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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
A group of middle school students engage with a model aircraft while learning from NASA experts in the model lab at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California during an event hosted by NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement.NASA/Steve Freeman In celebration of National Aviation History Month, experts from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, spoke with middle school students during a recent event hosted by NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement. NASA Armstrong employees shared stories about the center’s role in aviation history and current research projects while also talking about their own paths to working at NASA. During the virtual and in-person event on Nov. 6, Southern California middle school students were presented with the importance of pursing their passions, the value of internships and exploring diverse career opportunities within NASA.
Kicking off the event, NASA Armstrong Center Director Brad Flick talked about his journey from a small town to becoming a NASA engineer. “I never, in my wildest dreams thought I had the opportunity to work for someplace like NASA,” Flick said. “I’ve been here for almost 40 years and at a little part of NASA that most people don’t know exists, right? Which is really cool that we’re tying this to aviation history month, because this is one of the places where aviation history has been made, is being made and will continue to be made.” Flick encouraged students to participate in STEAM programs that integrate the arts with science, technology, engineering, and math and stressed the importance of asking questions and being curious.
A panel of four NASA Armstrong experts – Laurie Grindle, deputy center director; Troy Asher, director of Flight Operations; Nicki Reid, lead operations engineer; and Julio Trevino, operations engineer – shared their stories about their career paths and experiences at NASA.
NASA Armstrong experts share their stories about their career paths and experiences at NASA to middle school students during an event hosted by NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. From left to right: Laurie Grindle, Julio Trevino, Nicki Reid and Troy Asher.NASA/Steve Freeman Reid talked about her initial struggle with math and science and how it didn’t stop her from obtaining an engineering degree and applying for internships, which is what ultimately opened the door for her at NASA. “It was a really cool experience because it gives you a chance to decide whether or not you like the job and I got to learn from different people every summer,” Reid said.
Grindle’s dream as a kid was to become an astronaut and although did not happen for her, her interest in aviation and space continued, which ultimately led to working at NASA as a student. “I had a lot of different opportunities working in different roles. I had fun while doing it and did a job I really enjoyed that made it not like work,” Grindle said.
For Asher, determination and commitment helped him become a pilot. “I remember sitting in the back seat of the airplane, looking out and thinking, ‘I love this. I’m doing this forever,’” Asher said. “But it took me five or six years before I had that moment, and it was the commitment the kept me going.”
A group of middle school students and their teachers sit in the control room for a hands-on experience at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California during an event hosted by NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement for National Aviation History Month.NASA/Steve Freeman Stories and experiences like these are important for students to hear to inspire them in their own journeys into adulthood. Students also received tours around the center with stops in the model lab, life support office and control room.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for my seventh-grade students to learn more about careers and career paths in NASA,” said Shauna Tinich, Tropico Middle School teacher. “They were surprised that people other than astronauts and rocket scientists work for NASA, and this excited many of my students.”
NASA’s California Office of STEM Engagement collaborates with the regional STEM community to provide opportunities like these, with the support of Next Gen STEM, to help students in sparking their interest and inspiring the next generation of leaders. To learn more, visit www.nasa.gov/learning-resources.
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Last Updated Dec 02, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactElena Aguirreelena.aguirre@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
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By European Space Agency
ESA’s eclipse-making precise formation-flying mission is nearly ready for liftoff! Proba-3 is scheduled for launch on a PSLV-XL rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, on Wednesday, 4 December, at 11:38 CET (10:38 GMT, 16:08 local time).
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By USH
A rare and intriguing phenomenon has been observed in China. On the night of October 27th, Chinese astrophotographer Shengyu Li set up his camera to capture star trails over Mount Xiannairi in Sichuan Province. To his surprise, he recorded mysterious blue flashes accompanying an avalanche.
The exact cause of these "blue lights" remains unclear, sparking various theories. Some speculate they could stem from geomagnetic activity, interactions of cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere, or rare atmospheric phenomena like blue jets or elves. However, Li offers another explanation: the flashes might result from triboluminescence—light produced by friction during ice fragmentation.
Triboluminescence occurs when certain materials emit light as they are fractured, scratched, or rubbed. This phenomenon happens due to the breaking of chemical bonds or the sudden separation of surfaces, which generates electrical charges. These charges can ionize the surrounding air or excite the material itself, creating visible light.
The hypothesis suggests that this event could be an example of triboluminescence. However, it also raises the intriguing possibility of a connection to UFO phenomena, such as orbs or other unexplained lights that have been observed around the world over the years.
Hypothesis: The sighting depicts what appears to be a blue light descending onto a snowbank, following the avalanche as it moves downward, and then vanishing before seemingly ascending again.
Did the avalanche trigger the blue light, or did the blue light crash into the snow, causing the avalanche?
Whether this phenomenon is a rare case of triboluminescence, potentially the first instance of it being captured on camera or something linked to unexplained UFO activity, the recording of this light remains a unique and fascinating occurrence. View the full article
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By European Space Agency
Hidden in plain sight within the Sun’s glare is the ultra-hot yet ghostly faint solar corona, source of the solar wind and solar storms. The only way to see this key element of the Solar System is either through the remarkable cosmic coincidence that gives rise to total solar eclipses – the fact that the Sun is not only 400 times bigger than our Moon but also about 400 times further away, allowing it to cover the solar disc entirely – or else through artificial Sun-obscuring telescopes.
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