This is very important information that you will need for your distance education program and your one-week visit to Johnson Space Center (JSC). Please take time to review all of the items listed below, and feel free to contact us with any questions! Use the Student Checklist to keep track of everything you need to complete before your visit.

Awards	Schedule
Clothing	Student Checklist
Closing Luncheon	Student Handbook
Field Trips	Teams
Housing	Transportation
Internet Connections	What To Bring
Meals	Rules
What We Need From You

Awards

Students will receive a certificate of completion for participating in the Texas Aerospace Scholar's Program for the year 2001. A group photograph will be taken of the participants each week. Each participant will be provided with a copy of this picture. Each participant will also receive a free Texas Aerospace Scholars Program t-shirt. One member of each team will be selected to give the keynote address at the Closing Luncheon.

Closing Luncheon

At the conclusion of each week, a closing luncheon will be held at JSC for the scholars, counselors, mentors, co-ops, TAS staff, legislators and parents.

The banquets will be held at the Gilruth Center at the Johnson Space Center at noon on the Friday of the scholar's week. Exit NASA Road 1 off I-45 and travel east. JSC is located on your left a few miles east of the interstate. It is located directly AFTER the visitor center Space Center Houston (do NOT go into Space Center Houston). The scholar's will be returned to the Microtel after the banquet by school bus and may be picked up by their parents after 2pm.

Dress Code

Click here to view the Dress Code guide for the summer program.

Field Trips

Field trips will be taken to the following locations in the Houston/Clear Lake area. All transportation to and from these locations, as well as the admittance fee, will be provided for scholars and teachers.

Space Center Houston (Clear Lake, Texas) – NASA's Visitor Center. Scholars will see an IMAX film, and enjoy interactive exhibits and activities.

Challenger Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science – Students will participate in a hands-on, simulated Mars Mission in the Challenger Center Mission Control and Spacecraft simulators.

Housing

Residential hotel accommodations will be provided during your stay in Houston. Students will be grouped two per room, same sex and have full-time teacher chaperones.

Scholars and Teachers will stay at the Microtel on NASA Road 1 in Clear Lake. The phone number is 281 335 8963.

Directions:

Exit East on NASA Road 1 from I-45 south of Houston, the Microtel is located across from Space Center Houston and the Johnson Space Center.

Students and Teachers must arrive at the Microtel the first day of the program before 11:30am.

Scholars will stay in double rooms and teachers stay in singles on the same floor. Douglas Goforth, TAS Deputy is also living at the Microtel during the summer.

Internet Connections

Scholars will be provided with access to the Internet via on-site computers. In addition, local Internet access will be available in the hotel room for those attendees who bring a laptop computer. The permissions forms signed by parents must accompany all students who bring laptops to connect to the Internet. Only local or 800 numbers may be used to connect.

NASA Safety and Information Technology Policy.  Please review this with your parents.

Meals

All meals will be provided for the students and teachers during the summer workshop. Special dietary needs should be brought to the attention of the Education Manager no later than May 1, 2001.

Rules of Conduct

A list of rules of conduct for the summer workshop at JSC can be found here.

NASA Safety and Information Technology Policy.  Please review this with your parents.

Schedule

Click here for a copy of the weekly schedules.

Student Checklist

Use the Student Checklist to keep track of everything you will need to complete before your visit.

Student Handbook

Click here for a general summary of all of the information that you will need to know for your trip to Johnson Space Center.

NASA Safety and Information Technology Policy.  Please review this with your parents.

Teams

Each week the students will be divided into three teams. Each team will have a designated color and a designated theme. The themes that will be explored during your experience focus on Mars exploration.

The Topic for Primary Scholar Weeks is a human Mission to Mars!

Getting There and Back (Red Team):

Why do we go? How do we go? What are the risks? Where are we going? How do we go safely?

Rationale and risk assessment

• Prototyping and testing of systems on the Moon

• Interplanetary spacecraft design (propulsion, timelines, and communication systems)

• Landing sites

• Radiation hazards

• Microgravity issues and Mars (1/3) gravity issues

• Nutrition and exercise

How do we survive? What are the dangers? What are our physical needs? What are our psychological needs?

• Moon/Mars habitat design
• Plant growth facilities
• In-situ resource utilization on Mars (air, water, fuel)
• Radiation and climate hazards
• Mars (1/3) gravity issues
• Nutrition and exercise
• Recreation and interpersonal relationships
• Communications with Earth

What is our mission? What do we need? How shall we do it? Where shall we go? How will we communicate our discoveries? How will we work together as a team?

