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Our Projects

AIAA AEROSPACE MICRO-LESSON FOR JUNIOR STUDENTS
(shaping the future of Aerospace)
 

We are into partnership with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to redefine the future of Aerospace in the world and Africa through STEM programs that help teachers inspire, influence, and mold the next generation of aerospace scientists and engineers by providing a series of resources and programming to teachers, students, parents, and aerospace professionals. The programs enlighten and engage our global community of future aerospace professionals by helping them learns more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – subjects which will give them the tools to advance aerospace.

We supply schools and teachers with all the tools they will need to stir the curiosity of their students, and those tools are fun, engaging, and, mostly, “hands-on,” to ensure the students thrive in their learning environment. From classroom grants, to standards based projects, to our signature program “Generation STEM: Discovering Aerospace Through Experience,” We are committed to providing students with exceptional learning experiences, and teachers with the tools and resources to create those moments.

AIAA also believes that every teacher is an extraordinary, committed, individual, passionately devoted to making STEM subjects timely and relevant to their students. Biennially, the AIAA Foundation presents the Foundation Educator Achievement Award to five (5) outstanding teachers who have done outstanding work in helping students understand and appreciate the science and engineering behind aerospace, by inspiring their students’ interest in STEM subjects and by bringing the “real world” into their classrooms.

AVIATION SAFETY CAMPAIGN VIA SMS PRO
 

SMS Pro™ is integrated Safety Management System (SMS) software, with in-depth reporting and analysis modules, specifically designed for an aviation application.

Furthermore, SMS Pro™ is a Web-based aviation safety management system tool that allows operators and airports to manage their safety, security, compliance and quality issues based on ICAO, IS-BAO, Transport Canada and FAA requirements and advisory material.

SMS Pro™ is an integrated solution that facilitates aviation operations by increasing the efficiency of business processes, improving service delivery to meet goals and objectives and improving operational and management reporting. Since SMS Pro™ is a Web-based application it ensures information sharing across the organization. SMS Pro™ allows easy, real-time report generation, automated alerts, and varying levels of transparency based on organizational culture.

 

SMS Pro™ provides:

  • Increased efficiency and effectiveness of organizational Quality, Safety, Security and Regulatory Compliance activities using "Issue Reporting" and "Issue Manager" modules.

  • Enhanced response times to audit findings by streamlining planning and tracking activities in the "Issue Manager," Performance Monitoring" and "Goals & Objectives" modules.

  • Secure central repository for document storage and version control.

  • Collaborative environment to share processes, policies & procedures across all departments and entities using the "Read File," "Policies and Procedures" and "Duties and Requirements" modules among internal and external users.

  • Accurate and timely data & statistics using "Performance Monitoring," "Goals & Objectives," "Hazard Analysis” (charts)," "Data Analysis and Export" modules.

  • Lessons Learned library to share knowledge across different users in the organization.

  • Ability to create custom audit checklists to perform inspections, audits and evaluations.

  • Audit and audit management using same framework as "Issue Manager" module.

  • Fully configurable issue assessment and classification enabling incidents to be categorized by two customized classification systems in "Issue Manager" module. Issues can be further classified by associated hazards and risks identified in the "Hazard Analysis Tool" module

 

Major Modules Based on Four Pillars

-  Policy

-  Risk Management

-  Safety Assurance

-  Safety Promotion

SMS Pro™ is a Web application, thus available anywhere one has access to the Internet

International airports are using this application

mySMS has the same SMS Pro™ modules, but is hosted on client servers.

MENTORING & CONSULTANCY SERVICES

 

Our team of experts has been equipped to train the youth, especially in the area of national development, orientation and good virtue. We have training programmes targeted at reaching out to the youth for purposes of changing the paradigmatic approaches to responsible governance and good leadership as well as systematic approach to fighting social ills like corruption and others. We also counsel on career path in Aviation, Aerospace and Space science.

Also, we consult for Aviation organisations around the world in order to ensure safety through professionalism.

Above all, our consultancy programme works with the following aims and expectations.

  • Strive to reach our goal of zero accidents, especially in the Aviation sector

  • Continually improve upon the processes that directly or indirectly lead us to our goal of zero accidents.

