Posted on: November 1st, 2024 in: National NASA
Collaboration Highlight
The Dale Etheridge Planetarium and the NASA Glenn Research Center – Office of STEM Engagement
Q & A with Andrew Kerr, Planetarium Director
The Dale Etheridge Planetarium Collaborated with the NASA Glenn Research Center – Office of STEM Engagement. Here’s What to Know:
Who funded the opportunity?
- NASA Glenn Research Center
What was the project?
- The Dale Etheridge Planetarium offered three summer camps to allow students to participate in the NASA GRC – Summer – Start Your Engines engineering challenge. In NASA’s own words… “In this activity, student teams design and test innovative methods to improve the performance of a real Stirling engine. Student’s experience connects directly to current research NASA is doing with thermodynamic power sources that are essential for any future deep space missions.”
When and where did the project take place?
- Three individual sessions of the camp were held over the span of three weeks in July of 2024. They were at the North Las Vegas Campus of CSN in the Dale Etheridge Planetarium and the Laxalt Center.
Why is this important?
- Educational activities during the summer are very important for keeping students’ minds sharp and ready to go when school begins again in the fall. By having a stimulating activity during the summer months, it gives students the opportunity to put into use the concepts they learned in previous years and prepares them for the upcoming school year. Summer programs also give parents the opportunity to have a safe place for their children to go during the summer.
How much were you funded?
- Total funding was $800 for supplies
How many people were involved?
- The program was able to get twenty students on short notice and did three sessions.
What was the outcome?
- Each student group did their final projects which was recorded and sent to NASA. They also created a 6 minute planetarium show about the program.
