Spotlight
New Orbital and Suborbital Research Opportunities
As NASA and its partners complete the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS), the facility and its expanded six-person crews are now able to devote more time to new research. Despite the limitations on crew size and facilities during the assembly phase of the station, NASA performed more than 100 experiments there during the…
Christmas 2010 Was Busiest Ever for NORAD
NORAD Tracks Santa, which is designated by the Space Foundation as a Certified Imagination ProductTM, logged a record number of phone calls and emails on Christmas Eve 2010. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) runs the program, which for more than 50 years has tracked Santa and provided updates to children around the world.…
Vote for Best NASA Student Video by Feb. 6
NASA has opened online voting for its Optimus Prime Spinoff Award student video contest. The public is invited to vote for its favorite videos, made by students in grades three through eight, developed to help educate America’s youth about the benefits of NASA’s technologies. A panel of NASA judges will select the winners in each…
See Historical Coverage of Challenger Accident
January 28 marked the 25th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger accident. For those who are too young to remember the events of that day, news reports and coverage can be seen on YouTube: CBS news coverage of the accident and memorial service NBC news coverage CNN coverage Also, on the Internet: See the January 20, 2011,…
ESA Member States Increase Funding
Despite growing economic woes in Europe, 14 of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) soon-to-be 19 member nations will increase their contributions for 2011. Last month, Romania took the first step to becoming the 19th ESA Member State by signing an Accession Agreement to the ESA Convention. Later this year, the Government of Romania will conclude…
Hall of Fame Inductee Featured at Museum
A technology developed by NASA to regulate extreme temperatures that is now used to keep seasonal candy cool in the steamy south Georgia summer and fall in is part of a recently opened exhibit at the Thronateeska Heritage Center in Albany Georgia. The Heat Pipe Technology display in the newly completed Air & Space Exhibit…
Space Foundation Creates New Cyber Position
Recognizing the increasingly important role of the cyber domain and how it relates to the needs and missions of corporate and military customers, the Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation has hired cyberspace expert Art Ratkewicz to fill a new manager – cyber initiatives position. Ratkewicz has served at Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), U.S. Strategic Command,…
The Role of Space in Holiday Travel
As we settle back into our routines after a holiday season that involved travel for many people, it is interesting to look back on the ways in which space may have played a part. Space systems can be used both to make the travel process more convenient and to provide entertainment while away from home.…
U.S. Falling Behind in STEM Education Worldwide
A recent ABC News report detailed declining test scores for U.S. school children and ranked them in comparison with students worldwide. According to the report, “educators received a wake-up call when it was revealed that students in Shanghai rank number one globally in reading, math and science, far outpacing their American peers.” Reversing the trend will not be…
Space Foundation Teacher Liaison Recognized
Space Foundation Teacher Liaison Marci Ward, a third-grade teacher at Immaculate Conception Grade School, Catholic Schools of Fairbanks (Alaska), has been named by Cambridge to Who’s Who for Excellence in Elementary Education. “Marci is as passionate as they come. Her dedication to educate herself in order to better her students growth is extraordinary,” said Bobby Gagnon,…