  • All injuries and occupational illnesses are preventable.

  • job is so important that we cannot take the time to do it safely.

  • Safety compliance is a condition of employment.

  • If we have an accident, Aviation organisations must handle it in as prompt and as professional as possible.

  • Strive to maintain employee retention.Minimize turnover

  • be the hub of Aerospace information on Nigerian campuses; primary, secondary and tertiary institutions

  • coordinate aviation film shows, seminars, workshops and other inspiring programmes and projects on our campuses,

  • make the needed positive change in the aviation industry within and outside of Nigeria

  • leave a legacy for the generations yet unborn that it is possible to achieve greatness without being dubious and fraudulent.

There is an excitement associated with the word airplane that creates the spirit of adventure, the project will use the excitement of aviation to educate and inspire the youth in Africa and their counterparts across the world, engage their minds in meaningful and rewarding investment, thereby using it as a veritable tool to address the menaces of corruptions that Africans, especially the youth, get involved in and reduce the chances of being lured into secret cults and other unlawful societies.

We are not only bringing the relevant science, mathematics and technology components of aviation to Africa, but also more importantly use it as a tool to inspire Africans to reach for new opportunities. Aviation is mesmerizing to young people, and provides avenue for inspiration that they may not have otherwise. We have found that this reign true no matter what part of the world you are in.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & FINANCE
 

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AEROSCHOLARS ONLINE AVIATION COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
 

WHAT IS AEROSCHOLARS?

AeroScholars is the Coolest High School on the ’Net

Developed in accordance with national teaching standards, these award-winning online courses bring the fascinating world of aviation right to your fingertips.  The AeroScholars high school program consists of two online aviation courses. These courses are not simply textbooks on the Internet. They are comprised of lecture material that has been proven over years of instruction, educational video, 3D animations, interactive questions, and other multimedia learning tools.

 

Aeroscholars Course Descriptions:

 

Course I: Fundamentals of Aviation: Fundamentals of Aviation Science is designed for students of all backgrounds. They may have some familiarity with aircraft and aviation or perhaps they have only seen aircraft flying overhead. The course is designed to encourage interest and appreciation for aviation. The course will explore the history of flight and uncover the mysteries of airplane and helicopter flight and the basics of aerodynamics. Students will learn about the evolution of aircraft and their designs, engines, instruments, and aircraft systems. Meteorology, air traffic control, and variety of aviation and aerospace career options are also covered. The course includes significant historical events in aviation and aerospace development as well as a look at modern technology and industry progress. Students will learn aerospace terminology, government and industry roles in aviation and applicable regulations.

 

Course II: Advanced Aviation Science: Private Pilot: Advanced Aviation Science, Private Pilot further develops the student's understanding and interest of aviation science. Although most students may not pilot an aircraft for a living, most people have dreamt of flying an aircraft. Advanced Aviation Science brings the dream of being a pilot many steps closer. Students will learn about airport systems, air traffic control procedures, airspace, aviation weather, air navigation, radio communication procedures, and federal aviation regulations. The course will also  cover aircraft performance and cross-country flight planning. Additional weather theory is provided as well as weather reports and forecasts for pilots. Aircraft weight and balance, and the use of pilot tools and charts are all taught using comprehensive video, interactive questions, online lessons and the FAA publication, The Private Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. Successful completion of the course provides four hours of college credit and prepares students for the FAA Private Pilot written examination. The course features hundreds of interactive videos, test questions, and 17 weeks of exciting aviation lessons geared toward furthering that dream and providing the foundation necessary for successful completion of the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Examination.

AEROSPACE &S.T.E.M CATCH THEM YOUNG PROGRAMME FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS
 

OBJECTIVES

  1. To introduce students to the concept of team work and its applicability in the Aviation sector

  2. To introduce students to the concept of safety in Aviation Industry and inspire them for opportunities in the Aviation/Aerospace sector

  3. To take students through the rudiments of Aviation: Aviation environment, the aircraft itself, the airport, the ramps and hangars, the history of aviation

  4. To encourage students to embrace STEM education

 

The project is designed for students of all backgrounds. They may have some familiarity with aircraft and aviation or perhaps they have only seen aircraft flying overhead. The project is designed to encourage interest and appreciation for aviation; will explore the history of flight and uncover the mysteries of airplane and helicopter flight and the basics of aerodynamics.  Students will learn about the evolution of aircraft and their designs, engines, instruments, and aircraft systems. Meteorology, air traffic control, and variety of aviation and aerospace career options are also covered.

