Mr. B in Zero-g

Trip to Mars anyone?

spacesurferboards — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:20:38 +0000

How would you like to take a trip to Mars? It is estimated to cost $1 billion dollars to make the round-trip currently. Hmm…I am a bit short. Can you spot me? Well it is possible for free, but only in the virtual world. You can use the flight simulator mode in Google Earth, but British 3D animation guru Doug Ellison has created the most dramatic example to date. Check it out for yourselves.

Of course, if you happen to be in 8th or 9th grade currently, NASA predicts you may be among the field of those who take the first steps on our red neighbor. Who knows where your interest in science and math can take you.

STS-131 Launch

spacesurferboards — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:09:59 +0000

I (Mr. B.) just got invited to attend the launch of STS-131, one of the last space shuttle missions, as a guest of NASA. It is scheduled for 5 April 2010 and is planned to be the last night launch! I will be attending an educational forum beforehand and then view the launch from the NASA Banana Creek viewing area. To learn more check the STS-131 page.

Yuri’s Night Party!!!

spacesurferboards — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:42:39 +0000

It’s official! WMS will be having a Yuri’s Night party, albeit during the day, on 12 April 2010. Check the WMS Blasts Off! page for more information or to suggest an activity for the day!

WFOD on CNN!

spacesurferboards — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:25:59 +0000

Last week Northrop Grumman’s Weightless Flights of Discovery made the Situation Room on CNN. It was a nice piece covering the program and the Washington, DC flight. As you may already know the main goal of the program is to give teachers an experience which will help them inspire their students to pursue STEM careers. You can view the by clicking the image below.

Liftoff!!!

spacesurferboards — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:23:19 +0000

Woke up early this morning to watch the last scheduled night liftoff of the Space Shuttle and I wasn’t disappointed. Although there were some concerns about weather and the initial launch was scrubbed last night due to some pesky clouds, this morning’s launch went flawlessly. Three days from now Endeavour will rendezvous with the International Space Station to begin the meat of the mission (STS-130).

Photo Credit: NASA TV and NASA.gov

What an awesome sight! (Video Replay here) If you are like me and have yet to see a launch in person, time to get planning. There are only a four remaining launches. Even if you can’t get VIP access a trip to Florida’s east coast will provide a great view. With many astronauts aboard the ISS and Endeavour tweeting we will have unprecedented updates of the mission. In fact, you are encouraged to tweet your questions to the astronauts even while they are working hard some 250 statute miles above Earth orbiting at 17,500 mph! Tweet @NASA_Astronauts, @Astro_Nicholas, @Astro_Jeff and/or @Astro_Soichi.

Endeavour’s STS-130 Mission
Commander George Zamka will lead the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Endeavour. Terry Virts will serve as the pilot. Mission Specialists are Nicholas Patrick, Robert Behnken, Stephen Robinson and Kathryn Hire. Virts will be making his first trip to space.

Shuttle Endeavour and its crew will deliver to the space station a third connecting module, the Italian-built Tranquility node and the seven-windowed cupola, which will be used as a control room for robotics. The mission will feature three spacewalks.

Recent News Coverage…

spacesurferboards — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:32:58 +0000

The Weightless Flights of Discovery program is a headline stealer. It gets a lot of news coverage, especially with a major push for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields today. Here is some of the recent print and television coverage of our WFOD.

Teachers Defy Gravity to Gain Students’ Interest

Click here to read the full article.

Video: at last!

spacesurferboards — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:20:00 +0000

I just received an email from one of the teachers on my WFOD telling us the video is up! I wish I could embed it directly into this post, but it isn’t allowed. Here are the links to the three videos! I was part of the “gold team,” hence those gold socks! Pop some popcorn and enjoy these shorts (short videos for those who don’t know that term).

Gold Team Video

Blue Team Video

Silver Team Video

Thanks again to Northrop Grumman for making this experience possible. Watching these videos brings back that day and all the great memories!

Up, Up, and Away!

spacesurferboards — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:42:46 +0000

Today, “Patchman” Nick V. received his prize for designing the stunningly cool patch I wore into zero-g. The prize, as advertised, was an official Zero-G Flight Suit! You read it right! A FLIGHT SUIT! Sorry to make you all jealous of Nick, but you, the people spoke and his patch won! After jumping into a phone booth he emerged looking like this:

How I Feel Now…

spacesurferboards — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:03:54 +0000

Many people have asked how it was to experience zero-gravity. They also have asked how I feel now that I am back. To answer that question, check out the following cartoon. Thanks to Laura P. (7th grade) for drawing it!

Click to enlarge!

Everything’s in motion!

spacesurferboards — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:31:35 +0000

Today, we had a special performance from FMA Live! If you haven’t heard of them you definitely need to request a show at your school. It brings Newton’s Laws of Motion to life; engaging both students and teachers. The program is a joint venture between NASA and Honeywell and has a similar purpose to Northrop Grumman’s Weightless Flights of Discovery: “Inspiring the next generation.” From a large velcro wall with students stuck on it to sumo wrestling teachers and even a hover chair the show combines a catchy hip-hop concert with Newton’s Laws. It was stated that the man or woman who will set foot on Mars first is in middle or elementary school right now. Could it be you?

FMA Live’s CO2 Powered Racers being raced by students.

At the end of the program both the students and the teachers are buzzing and science is on the mind. Not to mention if you are a STEM teacher you can enter to win a trip to Honeywell’s Space Academy at Space Camp! DON’T FORGET EVERYTHING’S IN MOTION!

FMA Live! website