News Release
For immediate release
Rob Cork, Director of Communications
rcork@challenger.org, 703-535-1361
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
300 N. Lee Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314
November 9, 2009, Alexandria, Virginia – Challenger Center for Space Science Education announced today that former astronaut Scott Parazynski, MD has been named Chair-Elect of its Board of Directors. He will assume the role of the Chair of the Board in November 2010, succeeding Former Astronaut William F. Readdy.
"Scott is a top-notch leader and manager with a passion for education, and I look forward to working with him this year as he transitions to his next role as Chair of the Board," said Chair of the Board William F. Readdy.
"I want to express my gratitude to the Challenger Center Board of Directors, and to Bill Readdy, for placing their confidence in me to take on this leadership role. I am looking forward to supporting Challenger Center and its network of 47 Challenger Learning Centers in their educational mission to inspire students to study science and engineering. I am excited about Challenger Center's new initiatives to engage its millions of alumni and the general public in space and science programs," said Parazynski.
Parazynski is a physician and physiologist with expertise in human adaptation to stressful environments. He was selected to NASA's astronaut corps in 1992, and flew five Space Shuttle Missions and conducted seven spacewalks. He has spent more than eight weeks in space, and 47+ hours outside the vehicle on spacewalks. He has traveled more than 23 million miles in orbit. He is also an accomplished mountaineer, scuba diver, and pilot. Earlier this year he became the first astronaut to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. He is currently Director of Business Development for Wyle's Integrated Science and Engineering Group based in Houston, Texas
Parazynski received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Stanford University, continuing on to graduate with honors from Stanford Medical School. He served his medical internship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School and had completed 22 months of a residency program in emergency medicine in Denver, Colorado when he was selected to the astronaut corps.
For a complete list of the Challenger Center Board of Directors, go to http://www.challenger.org/about/board.cfm.
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center creates positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
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Former Astronaut Scott Parazynski, MD Named Chair of the Board-Elect
Challenger Center Board Member Miles O’Brien Named to NASA Advisory Council
News Release
For immediate release
Rob Cork, Director of Communications
rcork@challenger.org, 703-535-1361
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
300 N. Lee Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314
Challenger Center Board Member Miles O’Brien Named to NASA Advisory Council
- Veteran Journalist and Pilot will Lead Education and Public Outreach Committee -
November 5, 2009, Alexandria, Virginia – Miles O’Brien, a member of Challenger Center for Space Science Education’s Board of Directors, has been appointed to the NASA Advisory Council, and will lead the Education and Public Outreach Committee.
O'Brien is a 26-year broadcast news veteran who has successfully melded a talent for telling complex stories in accessible terms with a lifelong passion for aviation, space and technology. Based in New York City, he owns a production company that creates, produces and distributes original content across all media platforms. For nearly 17 years he worked as a correspondent, anchor and producer for CNN based in Atlanta and New York. At various times he was CNN's science, space, aviation, technology and environment correspondent.
"It is such an honor to serve NASA in this capacity. The agency is at an important crossroads and it is crucial to keep Americans of all ages engaged and excited about space. The Challenger Learning Center model is good example of how we can move the bar and I look forward to using its philosophy of participatory exploration as a template for other ideas to help the agency educate and inform," said O’Brien.
“We are looking forward to continuing to work with Miles O’Brien as he joins the NASA Advisory Council. It is a critical time for education and public outreach about our space program,” said Dan Barstow, Challenger Center President.
"I consider the NASA Advisory Council to be an extremely important external advisory group, one that is uniquely capable to advise me and the entire NASA senior leadership team on some of the important decisions our agency will face in the coming months and years," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center creates positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
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Challenger Center awarded NASA Climate Education grant
Challenger Center for Space Science Education has received a three-year $564,000 climate education grant from NASA to enhance learning through the use of NASA's Earth Science resources.
15 organizations were selected from more than a hundred applications, and include colleges and universities, nonprofit groups, museums, science centers and a school district. The winning proposals illustrate innovative approaches to using NASA content to support elementary, secondary and undergraduate teaching and learning, and through lifelong learning. There is a particular emphasis on engaging students using NASA Earth observation data and Earth system models.
