Navigators - Hannah & Justyna

We went to the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana. This was an amazing trip, and if you have a chance, you should go. We were on the Navigation Team. Our job was easier than we expected. We used a point-to-point headset, but it was hard to hear because of the noise level.

Our job was to triangulate stars, triangulate the comet we were rendezvousing with, and send the probe through the comet to collect data. When we were triangulating the stars we found an unknown object. We figured out it was a comet, and we named it Comet Teamwork ’09.

There was an emergency in the clean room because there was smoke in it. The Probe team was in there while it happened, so they needed to be checked by the medical team. This happened in the Orbiter.

In Mission Control we needed to launch a probe into the comet we discovered, Comet Teamwork ’09. It started to get a little pressuring because we weren’t ready when we were supposed to. Everything was a success and our mission was complete!

Remote Team - Jordan and Dennis

We went to the Challenger Learning Center. Our job was easy and fun. We used the robotic arm, studied plant samples, and use the glove box. When we were on the Orbiter, we weren’t so sure what to do sometimes. In Mission Control, we did not do much. We waited for a message to arrive, but the probe was finished before they sent a message. The Navigation Team discovered a new comet and we decided to go after that one instead of Comet Encke.

Probe Specialists - Evan and Adrian

When we first got to the Challenger Learning Center, we were very nervous. Then when we got into the spacecraft, we felt calm. On our mission we had to build a probe and deploy it to comet Encke. A probe is a mechanical robot that collects high speed particles using aerogel.

Before we went into the spacecraft, we had to pass through an airlock. An airlock is a capsule that traps air from getting out of the spacecraft. Then we entered into the clean room. A clean room is a room that keeps particles away from the probe. Next, we had to build a probe from components and test cables. Later on, there was a minor explosion in the clean room which shut down the lights. Poison gases came out of the airlock. The Medical Team had to check us if we were ok or hurt.

The Navigation Team thought they have found a supernova. If the supernova would explode it would damage the spacecraft, so we had to dock on the space station. We discussed what the object can be. Some people had opinions of a comet, a planet, or a supernova. We ended up identifying it as a comet.

Life Support Team - Emily & Patrick

In the beginning we both thought that our job was going to be easy, but we were wrong.

The Orbiter: In the Orbiter we had to take water tests, test solar filters, and take measurements of ph levels. During Patrick’s medical test someone broke the air lock in the clean room. In the Orbiter the navigation team thought that they found a super nova, but it turned out to be a comet and the Navigation Team named the comet Teamwork. When we found the super nova (Comet Teamwork) the astronauts in the orbiter had to dock with the Mission Control space craft, and then we switched places with Mission Control.

Mission Control: In Mission Control we had to test results, watch what the orbiter was doing, send and receive messages, and help the students who were in the orbiter stay alive. We had an emergency on the orbiter; the students didn’t turn the water valve off in time and the master alarm went off. The master alarm also went off when there was a meteor shower. We had to use a special computer to send and receive messages and the mouse was very difficult to use. We had a successful mission. After the mission we ate at the Purdue University. We had lots of fun!!!!

Medical Team - Erica & Myah

We were the Medical Team on our fieldtrip to the Challenger Learning Center in Hammond, Indiana, which was very important on our mission. Erica expected it to be very pressured, but she also thought it would still be interesting. Myah thought that it would be hard and extremely confusing, but as it turned out, we were both VERY wrong. It was really fun and exciting because we had a chance to test many crew members.

When we were in mission control, we were waiting for the kids in Glen Oaks, which is another part of the Medical Team, to send the data from Orbiter. When we received the data, we were to record it on the data log. When we were in the Orbiter, the Navigation Team discovered a comet and named it “Comet Teamwork”. We were originally going to rendezvous with Comet Encke, but changed our minds and rendezvoused with Comet Teamwork, the once in a life-time chance. It was a great experience, and we both really would like to go back.

Isolation Team - Amad & Jamie

We were on the ISO (isolation) team. We both started in the Orbiter and ended up in Mission Control. Amad thought his job would be easy and it was. Jamie thought that her job would be hard, but she was wrong. We both thought that the trip would be fun, and we were both right.

Jamie was working on the ISO 3. Her job in the Orbiter was to operate a robotic arm in order to test oxygen filters for their levels of radioactivity. It was a little hard because operating a robotic arm isn’t as easy as it sounds. After a little while, though, Jamie got the hang of it.

Amad was working on the ISO 1. His job in the Orbiter was to operate a robotic arm to pick up containers with radioactive materials inside and put them on a scale. The robotic arm was hard to control at first, but Amad got used it. Carrying the containers wasn’t as easy as it sounds. You can’t drop the containers or make them leak.

Amad’s job in Mission Control was to record and analyze data. He had a worksheet that had to be filled out with data sent from the Orbiter. The job wasn’t as dangerous as the job in the Orbiter. It also required simple math, and it was so simple, almost like writing a book report.

Jamie’s job in mission control was to average the amounts of radioactivity and find out if it was a dangerous amount. Jamie also had to record data that her partner gave her. Both of her jobs were fun and pretty easy.

This field trip was really fun for both of us. It was interesting to be in a spacecraft simulation. We had fun working with a robotic arm and doing other fun activities.

Communications Officer - Amanda

My job on the Communications team was to give and receive messages. Tyler, who was on the data team, gave me notes from something like email. Then, I announced things on a giant intercom. I had a microphone, headset, desk and a camera so I could see people in the other room. Tyler had a desk and computer.
Inside it really did look like a spaceship would look like in movies like Star Wars. It was cool. It was also fun because everybody was so serious, but when something blew up, everyone acted like the talkative 5th graders we all are. And yes, something did blow up, twice.

When I said something, it went like this.

(Me) Mission Control, this is Orbiter, I have a message for the ____ team.
(Mission Control) Orbiter, this is Mission Control, we are ready to receive.
(Me) Mission Control, this is Orbiter, the message for the ____ team is _____.
(Mission Control) Orbiter, this is Mission Control, we acknowledge.

(This is a picture of a galaxy called NGC 4261 and is 45 million light years away!!!!!!!!)

Data Specialist - Tyler

When training for the Challenger Learning Center, I thought it would be hard but found that it was really easy. It met and passed my expectations.

Pretty much all I had to do was forward, print, or stop messages on the Orbiter and Space Station Mission Control. I thought it would be tough and tiring, but it was easy and spread out. Even Ms. Dembek said it was easy for me because it was spread out.

The printer on space station Mission Control was broken, so I had to write the messages out on paper and deliver them to the Communications officer so she could send them to the correct team.