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NASA Releases STEM Toolkit for Advanced Air Mobility

Source: NASA

NASA Aeronautics has released a new STEM toolkit focusing on Advanced Air Mobility for educators and students of all ages.
The toolkit, comprised of numerous educational activities, is a free resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about the Advanced Air Mobility mission’s goal of enabling the use of drones and other new aircraft in our skies.
Students can engage with the principles of Advanced Air Mobility in a variety of ways – including hands-on activities on topics such as coding, math, energy, the environment, and more. It is one of three STEM toolkits focusing on NASA’s aeronautics research – the others being Sustainable Aviation and the Quesst mission.

April Lanotte
NASA Aeronautics STEM Lead

“The Advanced Air Mobility STEM toolkit provides excellent, cross-curricular ways to learn about the scientific concepts behind drone flight without even needing to have a drone,” said April Lanotte, NASA Aeronautics’ lead for STEM integration. “The toolkit has something for people of all ages in all types of educational environments.”
For example, one activity in the toolkit involves creating an art poster to explore and highlight original ideas for drone safety and the safe use of drones.

An activity named Robotic Search and Rescue has students interact with real-world uses for drones – in this case, emergency response operations. As part of the activity, a team of students create and test their own responses to challenges first responders may face.
In another activity, students engage in cooperative game play to simulate a drone navigating around obstacles to deliver their lunch to school. The simulation engages students in computational thinking, problem solving, and real-world application of mathematics.
What’s more, many of these activities are aligned with national standards to meet educational requirements in the classroom. The toolkit also includes levelled readers, videos, and e-books, and is updated regularly with new material.
“It’s really a living toolkit. Advanced Air Mobility is a constantly evolving field, so we’re always adding new things to keep up with it,” said Lanotte. “Not just related to drones themselves, but also the infrastructure, coding, and other engineering challenges needed to support those vehicles in the future.”
The Advanced Air Mobility toolkit, along with the rest of NASA Aeronautics’ comprehensive STEM resources, is available on the Aeronautics STEM webpage.

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Career Journey: Cooking Up a Job as a Space Food Scientist

Source: NASA

As the Space Food Systems manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Xulei Wu works with a team to create tasty, shelf-stable meals for astronauts aboard the International Space Station and, soon, for crews flying to the Moon as part of the Artemis program.
What does it take to become a space food scientist at NASA? We met up with Wu to learn more about her journey from creating meals for camping in the deep woods, to making foods for exploring deep space.

Preparation Meets Opportunity
“I don’t consider myself very smart; I’m very hardworking,” said Wu, who was born and raised in China and is a first-generation immigrant.
After rising through the ranks at a major U.S. freeze-dried food company, Wu was content in her job creating shelf-stable foods for people to rely on when the tools and conveniences of a modern kitchen aren’t available. Her work kept her busy – too busy to consider other careers or applications for her unique skillset.
It took a flat tire to literally stop her in her tracks long enough to spot a job opening that sparked a new direction for her career.
“I got a nail in my tire, so I broke down on the highway,” Wu said. While she was waiting for roadside assistance, she began to scroll through her phone. That’s when, she said, “I found out a freeze-dried food scientist position was opening at the NASA Space Food Systems Laboratory.”
Even though Wu enjoyed working in the food industry, she said it was NASA’s larger mission that inspired her to apply.
“My favorite part of this job is really to serve a large purpose, that I’m part of the effort to support human space exploration, so that one day we can go back to the Moon,” Wu said.

Choosing From a Menu of Sciences
“My education and my experience definitely prepared me to land a job in the Space Food System Laboratory, and I consider myself extremely lucky,” Wu said.
Growing up, Wu enjoyed science so much that when she had to choose a college major, she had a hard time narrowing her choices between biology, chemistry, and physics.
As she considered her options, reports of babies being sickened by infant formula gained national attention in China. Several formula companies were found to have deliberately contaminated their products with a chemical that gave the appearance of higher protein content but resulted in kidney problems for thousands of babies. The scandal piqued her interest in food safety.
“That was the trigger,” Wu said. “I realized: I want to study more about food safety. And food science happened to involve multiple different disciplines in that process.”
Wu earned a bachelor’s degree in food science and engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, then a master’s degree in food science and technology from Oregon State University.
After graduation, she went to work for North America’s largest supplier of freeze-dried foods where she created food products targeted for outdoor recreation, like camping, and also for emergency preparedness. In this role, she worked on similar challenges to those she works on today: how to keep food fresh, tasty, nutritious, and shelf-stable for long periods of time.
“All of those are needed perspectives [for] working in the Space Food Systems Laboratory,” Wu said. “For the International Space Station, we’re targeting three years’ shelf life; for a Mars mission, we’re talking five to seven years’ shelf life.”