 

The project includes significant historical events in aviation and aerospace development as well as a look at modern technology and industry progress. Students will learn aerospace terminology, government and industry roles in aviation and applicable regulations.  Although most students may not pilot an aircraft for a living, most people have dreamt of flying an aircraft. The project brings the dream of being a pilot many steps closer. Students will learn about airport systems, air traffic control procedures, airspace, aviation weather, air navigation, radio communication procedures, and federal aviation regulations. The project will also cover aircraft performance and cross-country flight planning.  Additional weather theory is provided as well as weather reports and forecasts for pilots. Aircraft weight and balance, and the use of pilot tools and charts are all taught using comprehensive video, interactive questions, online lessons and the FAA publication.

Our mission is to inspire hope in young students in developing countries around the world to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.). Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics—STEM, and therefore, STEM education—are vital to our future—the future of our country, the future of our region and the future of our children. Besides, STEM is everywhere; it shapes our everyday experiences.

 

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO ACCESS OUR FORM:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4HwyGOCzyv20yjGFDauIQjSwZNRQlAHAPeR4_iTUfpXwPKw/viewform

HOVERCRAFTS FOR OIL & GAS EXPLORATION AND RESCUE AND SURVEILLANCE MISSION
 

The Hov Pod SPX TCC Hover craft is a new generation of safe, high quality, easy to use, strong, durable hovercraft, very affordable to purchase offering great value for money. The Hov Pod SPX has one simple set of controls which can be mastered in minutes this together with high durability, safety quality levels incorporated as standard mean the Hov Pod is in a class of its own and an ideal craft for anyone; be it for patrol, rescue, survey, commercial or leisure use.


Why Hov Pod is unique?
The Hov Pod Hover craft is the only hovercraft currently available manufactured from High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). All terrain vehicles need to be very strong take punishment in day to day use over ice, water debris, stones, rocks, rough terrain and bumps and dips in the surface.

Hov Pod operational uses
Complete operational flexibility. The Hov Pod SPX range of hovercraft craft have no submerged propeller that could get damaged ending operations.
Hov Pod is just about the only vehicle suitable for many areas inaccessible to conventional vehicles can operate over flooded land, mud, riverbeds, shallow water/tidal regions, rapids, shingle beaches, open water, grass, sand, desert, swamps, marshland, weeds, submerged plants, snow, ice, roads, shallow lakes dried up salt marshes, sandbanks, roads, indeed any flat surface at speeds up to 45 mph. 

For military, patrol, rescue and commercial users one Hov Pod SPX is cheaper to purchase than the daily operating, staffing service costs of a helicopter or several types of other conventional vehicles required to give the same all terrain capability.

Hov Pod Hovercraft are manufactured for leisure, commercial, rescue and patrol hovercraft applications. New CAD design, CNC engineering, and HDPE hull manufacturing methods have resulted in faster production time to meet growing demand, and ensured shorter delivery times. The Hov Pod hovercraft design approach has won worldwide acclaim - we now manufacture more hovercraft than any other supplier. Hov Pod hovercraft are very easy and fun to drive, designed with marine safety in mind. These amphibious vehicles allow you to hover over any flat surface, including water, ice, snow, sand, mud, and grass. Hov Pod hovercraft are safe, reliable, durable, & designed to make leisure & commercial hovercraft ownership easy.

HovPods have been used in many applications & by various clients in severe conditions, just a few amongst these include: 

  • They have been used by the UN world food organisation.

  • Used by the oil industry in remote locations in central Asia & Middle East.

  • Used as commercial workboats & rescue boats day in day out at various locations.

  • Australian EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

  • South Korean fire & rescue departments

  • Used in dried up salt lakes for many 100's of hours.

