NASA News Archives | The Mars Generation® https://themarsgeneration.org/category/news/nasa-news/ BUILDING A STRONGER TOMORROW Sat, 18 Nov 2017 03:40:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://themarsgeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cropped-favicon-32x32.png NASA News Archives | The Mars Generation® https://themarsgeneration.org/category/news/nasa-news/ 32 32 Meet NASA’s Newest Class of Astronaut Candidates https://themarsgeneration.org/meet-nasas-newest-class-astronaut-candidates/ https://themarsgeneration.org/meet-nasas-newest-class-astronaut-candidates/#respond Fri, 09 Jun 2017 22:55:51 +0000 http://www.themarsgeneration.org/?p=4169 The Mars Generation would like to congratulate the newest class of NASA astronaut candidates! NASA received a record-breaking amount of applications (over 18,300!) and has selected 12 women and men as the agency’s new astronaut candidates. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to review the names of the astronaut candidates. With many people […]

The post Meet NASA’s Newest Class of Astronaut Candidates appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
2017 Nasa Astronaut CandidatesThe Mars Generation would like to congratulate the newest class of NASA astronaut candidates! NASA received a record-breaking amount of applications (over 18,300!) and has selected 12 women and men as the agency’s new astronaut candidates. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to review the names of the astronaut candidates.

With many people asking what the selection process is like and how one can become an astronaut the best advice we can give is to read the post written by our leader, Astronaut Abby and also visit NASA’s website for more information. Another way to get a feel for what it takes to become an astronaut is to read the biographies of NASA astronauts. You can find the candidates biographies linked below and from their visit other astronaut biographies on the NASA website.

The 2017 astronaut candidates will go to Johnson Space Center in August to begin two years of intense training. Once they finish training and upon acceptance into the NASA astronaut corps they could then be assigned to a variety of missions, including: performing research on the International Space Station, launching from American soil on spacecraft built by commercial companies, and departing for deep space missions on NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.

Applicants included U.S. citizens in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa. The talented women and men selected for the new astronaut class represent the diversity of America and the career paths that can lead to a place in America’s astronaut corps.

The 2017 astronaut candidates are:

Kayla Barron, 29, Lt., U.S. Navy, is originally from Richland, Washington. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering. A Gates Cambridge Scholar, Barron earned a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cambridge. As a submarine warfare officer, Barron was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community. She’ll come to NASA from the U.S. Naval Academy, where she has been serving as the flag aide to the Superintendent.

Zena Cardman, 29, calls Williamsburg, Virginia, home. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Marine Sciences at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Cardman is currently a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow working on her doctorate at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research has focused on microorganisms in subsurface environments, ranging from caves to deep sea sediments. Her field experience includes multiple Antarctic expeditions, work aboard research vessels as both scientist and crew, and NASA analog missions in British Columbia, Idaho and Hawaii.

Raja Chari, 39, Lt. Col., U.S. Air Force, hails from Waterloo, Iowa. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with bachelor’s degrees in astronautical engineering and engineering science. He continued on to earn a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Chari has been serving as the commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Matthew Dominick, 35, Lt. Cmdr., U.S. Navy, was born and raised in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of San Diego and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Dominick was at sea on the USS Ronald Reagan, serving as department head for Strike Fighter Squadron 115, when he got the call saying he’d been selected as an astronaut candidate.

Bob Hines, 42, considers Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, his hometown. He graduated from Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, and then the University of Alabama, where he earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. He has served in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves for 18 years. For the last five years, Hines has served as a NASA research pilot at Johnson.

Warren “Woody” Hoburg, 31, is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT. He continued on to earn a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a private pilot and has extensive experience with wilderness search and rescue efforts. Hoburg will come to NASA from MIT, where he currently is leading a research group as an assistant professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Dr. Jonny Kim, 33, Lt., U.S. Navy, was born and raised in Los Angeles. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, then trained and operated as a Navy SEAL, completing more than 100 combat operations and earning a Silver Star and Bronze Star with Combat V. Afterward, he went on to complete a degree in mathematics at the University of San Diego and a doctorate of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Kim is a resident physician in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Robb Kulin, 33, hails from Anchorage, Alaska. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Denver before going on to complete a master’s degree in materials science and a doctorate in engineering at the University of California, San Diego. He has previous experience as an ice driller in Antarctica on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Taylor Glaciers, and as a commercial fisherman in Chignik, Alaska. Since 2011, Kulin has worked for SpaceX in Hawthorne, California, where he leads the Launch Chief Engineering group.

Jasmin Moghbeli, 33, Maj., U.S. Marine Corps, considers Baldwin, New York, her hometown. She earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering with information technology at MIT, followed by a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. She also is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Moghbeli currently tests H-1 helicopters and serves as the quality assurance and avionics officer for Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 in Yuma, Arizona.