Challenger Center’s program will support new partnerships with NASA’s My NASA Data and Earth Observatory online programs in the design of new online interactive Earth science investigations for middle and high school students using near real time data; and with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the American Museum of Natural History for online professional development Earth science courses for Challenger Learning Center educators at 16 participating centers.
The NASA cooperative agreement is expected to leverage NASA's unique contributions in climate and Earth system science. The grants support NASA's goal of engaging students in the critical disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and inspiring the next generation of explorers. Winning proposals were selected through a merit-based, peer-reviewed competition.
About Challenger Center:
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center and its international network of 47 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas.
Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea reach more than 300,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs, and engage over 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops and other programs.
To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
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Columbia Space Center in Downey set for lift-off
DOWNEY - The launch date for the Columbia Memorial Space Center is set.
The two-story, 20,000 square-foot facility, located at 12400 Clark Ave., next door to Downey Studios, has its grand opening Saturday and Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
Tickets are required but free and available at the city manager's office, 11111 Brookshire Ave., third floor.
For ticket information, call 562-904-1895 or 562-904-7286.
Tickets are limited to four per person and timed for entry. When picking up tickets at the city manager's office, visitors can select their time slot for Saturday or Sunday.
The Space Center's primary mission is a space-science learning and activity center developed as a launching pad for young people to consider careers in space exploration, says Space Center executive director Jon Betthauser.
"We're trying to inspire kids to consider futures in engineering and space exploration," Betthauser said, during a Tuesday afternoon interview at the sprawling facility.
"Math whizzes and rocket engineers aren't the only ones who study space," he said. "It starts with painters, model makers and artists who make the initial sketches that help scientists imagine what is feasible."
Betthauser hopes elementary, middle and high school and college students will be inspired by the Space Center's range of introductory exhibits, programs, simulators and labs on engineering, science and technology.
On the first floor, the focus is getting to space and returning safely through the use of parachutes, rockets and aircrafts.
Visitors can test their aeronautic skills on a 60-to-90 second flight simulator of a World War era BT-13, complete with rudder pedals and throttle, which controls the wind velocity.
Other programs explore
Inside the mock space craft interior inside the Challenger Learning Center at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey. (Stephen Carr/Staff Photographer)rocket and paper airplane launching. The paper airplane station has helpful instructions on designing the best aerodynamic paper-based aircraft.
Upstairs, an interactive space shuttle simulates landing the space shuttle on Earth or docking with the International Space Station.
Next to that simulator is the Challenger Learning Center, which recreates a space mission. One room houses a replica of mission control and the other resembles working on a space craft. It's one of only 50 in the United States, Betthauser says.
The Challenger Learning Center is a two-and-a-half to three-hour experience and designed with two mission scenarios, return to the moon and voyage to mars.
Half way through the selected scenario, students reverse roles; the mission controllers board the space craft and astronauts move to mission control.
The Learning Center will be operating with scheduled classes and booked groups in January (an additional cost, $25-$30, is required for this exhibit), and guided tours start this weekend, Betthauser says.
The Center is an official national memorial to the crew of the STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia, which disintegrated as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven crew members.
The Space Center acknowledges some of the most important aerospace achievements in the 20th century.
Downey, whose history includes the rise of the aerospace industry, is an obvious home for the center, which has been under construction since ground breaking took place April 2007.
The city has been a center of aerospace innovation since 1929, when a section of ranch land was converted into an airport and aircraft manufacturing facility.
The Space Center's site is the former NASA plant where the Apollo space capsules and the space shuttle orbiters were designed and fabricated, among other achievements.