  • They have been used in northern Norway & Canada in winter.

  • Used in the Middle East & African counties such as Sudan & the Congo in desert & very hot & dusty areas.

  • They have been used by the German DLRG

  • They have been used by the Red Cross

  • They have undergone European inspection in France. The HovPod went through the French Centre de Securite Des Navires marine certification approval. This stringent process involved technical/fire/safety inspection, flooded buoyancy tests & operational use.

  • Border/coastal/inland patrol, anti-terrorism, drug smuggling patrol.

  • High speed marine sub surface & ground scanning survey & detection.

  • Rescue work from flooded areas, mud, sand, tidal areas. Hovercraft does not create the problem with downdraft associated with helicopters, & a fraction of the cost to purchase, operate & maintain. Rescuers can reach floods, mud, sand & ice victims without exposing rescuers to life threatening danger.

  • Distribution of famine or flood aid support craft. Relief work (United Nations).

  • Civil emergency & infrastructure support

  • Oil industry survey, exploration & pipeline patrol.

  • Electrical Power-line patrol & safety.

  • Remote mining access support vehicle.

  • River, lake & port geological surveys.

  • Mud & riverbed sampling.

  • Environmental projects & clean-up operations.

  • Airport bird scaring/support/rescue services.

  • Coastal civil engineering & bridge construction & repair/maintenance.

  • Transport, service & safety craft for river & low tide coastal work where 24-hour access is vital for staff safety.

  • Fish farm & low tide access.

  • Leisure & family fun. Rental Operations, Corporate entertainment, Education, schools, summer fetes & shows.

  • Access to Riverside, lakeside & island properties. Hovercraft travel over mud, sand & ice.

  • Hovercrafts are not restricted by tide, or fast running water. Or shallow water, or submerged rocks, coral, or marine life.

  • SuperYacht Tenders

  • Filming & TV work.

  • Store sales & advertising (Harrods).

THE AEROSPACE WORLD MEDIA
 

This ia an organ of Aviation Palace International which is the mouth-piece of the organisation with the sole aim of "Introducing Professionalism into Aerospace Journalism".

We are committed to giving excellent reportage and coverage to Aviation, Aerpospace and Space Science events across the world.

Also, we feature of mass media and grant interviews to media house and honour invitations to discuss salient and partinent issues bothering on the Situation of Aviation Industry across the world, especially issues relating to the open-sky agreements.

This section also supervises and oversees the production of our magazine tagged "The Aviation Mirror", where we x-ray the situation of Aviation in Nigeria and introduce students to the concepts of Aviation, Aerospace and Space Science.

AVIATION MEDICINE (AEROMEDICINE)
(courtesy Medical AirXpress, USA)

Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or persons involved in spaceflight. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircrews are particularly susceptible, applies medical knowledge to the human factors in aviation and is thus a critical component of aviation safety. A military practitioner of aviation medicine may be called a flight surgeon and a civilian practitioner is an aviation medical examiner.

Broadly defined, this subdiscipline endeavors to discover and prevent various adverse physiological responses to hostile biologic and physical stresses encountered in the aerospace environment. Problems range from life support measures for astronauts to recognizing an ear block in an infant traveling on an airliner with elevated cabin pressure altitude. Aeromedical certification of pilots, aircrew and patients is also part of Aviation Medicine. A final subdivision is the AeroMedical Transportation Specially. These military and civilian specialists are concerned with protecting aircrew and patients who are transported by AirEvac aircraft (helicopters or fixed-wing airplanes)

Every factor contributing to a safe flight has a failure rate. The crew of an aircraft is no different. Aviation medicine aims to keep this rate in the humans involved equal to or below a specified risk level. This standard of risk is also applied to airframe, avionics and systems associated with flights.

