EXPO 2011

PROBE SPECIALIST

On April 12, 2011,Oak Ridge and Glen Oaks Explorations went to the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana.
Everyone got their own jobs. I was on the Probe Team. My job was to build a Probe that would get shot into the tail of a comet. The Probe would gather dust from the comet and send us information about it.
Even though I made the probe and we finished the mission, there were still a few problems along the way. The first problem had to do with the air. Beth accidently incorrectly changed the oxygen tank, which left us with only 5 minutes of air. We had to do something quickly or we would all die. Luckily, the Life Support Team saved us with only 3 minutes of oxygen left.
The second problem was a power outage. When I plugged a piece into the probe, a bunch of smoke burst out of the airlock and all of the alarms went off! There was so much smoke that I couldn’t see! Luckily, it was only a power outage in the clean room, where I was working.
The third problem was that the Navigation Team found an unknown object! We were afraid that the unknown object was a supernova so we had to get off the spacecraft. Luckily, it was a comet! We got permission from NASA to go after that comet and the Navigation Team named it Comet Expo.
After that, we got to talk to a REAL astronaut named Wendy Lawrence! She gave us tips about how to do our jobs and she told us a lot about her space missions. The field trip was really fun and I hope we get to go there again soon!

ISOLATION SPECIALIST

Oak Ridge Explorations ( Andrew, Peter, Sara, Anniel, Lindsey and Beth) went on the best field trip ever to the Challenger Learning Center. Our mission was to find comet Encke.
I was the Isolation specialist. When we were in the orbiter I used robotic arms to pick up oxygen filters and bring them over to a geiger counter so I could record and send its readings to Mission Control. I had to leave my station twice to go take some tests with the Medical Team. We also had some emergencies. There was an explosion in the clean room where the probe was being built. There also was the time we only had five minutes of air left.
We also found a new comet. Later we had to dock and switch with Mission Control. When we were back we all decided to name the new comet Expo. Instead of searching for Comet Encke we decided to send the probe into Comet Expo. We met Wendy Lawrence, an astronaut who went on four shuttle missions.
In Mission Control my partner did most of the paper work but there were still things to do. I recorded the information my partner sent to me. Then there was another emergency. A meteor shower was approaching and it would block our probe’s path. Then we successfully launched our probe into comet Expo.
After we succeeded in our mission we went to Purdue University to eat lunch. After we ate we went outside to play for a little while. When we all got cold we went to the bus and drove back to school.

LIFE SUPPORT SPECIALIST

I was a Life Support Specialist when the Explorations class of 2011 when we went to The Challenger Learning Center for Space Science Education of Northwest Indiana on April 12th. On the Orbiter I had to measure all different things, including pH values, relative humidity, and air pressure. I saved everyone on the Orbiter once because the oxygen was running out (we only had 3 minutes of oxygen remaining)! My partner was really slow sending me pictures and messages with instructions on solutions to the emergencies.
My cousin/best friend was also a Life Support Specialist on a previous mission. She said it was boring, but I disagree! I wouldn’t want any other job. I passed my visual reaction time. I pressed the space bar every time a space shuttle popped up. Naturally, I passed it.
The Navigation Team found a new comet and named it Comet Expo. While I was checking pH values, the Clean Room exploded!!! I thought it was awesome when they sent the Probe into space. It was awesome watching the Probe gather all the materials from the comet. When the Probe was sent into Comet Expo’s tail, I was in Mission Control. We completed our mission in 1 hour and 33 minutes.
During the mission, we got to meet Astronaut Specialist Wendy Lawrence! She couldn’t go on spacewalks, though, because of her height. She went on 4 shuttle missions. We video chatted with N.A.S.A. and we talked to Col. Jerry Ross, who holds the record for the most spacewalks and time in space.
After we left the Challenger Learning Center, we went to Purdue University for lunch. I ate a piece of pepperoni pizza, a garlic knot, a Sierra Mist, and an ice cream bar. I also bought Pringles for when we went outside. Most of the Oak Ridge kids played tag, while the Glen Oaks kids played giant Frisbee. When we left, I was sad. It was the best field trip ever!

REMOTE SPECIALIST

On 4/12/11 Oak Ridge Expo went to the Challenger Learning Center on the campus of Purdue University. My job was the Remote Team. I used a robotic arm and a glove box. Then we had to do to the space station because we found a different comet and named it Comet Expo. Then we had to work from the space station.
My favorite part is when we were in the orbiter using the robotic are and glove box to do experiments and take in samples. It was fun to send messages and receive them. When I used the robotic arm for the first time it was kind of hard. The gloves in the glove box were big for me.
When we were in the space station it was hard because you had to find mass, weight, and volume. My partner probably did almost what I said because I was the leader then for the Remote team.
There were lots of emergencies like running out of oxygen ,a meteorite shower, and a huge explosion.
There was an astronaut there. She went on four space mission and two to the international space station. She could of do a spacewalk but she was too short to fit in the spacesuit.
My second favorite part was when we ate with University kids. This was probably the best field trip ever!!!! Then we drove back.

MEDICAL OFFICER

On April 12th 2011 Explorations went to Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana. I was a part of the Medical Team. My job was to check the team for visual reaction time, auditory reaction time, and heart rate. We also went with Glen Oaks. My partner was Melanie. While I was on the orbiter I had to send the data to Melanie in mission control. She determined if they were healthy or unhealthy and had to be retested.
To test for visual reaction time whoever was taking the test had to press a button every time they saw a picture of a spaceship. To test for auditory reaction time the “patient” had to press a button every time they heard a beeping sound. To test for heart rate they had to wear a cuff with a heart rate monitor and do exercises.
If there was a medical emergency while aboard I had to test and treat them and send the data to Melanie in Mission Control. There was an emergency with the probe while aboard because Annie plugged in the wrong piece. The clean room exploded with smoke. I didn’t really explode, but I don’t think I ever saw so much smoke. I had to check her for visual and auditory reaction time and heart rate.
While we were there we found a new comet and named it COMET EXPO.
While we were there an actual astronaut came named Wendy Lawrence, and the press came with her. She told us that she was in four space missions and she told us she never was tall enough for the space walk suit so she never got to space walk.
After the trip we went to Purdue University for lunch and played around in the grass afterwards. The teachers were nice but I think the teachers were trying to get all the sugar out of us and tire us out for the bus ride. I had A LOT of fun and I would recommend it to my friends.

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Our Expo Class went on a field trip to the Challenger Learning Center of northwest Indiana on April 12, 2011.
We had to apply for our jobs. My job was the Communications Officer. I got to communicate with everyone, both on the space shuttle and in Mission Control. Our commanders kept telling me that my job was the most important because if I was not there, nobody would know the impotant things.That made me happy but also a little bit worried because it’s hard to do the work when you know everyone is depending on you. But I got through it.
One thing that scared me on the the mission was that Annie put a part in the probe that I guess was wrong and it pretty much blew up. It didn’t completely blow up, but I have never seen that much smoke before.
There was a lot of emergencies, but Beth saved us with three minutes of air left. Since there were a lot of emergencies I had to talk A LOT!!! But I had lots of fun.
We talked with a REAL astronaught. Her name is Wendy Laurence. She went into space four times. She could have done a space walk, which means you actually get out of the space craft, but she said that she was too short to fit into the suit.
We also video chatted with NASA. The guy we talked to is Jerry Ross. He went into space seven times and has had MANY space walks.There is a college there called Purdue University. Jerry Ross went there and they are very proud of that. As you can see we had an awesome field trip. I would definitley recommend going there.