Loral O’Hara, 34, calls Sugar Land, Texas, home. She earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University. As a student, she participated in NASA’s KC-135 Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program, the NASA Academy at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and the internship program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. O’Hara is currently a research engineer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Dr. Francisco “Frank” Rubio, 41, Maj., U.S. Army, is originally from Miami. He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Rubio has accumulated more than 1,100 hours of flight time in helicopters, including 600 hours of combat and imminent danger time. He’s currently serving as a surgeon for the 3rd Battalion of the Army’s 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Jessica Watkins, 29, hails from Lafayette, Colorado. She graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in geological and environmental sciences, then went on to earn a doctorate in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Watkins has worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory and currently is a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology, where she collaborates on the Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity.

Congratulations again to all these men and women!

Find photos and additional information about the new astronaut candidates at:

https://www.nasa.gov/2017Astronauts

The post Meet NASA’s Newest Class of Astronaut Candidates appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
https://themarsgeneration.org/meet-nasas-newest-class-astronaut-candidates/feed/ 0
NASA Orion Parachute Test 2017: The Mars Generation Reports https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-orion-parachute-test-2017-mars-generation-reports/ https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-orion-parachute-test-2017-mars-generation-reports/#respond Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:02:17 +0000 http://www.themarsgeneration.org/?p=4582 We are thrilled to have had The Mars Generation member Jeff Herold onsite at the NASA 2017 ET and join us as a guest writer. Please visit our “Get Involved” page to learn more about how you can volunteer and/or join The Mars Generation. Let’s go to Mars! *** Please note guest submissions are options […]

The post NASA Orion Parachute Test 2017: The Mars Generation Reports appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
NASA Orion Parachute test

Photo by NASA

We are thrilled to have had The Mars Generation member Jeff Herold onsite at the NASA 2017 ET and join us as a guest writer.

Please visit our “Get Involved” page to learn more about how you can volunteer and/or join The Mars Generation. Let’s go to Mars!

*** Please note guest submissions are options of the author and do not necessarily reflect the mission or beliefs of The Mars Generation.

Experiencing the Parachute Test

On Tuesday, March 7th, 2017, I drove three hours from Phoenix to Yuma with my friend, Perry the Peregrine (@STEMFalcon). We shared a room for the night and woke up very early on Wednesday to meet Chuck Wullenjohn, Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, and Laura Rochon, NASA Johnson Space Center Public Relations Officer. As a member of the press representing The Mars Generation, I was among other local and regional reporters, including a Canadian group working for the Discovery Channel.

Mr. Wullenjohn briefed our group with some Dos and Don’ts, and even shared how unique the Yuma Proving Ground is due to its size. It is over 1,300 square miles in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and includes a wildlife preserve in the middle of it. What makes the Yuma Proving Ground different from other proving grounds around the world is that the restricted airspace extends all the way to outer space! That means high-altitude tests can be done without interference from commercial aircraft flying overhead.

My first interview was with Dustin Neill, engineer from Lockheed Martin, who was very eager to share his passion for the Orion program and his team’s role in developing and testing the parachute system. He loved answering the questions sent on behalf of The Mars Generation and gave some details on what the parachute systems were made of and how they worked.

Former Navy test pilot and current Commander in the U.S. Navy, Victor Glover is a member of the newest astronaut group for NASA. He was enthusiastic about the Journey to Mars and also answered some questions sent to The Mars Generation. These questions mostly concerned challenges Orion may face during its missions as well as what parachute improvements have been made for Orion over the past few years.

After a couple of test flyovers, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, which is a large military transport aircraft, released the Orion capsule mockup at about 25,000 feet. The capsule reached speeds of about 130 mph, deployed several sets of drogue chutes and the main parachutes, before landing gently on the ground.

I was able to get very close to the capsule and parachutes after the initial check by the recovery team. It was an amazing sight to see the Orion perched on a slight angle with the giant parachutes stretched out in front of it. Dozens of engineers were there to take measurements, collect computer data, and eventually roll up the parachutes to be used for a future test.

This experience was unlike anything I’ve seen before and I am honored to have been representing The Mars Generation on this historic day of the Orion parachute drop test.

 

STEM Jeff HeadshotJeff Herold is in his 17th year of teaching. He has taught everything from kindergarten through 12th grade and community college. Currently, he teaches S.T.E.M. to 7th and 8th graders at Hillcrest Middle School in Glendale, Arizona. While not volunteering at local elementary schools at their science nights, he enjoys paragliding, attending professional development, and spending time with his family. His favorite student is his 6th grade son, Skyler.

Jeff is the 2015 Arizona Air Force Association Teacher of the Year and 2015 Arizona Challenger Space Center Educator of the Year. Jeff is a member of The Mars Generation Student Space Ambassador Planning Committee and the Train Like a Martian Planning Committee. You can follow his S.T.E.M. adventures on Twitter @STEMJeff.