AeroMedical examinations aim at screening for elevation in risk of sudden incapacitation, such as a tendency towards myocardial infarction (heart attacks), epilepsy or the presence of metabolic conditions diabetes, etc. which may lead to hazardous condition at altitude. The goal of the AeroMedical Examination is to protect the life and health of pilots and passengers by making reasonable medical assurance that an individual is fit to fly. Other screened conditions such as colour blindness can prevent a person from flying because of an inability to perform a function that is necessary. In this case to tell green from red. These specialized medical exams consist of physical examinations performed by an Aviation Medical Examiner or a military Flight Surgeon, doctors trained to screen potential aircrew for identifiable medical conditions that could lead to problems while performing airborne duties. In addition, this unique population of aircrews is a high-risk group for several diseases and harmful conditions due to irregular work shifts with irregular sleeping and irregular meals (usually carbonated drinks and high energy snacks) and work-related stress.

FLIGBY LEADERSHIP SIMULATION TRAINING

SKILL ASSESSMENT & TRAINING FOR ORGANISATIONS

We have discovered and identified the leadership skills that ensure the creation and maintenance of the Flow-based organizational culture. By means of those leadership skills, leaders can help their colleagues reach their own Flow-state and raising the performance of the team/organization.

We have discovered that some organisations staffs are not up to date in some skills; hence we have set this product aside for training and re-training of staffs of various organisations.

FLIGBY (“FLow Is Good Business for You”)

FLOW is Good Business™ (FLIGBY®) is an online Serious Game to be used in Leadership Development programs both in academic and business settings.

Flow is a mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment. Flow, creativity, and happiness are related.

FLIGBY is an exciting Leadership Game (that makes our office lively and interactive) in which each individual player assumes the role of the general manager of an imaginary Californian winery. Each player has to make 150+ decisions, applying the key ideas embodied in the Flow concept and Flow-related value system, as best as she or he can. During the Game, the player receives continuous, individually-tailored feed­back, designed to guide her or him toward Flow-based managerial practices. The feedback continues after the Game ends: each player is sent a report about his or her relative strengths and weaknesses in terms of both the general leadership skills and those that are especially important if one wishes to live, work, and lead according to Flow-based values and Flow-promoting practices. This makes the Game an innovative management/leadership development tool.

A basic purpose of this game is to discuss how to teach the application of Flow-based leadership skills via FLIGBY, first in academia, then also in business and in other types of organizations. University courses (especially in graduate programs) are targeted because most university graduates will have managerial/leadership responsibilities during their careers. The Game – whose lessons are likely to be remembered long after the play is over – is an effective general preparation for performing well in future managerial/leadership roles, irrespec­tive of the nature of the organization, position in a hierarchy, or the type of culture where the graduate will find himself or herself.

We have been able to identify the following required 29 skills in order to move organizations forward. In the line of business, we have identified the following skills as essential and crucial to our day-to-day business development.

(1)    Active listening,

(2)    Analytical skills,

(3)    Applying personal strengths,

(4)    Assertiveness,

(5)    Balancing skill,

(6)    Business-oriented thinking,

(7)    Communication,

(8)    Engagement and Trust,

(9)    Conflict-management,

(10)Delegating,

(11)Diplomacy,

(12)Emotional intelligence,

(13)Empowerment,

(14)Entrepreneurship & Risk taking,

(15)Execution,

(16)Feedback,

(17)Future orientation,

(18)Information gathering,

(19)Intuitive thinking,

(20) Involvement,

(21)Motivation,

(22)Organizing,

(23)Prioritizing,

(24)Timely decision-making,

(25)Social system thinking,

(26)Social responsibility,

(27)Strategic thinking,

(28)Teamwork,

(29)Time management.

In the game, you become the General Manager of a fine Californian Vineyard. Your goal is to make Turul Winery a high-performing business and a great place to work. You are accountable for leading a management team comprised of eight sophisticated individuals. As the Winery’s new GM, you must build a cohesive leadership team, craft a strategy, handle conflict situations, prioritize tasks, and resolve a plethora of day-to-day leadership and management dilemmas.

You face the challenging task of having to achieve a state of harmony and co-operation in a team significantly weakened by internal conflicts. At the same time, decisions concerning strategic questions of the future of the company have to be made in accordance with the expectations of the Winery’s owner.