• Exploration: discovering a new world
• The search for life
• Laboratories and tools
• Space suit requirements
• Rovers and robots
• Communications
• Team organization (work assignments)

Student teams will use the following tools to give a final team project presentation on each of the above themes (the PowerPoint, the oral presentation, and the poster, model, system. or facility design):

• Subject Matter Expert Briefing/Tour
• Mentor Knowledge
• Internet Resources (including links provided for pre-service instruction)
• Books

The Topic for Alternate Scholar Weeks is Robotic Missions to Mars!

What propulsion system will our spacecraft use to get to Mars? What is our timeline? What is our scientific mission? What experiments will be done from orbit? How will we send data back to Earth?

• Spacecraft Design
• Propulsion systems
• Timelines
• Orbital Inclination
• Orbital Experiment Packages
• Scientific Instruments
• Communications Systems
• Impact on Future Missions

Surface Mission (White Team):

What type of landing system will we employ? Where will our landing site be located? What scientific instruments will be carried on the lander? Will we use a rover (or more than one)? Will we deploy other robotic experiments (balloons, impactors, drills, etc.)

• Spacecraft Design
• Landing System
• Landing Site
• Timeline
• Primary mission
• Lander science experiments
• Communications relay systems
• Rover(s)
• Other robotic components
• Impact on Future Missions

Sample Return (Blue Team):

What type of propulsion system will be used to enter Martian orbit? What type of propulsion system will be used to return to Earth? What samples will be excavated and how? How will the spacecraft be designed to protect it upon re-entry? What about contamination?

• Propulsion systems
• Spacecraft design
• Landing Site
• Sample retrieval equipment
• Contamination issues
• Impact on Future Missions
• Timeline

You will be notified of your team in April. Each team will consist of 6-10 students, a teacher, a NASA engineer mentor, and a NASA engineer co-op student. Students will meet their mentors, teacher/ counselors and co-ops via e-mail and on-line discussions.

Transportation

The on-line Travel Form will enable you to apply for mileage reimbursement or have an airplane reservation made for you. If you live more than 50 miles from Houston you are eligible for mileage reimbursement if you drive (not to exceed the cost of a plane ticket). If you choose to fly you will be booked electronically on a flight leaving from the airport you specify. The form must be completed by April 16th or you will not receive travel assistance.

Students will be met at the airport at the baggage claim information desk by a TAS staffer with a TAS sign and driven to the hotel. All transportation during your week-long summer program will be provided by school buses.

What To Bring:

Camera/Film: There will be many "photo opportunities" during on-site tours of Johnson Space Center and a variety of field trips. It is suggested that each student and teacher bring a camera with at least 3 rolls of film. Take advantage of this great opportunity to capture the past, present, and future of the space program on film! Small video cameras are also allowed. A CD-ROM of digital photos and the team projects will be given to the participants at the end of the week.

Spending Money: All meals, field trips, and lodging will be provided for the students and teachers. Spending money should be brought for items such as additional snacks, film, and souvenirs.

Laptop Computer: Internet access will be provided on-site at JSC at scheduled times during the program. Scholars and counselors will not be able to access their e-mail during these times. Laptops are acceptable for use in the hotel room, if desired, but are not necessary. The hotel rooms will have local phone and modem use. Those student who wish to bring laptops and use local Internet access at the hotel will need to return the Permissions Form.

What We Need From You:

Activities: All activites should be completed and submitted by January 12, March 9 and May 4th. Scholars who do not complete the assignments will be replaced with alternates. Final projects are due two weeks before you arrive at JSC for your summer workshop. For a list of when the projects are due click here.

Permissions Form: This will be mailed to your parents and must be returned two weeks before your summer workshop begins for you to be allowed to participate in the program.

It will include:

A Follow-up Commitment Letter in which you commit to maintain future contact with the TAS Staff with information concerning your choice of college, your choice of major, and your post-graduation plans is required before you attend the summer program; a Minor Medical Permissions Release; a Safety and Information Technology Agreement; a Laptop Permission Form for those scholars who wish to bring laptops (only local or 800 internet calls are allowed); a Talent Release Form and a Rules of Conduct Form.

Last Updated: 09/07/01