Downey has invested $10 million in the project. Since the U.S. Congress approved the site as the center's home, it has received $5 million in federal funding.
phillip.zonkel@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1258
Columbia Memorial Space Center
Where: 12400 Clark Ave., Downey
When: Grand opening Saturday-Sunday Oct. 23 and 24 noon-6 p.m.; regular hours, noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Additional days and hours have not been determined
Admission: Free Saturday-Sunday, but tickets required; after grand opening, adults less than $10, seniors (65 and older) and students with ID less than $8 and kids 3 and younger free
Information: 562-231-1200 or www.columbiaspacescience.org
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Challenger hosts live interactive NASA webcast about Antarctica
News Release
For immediate release
Contact: Rita Karl, Director of Education
rkarl@challenger.org, 703-535-1345
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
300 N. Lee Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314
Challenger Center hosts live interactive webcast with NASA about the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica
October 7, 2009, Alexandria, VA – Join Challenger Center for Space Science Education for a live interactive webcast, October 21 at 12:00pm ET with Brian Campbell and Paul Przyborski from NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center to learn about the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) project and their fascinating Antarctic Mysteries.
The interactive webcast is free and open to the public, and it will be broadcast live at www.challenger.org. The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) is the first-ever true-color high-resolution satellite view of the Antarctic continent enabling everyone to see Antarctica as it appears in real life. The primary purpose is to provide students and educators the ability to explore the continent through flyovers and interactive investigations. The NASA website developed for the International Polar Year familiarizes people with Antarctica, allows them to explore the richness of its features, learn about why Antarctica is important, and explains and demonstrates how scientists use satellite imagery to study the continent.
Brian Campbell completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh in History and Philosophy of Science and Earth and Space Science Education. He taught high school Earth/Space Science, Environmental Science, and Physics and became a NASA Science Teacher Ambassador, writing curriculum for schools throughout the nation. He has assisted in writing curriculum for NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Maryland State Teachers Association. Currently, Campbell works at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory Education Liaison. He is the ICESat Mission Education Lead, and the CoastalObs Project Education Manager. He has given hundreds of NASA science education presentations since 2001 and received the Peer Award for Outstanding Support Service Contractor for NASA Education in 2002 and 2005.
Paul Przyborski graduated from Frostburg State University with a degree in Business Education and worked for four years as a Business and Computer Science teacher, as well as a Work-Based Learning Coordinator for Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland (Anne Arundel County Public Schools). In addition to his classroom roles, Przyborski has worked at the county and statewide levels in curriculum development to help incorporate emerging technologies into existing learning plans, and develop new plans that used those same technologies as a central focus. Przyborski came to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in 2007, contracted through Sigma Space
Corporation, as the principle web developer for the Laboratory for Atmospheres and the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory.
To learn more about the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) project, visit http://lima.nasa.gov
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center and its international network of 46 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
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Board member Keith Cowing at the 2009 NASA Desert RATS activity
Board member Keith Cowing explains the operation of the large solar
power generator sponsored by Challenger Center to local students at
the 2009 NASA Desert RATS activity earlier this week north of
Flagstaff, Arizona.
For more information, please visit www.onorbit.com/taxonomy/term/85
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Highest GigaPan Panoramas Taken On Earth's Surface
Source: NASA
On May 20, 2009, former NASA astronaut and Ames employee Scott Parazynski became the first person to have been to space and to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. On his way to the summit Parazynski was able to capture several photographic panoramas from record-setting heights.
An avid climber, Parazynski's main goal was to scale the majestic mountain. However, on his way up, Parazynski also captured two GigaPan panoramic images. He used a GigaPan Epic, a precision robotic camera mount that allows a series of finely coordinated high-resolution images to be taken of a large expanse of scenery. After the images were taken, special software stitched them together to form one dynamic panoramic image containing millions of pixels in breathtaking detail. To see these images, visit: http://www.gigapan.org.
GigaPan Imager taking a panorama at Camp II on Mt. Everest.
Credit: Scott Parazynski; Click image for full resolution.
Keith Cowing was stationed at Everest Base Camp for a month so as to collect and relay Parazynski's progress to friends and followers. Cowing and Parazynski are both members of the Board of Directors of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education (http://www.challenger.org) headquartered in Alexandria, Va. To read more about their expedition, visit: http://www.onorbit.com/everest.
