Tags: Liz Kennick, Teachers In space, Flight Experiments Program, 100 teachers program, Arduino programming, balloon missions, microgravity flights, high altitude Perlan glider flights, suborbital opportunities, science payloads, Perlan CubeKit Contest, target grade levels, teacher qualifications, Pathfinder Astronauts, spacesuits, human factors, Final Frontier Design, 3D printing and their organization
Guest: Elizabeth (Liz) Kennick; Topics: Teachers In Space programs, news and updates, 2019 possibilities, contests and activities.
Please direct all comments and questions regarding specific Space Show programs & guest(s) to the Space Show blog which is part of archived program on our website, www.thespaceshow.com. Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. In addition, please remember that your Amazon purchases can help support The Space Show/OGLF. See www.onegiantleapfoundation.org/amazon.htm.
Welcome to our one segment 62 minute discussion with Liz regarding new programs and updates for the Teachers In Space (TIS) program. Be sure to visit their website for more information and to follow along with our discussion, http://teachers-in-space.com. Liz started the discussion with a general update for Teachers In Space followed by a detailed summary of their activities over the past several years, current projects and activities, and those planned for 2019. The first project Liz focused on was the Perlan high altitude glider flights with some payload opportunities. Perlan is summarized on the TIS website at http://teachers-in-space.com/project/perlan-cubesat-contest and at the Perlan Project website, www.perlanproject.org. Be sure to listen to all of what our guest said about Perlan as it was new material for us, interesting, and exciting.
Our guest talked about additional TIS programs including Arduino, high altitude balloon missions for students, and the noted 2018-2019 Flight Experiments Program with the goal of sending student payloads to the edge of space plus registering American STEM teachers of students between 6th and 12th grade for learning Arduino programming, data design, and balloon mission management with cutting-edge training with top technologists. Liz explained that they had room for 100 teachers to register for the program from November 2018 through May 2019. Find out more by listening to Liz describe the program and by visiting the website for the program, http://teachers-in-space.com/flightex. Note that the program is divided into two phases.
Lis described the balloon program in some detail, and talked about 3D printing and TIS workshops. Toward the second half of our program, several listener emails came in asking Liz questions about teacher qualification, what schools and from where could apply, and targeted student ages and grades for the program. Don't miss what our guest said in response to these questions. You might be surprised that some programs have even reached 3 & 4 year old's in the Pre-School Playground project. One listener went back to the glider program mentioned earlier and asked how much gliding or hang time the gliders had at the amazing altitudes Liz was talking about. The goal was 7 hours. Listen to what she said about that, the challenges in doing 7 hours in a glider and how they are working up to it. Also, why they do the glider flights in the location she mentioned. Again, listen for this information. It too might surprise you.
As we were approaching the end of our program, I asked Liz about the original TIS program to send teachers to space on a suborbital flight. Unfortunately, that never happened and the company that was going to do it went out of business. Still, Liz had much to say about these original 7 Pathfinder Astronauts and how they have stayed connected and committed to space flight and exploration. Before our discussion ended, I asked Liz what was on the docket for 2019 other than the previously discussed Flight Opportunities Program. She stressed the need to have the 100 teachers sign up in November of this year. In addition, suborbital progress was mentioned along with human spaceflight.
Please post your comments/questions on TSS blog for this show. You can reach our guest through me and her website per above. In addition, she did give out two contact email addresses and information as we were closing the program.
The Space Show
