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Rendezvous with Comet Halley
Photos & Article
Houston We’re Coming Home! By Brant Young On Oct. 24, 2003 the Sequatchie Valley Preparatory Academy (SVPA) took a field trip that they will never forget! SVPA went to the UTC Challenger Space Center. Their mission was to Rendezvous with Comet Halley and launch a probe into its nucleus and gather scientific information about the structure of the Comet. Through the utilization of the incredible facilities of the Challenger Center, the students were able to perform like real astronauts on an actual Space Mission! Not only did the students of SVPA complete their mission with pinpointed precision accuracy, but they even solved life threatening problems aboard the space lab. Critical emergencies such as life support, meteor showers and navigation dilemmas arose throughout the mission. The student astronauts through their assistance from mission control, also captured gases from the tail and the coma of the comet, so that they could determine the various gasses that are contained inside Comet Haley. By participating in this hands on space simulation the students were able to learn so much more than they would have sitting at a desk in a classroom. Students prepared prior to the mission in a variety of ways. Some students took a trip to the Sunrise Planetarium in Georgia where they were guided through an in depth study of our solar system and the origin of our universe. Students studied the evolutionary theory (backed by Charles Darwin and other men) versus the creation theory of the universe (backed by God and the Bible). Students learned that there are many scientists who believe that the scientific evidence of the universe clearly depicts the historical accuracy of the biblical account of creation and not the theory of evolution. Students also attended a detailed comet presentation at UTC presented by one of the SVPA high school students. Other students took the initiative to do extensive research on the NASA web site regarding the two major comet missions that are currently underway at NASA. Some students were even able to have their name put on a CD that will be aboard the Probe that will be launched in January to begin its journey to Comet Wild 2! Students were thrilled to finally put all of their academic knowledge to good practical use …especially their math and science skills…in such an exciting environment. The UTC Challenger Center staff was exceptional in their knowledge of the mission project, their teaching skills and their patience in letting students solve their own problems during the mission. Students loved the opportunity to experience both the ‘mission control’ aspect as well as the ‘space lab’ experience of our NASA Astronauts. SVPA plans to attend the ‘Encounter Earth Mission’ next year and highly recommends the Challenger Center Space Programs to all students who want to take their education ‘out of this world’!
SVPA SPACE MISSION ‘PATCH’ Like all NASA space mission teams the SVPA student space mission team was able to create their own mission patch for their comet mission. Three students, Laura and Andreas Montgomery and Jonathan Lou Allen took on the creative challenge of designing the patch. After the patches were created the students voted on the patch of their choice to represent the mission. All of the patches were very creative! The patch that was selected to represent the mission was designed by Laura Montgomery and was displayed on the mission control room. Congratulations Laura and thanks to all three of you for designing a Space Mission Patch TEAM A STUDENTS Communications Specialist: Tiffany Wilson Data Specialist: Taylor Bryant & Courtney Bennett Navigation Specialist: Josh Murty & Bob Burns Probe Builders: Joe Burns & Colton Long Remote Specialist: Tanner Bryant & Hannah Rogers Life Support Specialist: Chris Miller & Brant Young Isolation Specialist: Meghan Shelton & Mary Burns Medical Specialist: Tabetha Rogers & Whitney Wilson
TEAM B STUDENTS Communications Specialist: Patrick Ezell Data Specialist: Nate Kinard & Adam Ryan Navigation Specialist: Michael Zeiser & Laura Thatcher Probe Builders: Jonathan Lou Allen & Jonathan Wingo Remote Specialist: Erika Ellis & Nathan Schmidt Life Support Specialist: Jay Kinard & Taylor Shipley Isolation Specialist: Andreas Montgomery & Jeremiah Schmidt Medical Specialist: Laura Montgomery & Karen Overran |
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