doing science on Rising Star
ready for EVA!
finished Solar Panel... ours is on the left!
lots of things going on!
checklists in Altair!
things we learn from Jamie!
6 degrees of Freedom dance!
in the hot seat... commander!
pilot!
good way to start our tour.
A-4 Engine
amazing mural of Kennedy!
my boy.
Story time with John!
pink sparkly rockets are my favorite.
As I'm sure you can tell from the photos, it was another fun, busy, long day for Team Columbus today!
Our Orion Mission was first thing this morning, and it was really fun. I think things went according to plan, but my original place was in the moon science lab, Rising Star, so we were a bit cut off from what was going on everywhere else. We could see what was going on in other places with a monitor, but we couldn't hear anything. Two of the team mates went out to check on the rover while Caitlin and I hung out and experimented with plants, then we went outside to make a solar panel. I think the gravity may have been set for microgravity and not moon gravity because I went flying up as soon as we started working. It's definitely in my top 3 things at Space Camp so far... the others are the people I've met.... and rockets. I love rockets.
After the Orion mission, we went to debriefing, and that is when I found out that most of our activities for the rest of the day were going to be a bit more stressful. I was told that I was assigned the position of Shuttle Commander and two of the activities left to do for the day were shuttle mission orientation and shuttle mission training. I had asked to be in mission control for the shuttle mission, honestly more out of nostalgia than anything else because that's where I was for our extended mission during space camp in 2000, but our team leader really pushed me out of my comfort zone for this one. I don't do flying or landing... any time I tried when my team was training for student astronaut challenge ended really badly. After our debrief, we went to a shuttle orientation session which included lots of acronyms. I'm pretty sure most of the people in the room were a bit confused, but I thought it was pretty great. It's interesting for sure to see all of these things from the perspective of a student. Even though I LOVE everything about everything that's here, no matter how enthusiastic I might be, the students really need to interact with their learning to truly learn.
We then went to shuttle mission training which involved many buttons. Many MANY buttons. My Pilot Tamra is really good and quick at her checklist, mine are taking a little too long. Also, I didn't get to practice landing at all, but Jamie told me we could figure out a time later for it. We ran around for a little while in the museum and outside checking out von Braun stuff and other rockets and space history things then went to dinner. It wasn't until after we got back to the dorm today that I realized today was the day he died in 1977.
We had a little extra time, so I thought I would get to train a little bit, but there were some space camp kids on the sim so I only really got one try. I was real close, but didn't quite get it right. So, in true shuttle landing fashion, I'm only going to get one shot at landing that beast. :) I really want to do a good job because I think that other than flight director, commander is the one who can set the tone for the whole mission. I don't think I'll be quite as animated as the commander for our Orion mission, but if nothing else, I'm going to try really hard to keep smiling, even if I do turn us into alligator bait. I've been trying to channel my inner Eileen Collins all night, and I'm thinking the ladies (yes, they're all ladies with me) on the flight deck will keep me calm and help me out. Funny enough, I've been up close with the other two orbiters, but not Atlantis. I hope I land it because I'm going to be really mad when I walk into the new Atlantis exhibit at Kennedy if I don't. But I don't think anyone will be too mad at me, I guess it was a lesson I should have learned more from yesterday after dropping the boards at area 51....my teammates are cool if I mess up. :)
The last thing on our agenda for the day was rockets, and I was excited because it was a type I hadn't built before, so it was a little different. It ended up being pink and sparkly, of course.
I'm super tired, so I think what's going to end up happening is my processing and reflection time will take place sometime after this is all over. There's a lot to take in, and just not enough time to really do much with it. We did have some teacher resource time twice today, once with Jamie and once with a Honeywell teacher from last year, but I really need some time to work out how this stuff really can fit in as standards I need to teach.
If you'd like to see more Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy fun, be sure to check out:
flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/space_academy_for_educators/
and
facebook https://www.facebook.com/HoneywellEducators
I'm off to bed, I have to go to space tomorrow...and more importantly, come back and land :)
today in tweets:
@libbydoodle I'm digging deep to find my inner Eileen Collins.- Hanging in the commander seat of Atlantis
@SpaceCampUSA!#HESA#TeamColumbus pic.twitter.com/ZSECRpfDLK - My flight deck crew is all ladies! Here's my pilot! :) pic.twitter.com/351rTVivZZ
- I'm commander for Atlantis for the
#TeamColumbus shuttle mission tomorrow... No pressure.#nervous#HESA pic.twitter.com/WkG0FAYFV4 @young108west I met her and I asked if she knew you! You're gonna have so much fun :)#TeamColumbus just learned the monomethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide song!#HESA- Just found out that I'm Commander for our
#TeamColumbus Shuttle Mission!#HESA - Screens in rising star w view of Altair & Orion, w the solar panel we built (the one on the left!)
#TeamColumbus pic.twitter.com/GNAXMGNznB #thingsyouhearatspacecamp "Does everyone have their flight suit?"#TeamColumbus#HESA@SpaceCampUSA pic.twitter.com/ThYvDP4ZQ2
danielle miller 
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