FLIGBY combines the very best of gaming experience with cutting edge leadership development. It puts the leader’s skills to the test as he or she advances through a full set of leadership challenges that feel real because the situations encountered are 100% realistic, of the kind that we encounter each and every day at the workplace. Your performance is measured from several perspectives. The actual flow-state of the employees as well as the profitability of the company both serve as continuous feedback.

At the end of the game, FLIGBY provides an individual report to each player on his/her skillset, with a range of benchmarking options available.

ORION'S QUEST SPACE RESEARCH FOR THE YOUTHS

The mission is to stimulate a lasting interest in the STEM disciplines, with the goal of encouraging students to pursue careers in these fields.  This is accomplished by actively involving students in the support of authentic research currently being conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) or in a NASA ground-based laboratory. Through collaboration with NASA and NASA sponsored researchers, OQ creates an educational mini-curriculum for the high school or middle school classroom that engages students as research assistants, providing data for the Principal Investigator, (PI).  Currently, OQ has a collaborative relationship with several NASA or NASA supported researchers. The program is delivered and managed via the OQ Web Site, each teacher being assigned a password protected page for management and program delivery.

 

During each OQ mission students briefly learn about the scientist and their research, participate in a classroom experiment or activity that mirrors the research experiment on the ISS, and then do some type of an analysis and data gathering activity.   These hands-on inquiry based activities are supported by near-real time digital and video images downlinked from orbit and provided to the classroom via the OQ Website. Also provided are real time images of a control ground experiment being conducted by BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Research Partnership at the University of Colorado or elsewhere.

 

Student research supports the work of the PI, while meeting the educational goals of the classroom and final student data is provided to the PI for review and, if appropriate, inclusion into research databanks.

 

OQ missions typically require between three and seven classroom periods and could involve:

1.   Introduction of NASA and its mission

2.   Introduction of PI and research focus

3.   Instruction on download and use of any required software

4.   Conducting the research (the heart of the mission) which may include:

a.   Hypothesis development

b.   Classroom lab activity mirroring the actual research c.    Observation and photo/video analysis

d.   Data recording and submission

e.   Formulate conclusions f.            Evaluation

 

When possible, an OQ staff member will plan to visit the classroom and talk with students about the significance of their participation.  In addition, OQ will seek to provide video conferencing with the mission PI and/or other NASA personnel, and with other participating classrooms.  At the conclusion of the mission a Certificate of Appreciation will presented to each student.

 

Orion’s Quest (OQ) is an internet based, education program for upper elementary, middle and high school students. OQ employs current NASA research to reach and inspire “the next generation of explorers.” To challenge America’s students to excel in math and science through their active participation in space–based research.

Orion’s Quest (OQ) missions allow students to participate in ongoing space-based research. Students participate in NASA research through analysis of photo or video data from current experiments being conducted by a NASA scientist. Student data will be reviewed and, if appropriate, included in the research databases.

STEM ON STATION

This particular study is important because future exploration of the moon, asteroids or Mars will require long periods of space travel, which creates increased risk of health problems such as atrophy of the heart muscle. In addition, because conditions in space mirror the effects of aging on Earth, the finding of this research could not only help astronauts but also advance the study of heart disease and the development of drugs and cell replacement therapy here on Earth. In this experiment Principle Investigators (PI’s) Dr. Joseph Wu of Stanford University and Dr. Peter Lee of The Ohio State University use human heart cells derived from non-embryonic stem cells to look for changes in things like beat rate, morphology and gene expression while in the microgravity environment of space. Now Orion’s Quest (OQ) is offering teachers the opportunity to get their students directly involved in this major new research by joining the “Stem On Station” (SOS) OQ mission. Participating teachers will be provided with curriculum materials, suggestions for classrooms activities and access for students to analyze actual video of the heart cells from both the space-based and ground-based experiments. Student data will be forwarded to the PI’s for possible inclusion in their databases.

MANAGING MICROBES IN SPACE

Get students involved in a journey of discovery as they support the work of NASA scientists looking for ways to protect astronauts in space. This experiment is a first of a kind study of the interactions of germs and host organisms in real time while in microgravity. By analyzing video downlinked from an experiment onboard the International Space Station and submitting their data to the Principle Investigator Dr. Cheryl Nickerson of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, students will be engaged in real space-based research and work in support of NASA’s Human Space Exploration program. Recommended for Middle and High School students.

