in October 1987. Five months later, construction began on a Diagnostic Testbed Facility to provide quality research capabilities for studying rocket engine exhaust and learning more about the metals burned off during hot fire.
The completed facility featured a 1,300-square-foot control and data analysis center, as well as a rooftop observation deck. Small-scale infrastructure was located nearby for testing a 1,000-pound-thrust rocket engine that simulated the larger space shuttle main engine. The 1K engine measured about 2 feet in length and six inches in diameter. Using a small-scale engine allowed for greater flexibility and involved less cost than testing the much-larger space shuttle engine.
An image shows Sverdrup Technology’s Robert Norfleet as he preps the dopant injection system for testing at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility. The goal of the facility was to inject known metals and materials in a chemical form and then look at what emissions were given off. During one test, generally a six or 12 second test, operators would inject three known dopants, or substances, and then run distilled water between each test to clean out the system.NASA/Stennis An image shows engineers Stan Gill, Robert Norfleet, and Elizabeth Valenti in the Diagnostic Testbed Facility test control center. NASA/Stennis The Process
Engineers could quickly conduct multiple short-duration hot fires using the smaller engine. A six-second test provided ample time to collect data from engine exhaust that reached as high as 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chemical solutions simulating engine materials were injected into the engine combustion chamber for each hot fire. The exhaust plume then was analyzed using a remote camera, spectrometer, and microcomputers to determine what colors certain metals and elements emit when burning.
Each material produced a unique profile. By matching the profiles to the exhaust of space shuttle main engine tests conducted at NASA Stennis, determinations could be made about which engine components were undergoing wear and what maintenance was needed.
We learned about purging, ignition, handling propellants, high-pressure gases, and all the components you had to have to make it work…It was a very good learning experience.
Glenn Varner
NASA Stennis Engineer
The Benefits
The Diagnostic Testbed Facility played a critical safety role for engine operations and also provided a real-time opportunity for NASA Stennis engineers to learn about exhaust diagnostics.
Multiple tests were conducted. The average turnaround time between hot fires was 18 to 20 minutes with the best turnaround from one test to another taking just 12 minutes. By January 1991, the facility had recorded a total of 588 firings for a cumulative 3,452 seconds.
As testing progressed, the facility team evolved into a collection of experts in plume diagnostics. Longtime NASA Stennis engineer Glenn Varner serves as the mechanical operations engineer at the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where he contributed to the successful testing of the first SLS (Space Launch System) core stage onsite.
However, much of Varner’s hands-on experience came at the Diagnostic Test Facility. “We learned about purging, ignition, handling propellants, high-pressure gases, and all the components you had to have to make it work,” he said. “It was a very good learning experience.”
An image shows the Diagnostic Testbed Facility team working in the test control center. Seated, left to right, is Steve Nunez, Glenn Varner, Joey Kirkpatrick. Standing, back row left to right, is Scott Dracon and Fritz Policelli. Vince Pachel is pictured standing wearing the headset. NASA/Stennis The physical remnants of the Diagnostic Testbed Facility are barely recognizable now, but that spirit and approach embodied by that effort and its teams continues in force at the center.
joe schuyler
NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate Director
The Impact
The Diagnostic Testbed Facility impacted more than just those engineers involved in the testing. Following the initial research effort, the facility underwent modifications in January 1993. Two months later, facility operators completed a successful series of tests on a small-scale liquid hydrogen turbopump for a California-based aerospace company.
The project marked an early collaboration between the center and a commercial company and helped pave the way for the continued success of the NASA Stennis E Test Complex. Building on Diagnostic Testbed Facility knowledge and equipment, the NASA Stennis complex now supports multiple commercial aerospace projects with its versatile infrastructure and team of propulsion test experts.
“The physical remnants of the Diagnostic Testbed Facility are barely recognizable now,” Schuyler said. “But that spirit and approach embodied by that effort and its teams continues in force at the center.”
Additional Information
NASA Stennis has leveraged hardware and expertise from the Diagnostic Testbed Facility to provide benefit to NASA and industry for two decades and counting.
The facility’s thruster, run tanks, valves, regulators and instrumentation were used in developing the versatile four-stand E Test Complex at NASA Stennis that includes 12 active test cell positions capable of various component, engine, and stage test activities.
“The Diagnostic Testbed Facility was the precursor to that,” said NASA engineer Glenn Varner. “Everything but the structure still in the grass moved to the E-1 Test Stand, Cell 3. Plume diagnostics was part of the first testing there.”
When plume diagnostic testing concluded at E-1, equipment moved to the E-3 Test Stand, where the same rocket engine used for the Diagnostic Testbed Facility has since performed many test projects.
The Diagnostic Testbed Facility thruster also has been used for various projects at E-3, most recently in a project for the exploration upper stage being built for use on future Artemis missions.
In addition to hardware, engineers who worked at the Diagnostic Testbed Facility also moved on to support E Test Complex projects. There, they helped new NASA engineers learn how to handle gaseous hydrogen and liquid hydrogen propellants. Engineers learned about purging, ignition, and handling propellants and all the components needed for a successful test.
“From an engineering perspective, the more knowledge you have of the processes and procedures to make propulsion work, the better off you are,” Varner said. “It applied then and still applies today. The Diagnostic Testbed Facility contributed to the future development of NASA Stennis infrastructure and expertise.”
