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I. KidSat on the Shuttle

With the launch of shuttle flight STS-76 in March 1996, NASA broke the age barrier to scientific exploration of Earth from space. For the first time, flight hardware configured and operated by young students was launched into space with the goal of collecting imagery to meet the exploration needs of middle school students. Unlike many scientists who participate in shuttle missions, these middle school students did not wait until after landing to obtain and analyze their data. Instead, they participated directly in the mission, modifying the image requests that were developed during the months preceding the mission, and capturing their data over the Internet in real time. As a measure of the quality of the scientific analysis that went on in the months following landing, a special session was held at an international science symposium on remote sensing. Student representatives from each middle school presented the best investigations from their classes. One example was speculation about the cause of a complete freezing of the Aral Sea in March 1996 (see Section 10.1.1)

1.1 History

The KidSat concept was inspired by a group of high school students working on a shuttle mission, as part of JPL's collaboration with Johns Hopkins University's (JHU) Institute for Academic Advancement of Youth (IAAY) in a program called Challenge Awards. In this program, high school students developed the procedures and performed the training for observations of Earth by the crews flying with the shuttle imaging radar (Way et al. 1994). The elements of the project that captured the students' interest were the involvement in a real shuttle mission, the photographs of Earth which provided a new perspective on the planet, and the ability to explore new territory. This program highlighted not only how valuable student involvement in space missions could be for the students, but also the value of students to the mission and science teams. It was from these ideas that the KidSat project was developed by JPL, the IAAY, and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

1.2 Mission Statement

The mission of KidSat was to demonstrate how middle school students could actively observe the Earth by using cameras mounted onboard the space shuttle and conduct scientific inquiry in support of their middle school curricula. Students selected and analyzed images of the Earth during shuttle flights and utilized the tools of modern science (computers, data analysis tools, and the Internet) to disseminate the images and results widely. A team environment was implemented that modeled scientific research and space operations and promoted student growth, discovery, and achievement while helping students participate in solving real-world problems. Teamwork, mentoring, and the active participation of educators, engineers, scientists, and precollegiate and college students, further enhanced this educational process.

1.3 Project Objectives

The objectives of KidSat were to capture and maintain the interest of students in the space program and in Earth exploration; to advance the learning of middle school students through their participation in a NASA mission and through the use of Earth images in science, math, technology, geography, and other subject areas; and to develop an infrastructure that fosters student intellectual exploration and discovery using images of Earth.

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