 

PLANT GROWTH IN SPACE

Orion’s Quest virtual mission “Plant Growth in Space” represents a decade of working with NASA scientists doing research in space.

This tenth mission uses the plant species Brassica rapa or Wisconsin Fast Plants and is designed to shed light on the question, “How do plants react to microgravity in their early growth stages”. As humans continue to expand the duration of space flights and the distance travelled from Earth the need for sustainability in space becomes essential. This investigation is designed to have students discover how the phototropic and gravitropic responses of plants grown in a space-based experiment onboard the International Space Station compare with those of plants grown in an earth-based control experiment. Students will participate in 4 activities analyzing FLIGHT and GROUND photos. Data collected in these activities will allow students to draw their own conclusions about the impact of microgravity on early plant growth and student data will be submitted to the Principle Investigator (PI) for the mission for possible inclusion in their databases.

SPIDERS IN SPACE

Orion’s Quest “Spiders in Space” virtual mission supports the research of NASA scientists and piggybacks on the OQ “Fruit Flies in Space” mission. This space-based research project gathers data about the interaction and movements of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the orb weaving spider Nephila clavipesliving in the same habitat while onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The investigation focuses on the spiders and is designed to study the differences between webs spun in the space-based experiment and the earth-based control experiment. Students will be asked to do a variety of activities including measurement of the growth of the spider and observing and recording the web spinning process in microgravity. Students will participate in the activities by analyzing and comparing photos and video from both the space-based and earth-based investigations via the Orion’s Quest website. Student data will be submitted to the Principle Investigator (PI) for the mission.

FRUIT FLIES IN SPACE

This virtual mission “Fruit Flies in Space” was part of the payload on NASA’s STS 134 flight. It is a biology based mission which focuses on the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster and uses actual photographs, video and data downlinked from the International Space Station.

The mission is designed to have students support the work of NASA scientist Dr. Sharmila Bhattacharya, Head of the Biomodel Performance and Behavior Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, as she studies the effects of microgravity on the development, behavior and movement of this organism. By studying the behaviors of the Fruit Fly and other model organisms in microgravity scientists contribute to the body of knowledge in understanding how organisms adjust to their environment. All organisms use the same basic signaling pathways and good data shows how changes in gravity alter these systems. Behavior changes can then be used to analyze the genetic basis for the change. Because the Fruit Fly genome has genetic similarity with the human genome information gained in studying these simple organisms can then be translated to complex human organisms. Students will report observations and measurements of the Fruit Fly behaviors by comparing photographic records from the International Space Station and an earth-based comparison study. Student data collected on the OQ web site will then be sent to Dr. Bhattacharya for review and possible inclusion in research databanks.

BUTTERFLIES IN SPACE

Launched to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s mission STS-129 in November of 2009, this activity focuses on the ability of “Painted Lady Butterflies”, Vanessa cardui to “pupate” in microgravity.

This activity supports the research of the Butterfly Pavilion at Westminster, CO. Students construct a butterfly habitat in the classroom mimicking the structure and conditions of the “in-flight” habitat aboard the International Space Station. Utilizing the same butterfly larva and food supply being used in both the microgravity and ground control experiments, students follow the larva to pupa stage of the butterfly life cycle. At the teacher’s discretion, students’ access photos of the space and earth-based activities via the Orion’s Quest website and analyze these photos, comparing them with classroom outcomes. Data entered through the online interactive data page will be submitted to the Principle Investigator (PI) for possible inclusion in databases.

SILICATE GARDENS IN SPACE

Orion’s Quest “Silicate Gardens in Space” virtual mission is a chemistry-based research study in support of the work of crystallographers Dr. Julyan Cartwright and Dr. C. Ignacio Sainz Diaz at the Laboratory for the Study of Crystallography in Granada, Spain.