Test panorama taken at Everest Base Camp.
Credit: Scott Parazynski; Click image for full resolution.
Panorama taken at Camp II, Mt. Everest.
Credit: Scott Parazynski; Click image for full resolution.
Panorama taken at Camp IV, Mt. Everest.
Credit: Scott Parazynski; Click image for full resolution.
GigaPan was developed by Carnegie Mellon University in collaboration with the NASA Ames Research Center's Intelligent Robotics Group, with support from Google, to create high-resolution panoramic images. GigaPan Systems was established in 2008 to bring this powerful, high-resolution imaging capability to a broad audience as a commercial spin-off.
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Challenger Center hosts live interactive webcast on our search for Earth-like planets with the SETI Institute
Join Challenger Center for Space Science Education for a live interactive webcast, Wednesday, September 23rd at 1:00pm ET with Edna DeVore, Director of Education and Outreach at the SETI Institute and Co-Director for Education and Public Outreach for NASA’s Kepler mission. The interactive webcast is free and open to the public, and it will be broadcast live at www.challenger.org. - end - For more information, please contact:
The age-old scientific quest to search for other worlds like our Earth has been invigorated by the popular interest surrounding the discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other stars. There is now clear evidence for substantial numbers of three types of these “exoplanets”; gas giants, hot-super-Earths in short period orbits, and ice giants. The challenge now is to find terrestrial planets (i.e., those one half to twice the size of the Earth), in the habitable zone of their stars where liquid water and possibly life might exist. NASA’s Kepler Mission is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to search for hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. To learn more about the Kepler mission to search for Earth-like worlds, http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed.
Science and astronomy educator Edna DeVore is the Director of Education and Public Outreach (EPO) at the SETI Institute. DeVore has been a researcher, planetarium director, teacher, and curriculum writer. She co-directs the EPO program for NASA’s Kepler mission. DeVore was fascinated by the sky growing up in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her undergraduate degree was in liberal arts. Subsequently, she earned a MA in education and a MS in astronomy. This led her to work in planetariums, education, and eventually her current work at the SETI Institute.
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center and its international network of 46 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
Rita Karl,
Director of Education,
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
(703) 535-1345;
rkarl@challenger.org
The Highest GigaPan Panoramas Ever Taken On Earth's Surface
On 20 May 2009 astronaut Scott Parazynski became the first person to have both travelled in space and to stand atop the summit of Mt. Everest. From that vantage point he was able to view a stunning "orbital sunrise" - one not unlike what he had seen during his five space missions.
This is a portion of the GigaPan panorama taken by Scott Parazynski at Mount Everest's Camp IV at 26,000 feet (7,924 meters) at approximately 10 am local time, May 19, 2009. The saddle between Mount Everest and Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world) is also known as the South Col can be seen. The Challenger Center Everest team believes that this is the highest GigaPan image ever taken on the surface of the Earth.
On his way up the mountain Parazynski managed to capture two GigaPan panoramas - stunningly huge images that are likely to be the highest images of their kind ever taken on the surface of the Earth.
While the achievment of a personal goal was at the core of this climb, Parazynski sought to involve many others in the experience of climbing Earth's highest mountain. He did this through a variety of outreach activities that utilized traditional and social networking tools.
Given that Parazynski's prime focus was to be upon climbing the mountain, he was assited in his education and public outreach by Keith Cowing who accompanied Parazynski to Nepal. While Parazynski climbed Everest, Cowing worked at Everest Base Camp as Parazynski's "news sherpa" collecting and relaying news of his progress to friends and followers back home.
Parazynski and Cowing were provided logistical support by International Mountain Guides (IMG). Parazynski arrived at Everest Base Camp at the beginning of April 2009. Cowing arrived exactly one month later. They stayed at Everest until Parazynski summited on 20 May. You can read their exploits online at onorbit.com/everest.