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Last Updated Feb 25, 2025 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms
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A massive crane lifts NASA’s Orion spacecraft out of the Final Assembly and System Testing cell and moves it to the altitude chamber to complete further testing on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The altitude chamber simulates deep space vacuum conditions, and the testing will provide additional data to augment data gained during testing earlier this summer. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett Media are invited to visit NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to capture imagery of the agency’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft and twin SLS (Space Launch System) solid rocket boosters for the first crewed Artemis mission around the Moon. The event is targeted for Friday, March 7.
Subject matter experts from NASA and industry partners will be available for interviews.
Space is limited for this event. The deadline for foreign national media to apply is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 13. The deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, Feb. 20.
All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request logistical support, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitor entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Learn more about NASA’s Artemis campaign:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis
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Rachel Kraft
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov
Tiffany Fairley/Allison Tankersley
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-747-8306/ 321-412-7237
tiffany.l.fairley@nasa.gov / allison.p.tankersley@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Feb 11, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Artemis 2 Common Exploration Systems Development Division Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Kennedy Space Center Space Launch System (SLS) View the full article
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By NASA
The portfolio of current NESC technical activities reaches across mission directorates and programs encompassing design, test, and flight phases.
ISS PrK Independent Assessment Orion Crew Module Heatshield Avcoat Char Investigation CFT Flight Anomaly Support Total Ionizing Dose Tolerance of Power Electronics on Europa Clipper Psyche Cold-Gas Thruster Technical Advisory Team Support X-59 Fuel Tank Assessment ISS PrK Independent Assessment
The NESC is assessing the ongoing leak in the ISS Russian segment, PrK, the segment’s remaining life, and how to manage the risk of potential failure.
ISS pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour. Orion Crew Module Heatshield Avcoat Char Investigation
The NESC provided thermal experts to the Artemis I Char Loss Team investigation of heatshield performance on the Artemis I return. The NESC is working with the team to ensure the observed material loss is understood so that decisions may be made regarding use for upcoming Artemis missions.
An artist’s illustration of Orion crew module entering the Earth’s atmosphere. View from Artemis I crew cabin window showing material loss during entry (foreground). CFT Flight Anomaly Support
NESC discipline experts provided real-time support to CCP to aid in determining the CFT flight anomaly causes and risks associated with a crewed return. The NESC performed propulsion system testing for predicted mission profiles at WSTF.
Boeing CST-100 Starliner docked to ISS during CFT mission. Total Ionizing Dose Tolerance of Power Electronics on Europa Clipper
The NESC provided power electronics and avionics expertise to JPL’s Europa Clipper tiger team to help evaluate the radiation tolerance of key spacecraft electronics, assisting in a risk-based launch decision.
Illustration depicting the Europa Clipper. Psyche Cold-Gas Thruster Technical Advisory Team Support
In support of a successful launch, NESC augmented the Psyche team’s investigation into increased understanding of the spacecraft’s cold-gas thrusters and aided the project’s risk-informed decisions regarding mitigations and readiness for launch.
Illustration of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft headed to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. X-59 Fuel Tank Assessment
The NESC is assisting in the evaluation of risks associated with the installation and operation of strain gages in the fuel storage system on X-59 hardware. The work includes analysis, modeling, and the development of mitigation strategies.
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits on the ramp at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. View the full article
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By NASA
2 Min Read Turn Supermoon Hype into Lunar Learning
Caption: The Earth-Moon distance to scale. Credits:
NASA/JPL-Caltech Supermoons get lots of publicity from the media, but is there anything to them beyond the hype? If the term “supermoon” bothers you because it’s not an official astronomical term, don’t throw up your hands. You can turn supermoon lemons into lunar lemonade for your star party visitors by using it to illustrate astronomy concepts and engaging them with great telescopic views of its surface!
Many astronomers find the frequent supermoon news from the media misleading, if not a bit upsetting! Unlike the outrageously wrong “Mars is as big as the moon” pieces that appear like clockwork every two years during Mars’s close approach to Earth, news about a huge full moon is more of an overstatement. The fact is that while a supermoon will indeed appear somewhat bigger and brighter in the sky, it would be difficult to tell the difference between an average full moon and a supermoon with the naked eye.
A whiteboard illustration of Earth’s Moon at perigee, or closest position to Earth. Credit: NASA There are great bits of science to glean from supermoon discussion that can turn supermoon questions into teachable moments. For example, supermoons are a great gateway into discussing the shape of the moon’s orbit, especially the concepts of apogee and perigee. Many people may assume that the moon orbits Earth in a perfect circle, when in fact its orbit is elliptical! The moon’s distance from Earth constantly varies, and so during its orbit it reaches both apogee (when it’s farthest from Earth), as well as perigee (closest to Earth). A supermoon occurs when the moon is at both perigee and in its full phase. That’s not rare; a full moon at closest approach to Earth can happen multiple times a year, as you may have noticed.
This activity is related to a Teachable Moment from Nov. 15, 2017. See “What Is a Supermoon and Just How Super Is It?” Credit: NASA/JPL While a human observer won’t be able to tell the difference between the size of a supermoon and a regular full moon, comparison photos taken with a telephoto lens can reveal the size difference between full moons. NASA has a classroom activity called Measuring the Supermoon where students can measure the size of the full moon month to month and compare their results.
Comparison of the size of an average full moon, compared to the size of a supermoon. NASA/JPL-Caltech Students can use digital cameras (or smartphones) to measure the moon, or they can simply measure the moon using nothing more than a pencil and paper! Both methods work and can be used depending on the style of teaching and available resources.
/wp-content/plugins/nasa-blocks/assets/images/media/media-example-01.jpg This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth. NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI View the full article
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