This investigation combines two experiments that were part of the payloads of NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour missions STS-118 and STS-123. Both flights delivered their experiments to the International Space Station (ISS), STS 118 in August 2007 and STS 123 in March 2009. Silicate Gardens or Chemical Gardens have been studied on earth for many years and now the research continues onboard the International Space Station. Using sodium silicate solution and various metal salts, this research is designed to provide new information on the formation and growth of hollow tubes, the basic structures of silicate gardens, while in a microgravity environment. Student’s record observations and measurements of silicate tube growth to evaluate one of several variables as they analyze and compare photographic records from the ISS with an earth-based control study. As a part of this ongoing study student data is submitted online and forwarded to Dr. Cartwright and Dr. Diaz for possible inclusion in their databases.

WORMS IN SPACE

This high-flying education effort by Orion’s Quest (OQ) features a science investigation that supports of the research of NASA scientist Dr. Catharine Conley and genetic researcher, Dr. Nate Szewczyk.

The study uses the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans(C. elegans), a free-living (non-parasitic) round worm about 1 mm in length as the model organism for the ongoing research that support NASA’s program in the areas of Human Space Exploration and human genetics. Dubbed “CSI-01” this project allows students to participate in meaningful scientific research on gravity-dependent biological processes. This nematode experiment sponsored by the Malaysian Space Agency used an automated growth chamber designed and built by BioServe Space Technologies in Boulder, Colorado. Based on Dr. Conley’s research the study provided video, still images and data that were downlinked to Earth from the International Space Station and placed on the OQ website. Using these photographic records participating students observe and analyze C. elegans living in liquid media. The study is designed to provide scientists with data related to the effectiveness of the media and the effects of microgravity on life processes of the C. elegans. Observation of population densities and the tracking the progression of the worms through four growth stages are part of the study and student data is submitted to Dr. Conley and Dr. Szewczyk.

AMATEUR RADIO ON INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) inspires students, worldwide, to pursue interests and  careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through amateur radio communications opportunities with the International Space Station (ISS) on-orbit crew.  Students learn about life on board the ISS and explore Earth from space through science and mathematics activities. ARISS provides opportunities for the school community (students, teachers, families and community members) to become more aware of the substantial benefits of human spaceflight and the exploration and discovery that occur on spaceflight journeys. Students have the opportunity to learn about space technologies and the technologies involved with space communications through exploration of amateur radio.

The project was designed and brought to Nigeria and indeed Africa for the very first time to:

(1)   Inspire an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and in STEM careers among young people;

(2)   Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about space exploration, space technologies and satellite communications;

(3)   Provide an educational opportunity for students, teachers and the general public to learn about wireless technology and radio science through Amateur Radio

(4)   Provide an opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and evaluation of new technologies.

(5)   Provide a contingency communications system for NASA and the ISS crew.

(6)   Provide crew with another means to directly interact with a larger community outside the ISS, including friends and family.

Amateur Radio organizations, and space agencies in the USA, Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe sponsor this educational opportunity by providing the equipment and operational support to enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world via Amateur Radio. Hundreds of Amateur Radio operators around the world work behind the scenes to make these educational experiences possible. Amateur Radio is a popular hobby and a service in which licensed participants operate communications equipment with a deep appreciation of the radio art.

ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group, including several countries in Europe as well as Japan, Russia, Canada, and the USA. The organization is run by volunteers from the national amateur radio organizations and the international AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) organizations from each country. Since ARISS is international in scope, the team coordinates locally with their respective space agency and as an international team through ARISS working group meetings, teleconferences and webinars.

Radio Contact With ISS

Scheduled ARISS Amateur Radio contacts with the ISS are conducted either by direct contact, or by telebridge contact. The method used will depend on the radio station equipment and experienced radio amateur volunteers available to support the contact as well as technical issues related to the orbit of the ISS over the contact location.


Because the ARISS program supports the testing and installation of amateur radio stations aboard the ISS, astronauts have the equipment available to also make unscheduled ham radio contacts with radio amateurs all around the world on a one-to-one basis during their personal time. With a very limited investment in amateur radio equipment, licensed hams, including students who have access to amateur radio stations in a classroom, can make individual contact with astronauts aboard the ISS by learning to follow the published orbital schedule and practice some basic amateur radio contact techniques.

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