Both Cowing and Parazynski were representing the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, a non-profit educational organzation upon whose Board of Directors Cowing and Parazynski serve. Indeed, Parazynski was elected to the Board of Directors while he was at Everest Base Camp. Cowing cast his ballot for Parazynski from a dirt floored Internet Cafe in Dengboche, Nepal.
GigaPan Imager taking a panorama at Camp II on Mt. Everest.
Among the more innovative tools they used was a GigaPan imager. The specific unit used was a GigaPan Epic. This device is a precision robotic camera mount that allows a series of finely coordinated high resolution images to be taken of a large expanse of scenery. After the images are taken, special software methodically stitches the images to gether. Once done, the result is a vast image that can be zoomed into. The amount of detail that these images can provide is often breathtaking.
GigaPan technology was developed by Carnegie Mellon University in collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center's Intelligent Robotics Group, with additional support from Google. According to their website at gigapansystems.com "GigaPan Systems was established in 2008 as a commercial spin-off of a successful collaboration between researchers at NASA and Carnegie Mellon University that developed the breakthrough GigaPan System for creating high-resolution panoramic images. GigaPan Systems was founded to bring this powerful, high-resolution imaging capability to a broad audience."
A large community has sprung up around the generation of these images with participants posting their imagery at gigapan.org . Using this site, Cowing and Parazynski made a survey of GigaPan images taken in the Everest region. Only one image was taken at Everest Base Camp at an elevation of 17,500 feet (5,334 meters). No imagery above that elevation was available.
Armed with that knowledge, the pair set out to take what they believe to be the highest GigaPan images ever taken on the surface of Earth. While the GigaPan camera mount is not especially heavy, it is somewhat delicate and cumbersome. At Everest Base Camp, where absolutley everything comes in either by human or yak transport, bringing gear in is at a premium. When it comes to carrying gear up the mountain to advanced base camps at ever increasing altitudes, the transport of gear becomes even more of an issue.
The initial plan was to try and get at least one panorama above the Khumbu Icefall at Camp II. At Everest Base Camp it is actually impossible to see the summit of Everest itself. Only when one climbs up the Icefall via the Western Cwm, can the summit be seen close up in all of its majesty. After making a test panorama of the IMG camp at Everest Base Camp on 1 May 2009 the GigaPan gear was packed for the trip up to Camp II during one of Parazynski's training rotations.
Click here to view the hi-res image.
This is the test panorama taken at Everest Base Camp. Beginning at far left you can see a portion of the Khumbu Icefall and the lower West Shoulder of Everest, the source of many severe avalanches this past season (one of which was fatal). The base of Nuptse is just to the right of the icefall. Roughly 120 degrees from the left margin is the Khumbu valley and the approach all climbers take to reach Everest Base Camp (at 17,500 feet above sea level). The image then swings around the cirque to show the base of Pumori, Lintgren and Cholastse, before arriving back at the base of Everest and the icefall. You can view the panorama here.
Click here to view the hi-res image.
The panorama at Camp II was taken on 7 May 2009 using a Canon Powershot G9 at an elevation of 6,600 meters (21,500 feet). This is a 330 degree view given that the SD card in use was of insufficient size to capture a full 360 degrees at full resolution. You can view the panorama here.
Begining at far left you can observe a small portion of the west face of Everest, with a backdrop of clouds just behind Lhotse (the dark summit just inset from the border. Lhotse is the 4th highest mountain in the world). Just below Lhotse is the steep Lhotse Face, the standard approach to the summit of Everest. This series of photographs was taken early in the climbing season, so Camp III (usually located between 24,000 and 24,500 feet - 7,500 meters) had not yet been established.
If you zoom in tightly, however, you can see remnants of the 2008 post-monsoon climbing route: a diagonal cut coarsing up towards the Yellow Band (a limestone band of rock at roughly 25,000 feet - 7,600 meters) is still present. Moving to the right you can see some of the sub-peaks of Lhotse, followed by the intimidating Nupstse, with hanging glaciers and heavily crevassed features. The low point in the skyline is the location of the Western Cwm, the valley than connects Camp II to Camp I, the Khumbu Icefall and Everest Base Camp. On the far right of the frame is the very steep and hulking west face of Everest. Camp II is in the foreground, dominated by the cook and dining tents of the International Mountain Guides and Himex mountaineering teams.