The post NASA Orion Parachute Test 2017: The Mars Generation Reports appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-orion-parachute-test-2017-mars-generation-reports/feed/ 0
Submit Questions: TMG Attends Upcoming Orion Spacecraft Parachute Test https://themarsgeneration.org/submit-questions-tmg-attends-upcoming-orion-spacecraft-parachute-test/ https://themarsgeneration.org/submit-questions-tmg-attends-upcoming-orion-spacecraft-parachute-test/#respond Mon, 06 Mar 2017 01:48:21 +0000 http://www.themarsgeneration.org/?p=3503 We are excited to have our STEM advisor, Jeff Herold representing The Mars Generation at NASA’s upcoming Orion Spacecraft parachute test on March 8, 2017. Jeff was able to gain media credentials from NASA through The Mars Generation.  Jeff will get an up close viewing of the test as well as an opportunity to interview engineers, scientists and others […]

The post Submit Questions: TMG Attends Upcoming Orion Spacecraft Parachute Test appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
NASA Orion Parachute Test The Mars Generation JeffWe are excited to have our STEM advisor, Jeff Herold representing The Mars Generation at NASA’s upcoming Orion Spacecraft parachute test on March 8, 2017. Jeff was able to gain media credentials from NASA through The Mars Generation. 

Jeff will get an up close viewing of the test as well as an opportunity to interview engineers, scientists and others involved in NASA’s Journey To Mars. This is a great opportunity to ask your questions and/or have your students submit questions and/or your own kids. Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this fun adventure. Tune in for the test on Twitter for live updates follow @TheMarsGen and search the #OrionTMG hashtag. You do not need to be a registered Twitter user to search and follow a hashtag. Share the updates with your students and/or your kids. Click here to submit questions for Jeff.

Here is Jeff’s blog post about this event:

On Wednesday morning, March 8th, at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, I’ll be reporting on the second airdrop test of the Orion Spacecraft with it’s two low-speed drogue parachutes and three main parachutes as it prepares for landing the capsule. About a year ago, I was fortunate enough to visit the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas to see the facility where the parachutes are designed and manufactured. This time, I will be a witness to seeing them in action!

This is an important step on our journey to Mars and I am honored to be representing The Mars Generation at this exciting event. However, I need your help. Before and after the drop test, I will be interviewing NASA scientists and engineers about the parachutes and I want to ask any questions you may have. This is your chance to not only learn about the test, but to be a part of history by asking questions about the parachutes, the Orion capsule, or anything related to our journey
to Mars.

If you have a question you’d like me to ask fill out this form and I’ll take them with me on my trip to Yuma, Arizona on Wednesday. I look forward to asking the representatives from NASA your direct questions. Answers will be found on Twitter. Search the hashtag #OrionTMG

For more information about the drop test event check out the NASA press release about this event.

About Jeff Herold

Jeff Herold is in his 17th year of teaching. He has taught everything from Kindergarten through 12th The Mars Generation Jeff Herald Orion Parachute Testgrade and community college. Currently, he teaches S.T.E.M. to 7th and 8th graders at Hillcrest Middle School in Glendale, Arizona. While not volunteering at local elementary schools at their science nights, he enjoys paragliding, attending professional development, and spending time with his family. His favorite student is his 6th grade son, Skyler.

Jeff is the 2015 Arizona Air Force Association Teacher of the Year and 2015 Arizona Challenger Space Center Educator of the Year. Jeff is a member of The Mars Generation Student Space Ambassador Planning Committee and the Train Like a Martian Planning Committee. You can follow his S.T.E.M. adventures on Twitter @STEMJeff.

The post Submit Questions: TMG Attends Upcoming Orion Spacecraft Parachute Test appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
https://themarsgeneration.org/submit-questions-tmg-attends-upcoming-orion-spacecraft-parachute-test/feed/ 0
NASA Awards Grants to Two Universities for STEM Education Programs https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-awards-grants-two-universities-stem-education-programs/ https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-awards-grants-two-universities-stem-education-programs/#respond Tue, 07 Jun 2016 21:58:13 +0000 http://themarsgeneration.org/?p=2513 June 6, 2016 NASA PRESS RELASE NASA Awards Grants to Two Universities for STEM Education Programs NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has selected two minority serving institutions for cooperative agreement awards totaling approximately $1 million to help strengthen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curricula at the schools. Lawson State Community College in […]

The post NASA Awards Grants to Two Universities for STEM Education Programs appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
IMG_4156

June 6, 2016

NASA PRESS RELASE

NASA Awards Grants to Two Universities for STEM Education Programs

NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has selected two minority serving institutions for cooperative agreement awards totaling approximately $1 million to help strengthen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curricula at the schools.

Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama, and New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, will receive as much as $500,000 each.

The MUREP Other Opportunities solicitation challenged schools to propose innovative ways to create and implement STEM activities, with a goal of increasing the number of historically underserved students studying STEM fields relevant to NASA’s diverse exploration missions.

“NASA’s MUREP program helps colleges and universities give students from underrepresented and underserved communities a strong foundation in STEM fields, which in turn helps create a strong STEM workforce,” said Donald James, associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Education.

Through MUREP’s competitive awards, NASA provides financial assistance to minority serving institutions, including historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, American Indian and Alaskan Native serving institutions, predominantly black institutions and other minority serving institutions and eligible community colleges. These institutions recruit and retain underrepresented and underserved students, including women, girls, veterans and persons with disabilities, into STEM fields.

For more information on the award process, visit:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com

For more information on NASA’s education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

The post NASA Awards Grants to Two Universities for STEM Education Programs appeared first on The Mars Generation®.

]]>
https://themarsgeneration.org/nasa-awards-grants-two-universities-stem-education-programs/feed/ 0