After the image was obtained, the GigaPan unit stayed at Camp II for several weeks until Parazynski's final push for the summit. Parazynski and Danuru Sherpa of Phortse, Nepal were able to secure some room in haul bags going up the mountain such that the GigaPan unit and its tripod were carried up. The panorama at Camp IV was taken on 19 May 2009. Due to concerns at the time about available storage space on the camera's memory card, the resolution of the individual photos is less than is possible. This was done to insure that the entire vista was recorded. We are currently working to create a higher resolution version of this image.
Click here to view the hi-res image.
This image was taken at Mount Everest's Camp IV at approximately 10 am local time, May 19, 2009 at Camp IV an elevation of 7,920 meters (26,000 ft). The saddle between Mount Everest (29,035 feet / 8,849 meters) and Lhotse (27,940 feet / 8,516 meters, the fourth highest mountain in the world) is also known as the South Col, and is located at 26,000 feet (7,924 meters) above sea level on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Looking across the windswept and rocky South Col on the left side of the frame is the Everest summit block, rising over 3,000 feet from camp. The climbing route heads up the steep snow and ice slope known as the Triangular Face, and gains the right skyline at a slight bump on the southeast ridge. The route then moves up towards the South Summit - the true summit is hidden just behind the highest point in the frame. You can view the panorama here.
The low point of the image (mid-portion of the 360 degree panorama) is the view towards Tibet, and the location of the Kangshung face of the mountain. Continuing to the right is the summit of Lhotse and its sub-peaks. Several of the Camp IV tents are visible in the foreground.
The Challenger Center Everest team believes that this is the highest GigaPan image ever taken on the surface of the Earth.
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Challenger Center Welcomes New Board Members
Alexandria, VA, 01-Sep-09
Contact:
Rob Cork, Director of Communications
rcork@challenger.org, 703-535-1361
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
300 N. Lee Street, Suite 301, Alexandria, VA 22314
Astronauts and Aerospace Engineer Join Board of Directors for Three-Year Term
Challenger Center for Space Science Education announced today that astronauts Barbara Morgan and Richard Garriott and aerospace engineer Karolyn Young were elected to its Board of Directors at its recent annual conference held at the Buehler Challenger & Science Center in Paramus, New Jersey.
Barbara Morgan, a retired NASA astronaut, is the Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, with dual appointment in the colleges of engineering and education. She flew on space shuttle mission STS-118 in 2007 as the first NASA educator astronaut. Morgan was selected as the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space program in 1985, training alongside Christa McAuliffe. She earned a B.A. degree in human biology from Stanford University, and her teaching credentials from College of Notre Dame, Belmont, California.
Richard Garriott, Chairman of Space Adventures, is an award-winning computer game developer, entrepreneur, and private astronaut. He traveled to the International Space Station in 2008 on a Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, becoming the sixth private citizen to go into in Earth orbit and the first second-generation American in space, following in the footsteps of his father, Owen Garriott, a former NASA astronaut who flew on Skylab and the space shuttle.
Karolyn Young is the Associate Principal Director of Special Programs for the National Systems Group at The Aerospace Corporation. As the former Systems Director of the Launch Advanced Programs Division, she was responsible for launch vehicle studies and launch integration of small satellites for national systems. As a mission planner, Young designed spacecraft orbit and attitude maneuvers for twelve Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS) missions. Young earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in aerospace engineering from The University of Michigan, and is also a frequent motivational and commencement speaker.
"We are looking forward to working with our new board members – each of these individuals brings unique experiences and skills that will help Challenger Center grow and to reach more children, inspiring them to pursue careers in science technology, education, and mathematics," said Challenger Center Board Chair William Readdy.
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center and its international network of 46 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. To learn more, visit www.challenger.org.
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