Advice to Future Food Scientists
Wu shared some advice to students: focus on what you really care about, work hard, and be ready to take your own giant leap.
“It’s important to discover your true interest, your true passion, the subject you love the most, and then connect this to a career making a contribution to society.”
But as with Wu’s experience, sometimes you get a nail in your tire on the path to your next big break. It’s what you do in those moments that can define you.

Xulei Wu
Space Food Systems Manager

Lean more about Xulei Wu and her job at NASA in this episode of Surprisingly STEM.

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Advice from NASA Mentors to Students Starting Their Careers

Source: NASA

NASA is celebrating National Mentoring Month by recognizing the importance of mentors to students and young professionals whose careers are beginning to take off. Mentors help their mentees gain real-world experiences, make valuable connections, and find the types of roles best suited to their strengths and skills.
To learn more about early career takeaways, we spoke to three NASA mentors: Renita Fincke, NASA biomedical research projects engineer at Johnson Space Center in Houston; Wade Sisler, executive producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Kyle Ellis, a project manager in the Aeronautics Research Directorate at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Below, they share their advice for students and graduates entering the workforce and expand on how to make the most of a mentor/mentee relationship – whether here at NASA or in any other organization.

If you fully commit to excelling in your role, you’ll be better prepared to take advantage of unexpected opportunities or adjust to changing circumstances.
“Give it your all,” Fincke said. “In my journey, I’ve discovered that boosting your career involves a relentless pursuit of knowledge, adapting to changes, and being ready to try for exciting opportunities when the timing is just right.”
While you’re putting in a lot of effort toward your high-level goals, don’t lose sight of seemingly small details.
“Lean in, be punctual, be present, communicate like a pro, and get your work in on time,” Sisler said. “Your mentor will notice. Your entire office will notice.”

Concentrate on how you communicate. Telling your story in a way that resonates with your audience enables them to understand and see the value in your work.
“Learn to identify who your stakeholders are and answer the question, ‘Why should they care?’” Ellis said. “Being able to tell a clear, succinct story about what you do and why is the key to improving countless things: interest, support, awareness, etc. Don’t take the power of communication for granted.”

Challenges and failures are inevitable, so don’t give up!
“The path to success is rarely linear, and the ability to adapt is a strength,” Fincke said. “Embrace the mindset that errors are opportunities for learning, growth, and necessary pivots, so do not fear failure; let it be a catalyst for resilience.”
Ellis recalled that as a student, he spent a lot of time unnecessarily fearing what others would think if he tried something new without knowing for sure he’d get it right. “What I learned is that failure is common when you’re exploring possibilities,” Ellis said. “And it often teaches us more in a shorter period than the success we experience.

Work with a mentor to outline your tasks and goals, and don’t be self-conscious about discussing your most ambitious longer-term career objectives.
“The most successful interns in our office are often the most inquisitive ones,” Sisler said. “Find out what the people in your office do and how they fit into the organization. Tell as many people as you can your story, ask how they came to NASA, and ask them for their insights and advice.”
Ellis emphasized that NASA is filled with experts who are happy to share their wisdom with students and young professionals.
“If they sense the spark in you, they’ll most certainly help you along your career and connect you with more like-minded people who are solving some of the most important problems in and out of this world,” Ellis said.
The support and guidance of an encouraging mentor can make a tremendous difference in a student’s career growth and personal development – and it’s a rewarding experience for mentors, too.
“Pick up a mentee in your first or second year in a new role,” Ellis said. “It’s amazing what you learn from someone who is learning from you.”
Want an opportunity to work with one of NASA’s amazing mentors? Apply for a NASA internship here.

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NASA Astronauts to Speak with North Carolina, Virginia Students

Source: NASA

Students from North Carolina and Virginia will have separate opportunities next week to each hear from a NASA astronaut living and working aboard the International Space Station.
The two Earth-to-space calls will air live Tuesday, Jan. 9, on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Follow events online at: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.
At 9:20 a.m. EST, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will answer prerecorded questions from students at Thales Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. In preparation for the education downlink, students will participate in an annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Day that will include presentations about the space station by Marc Fusco, one of NASA’s solar system ambassadors. Students also will participate in hands-on activities, including making space related art, building bottle rockets, and launching a model rocket.
Media interested in covering the North Carolina event RSVP no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8., should contact Janice Holton at: janice.holton@thalesacademy.org or 919-882-2320.
At 1:05 p.m., NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will answer prerecorded questions from students across the state of Virginia through an event hosted by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium. These students studied life aboard the space station and participated in a Plant the Moon Challenge where they worked to grow plants in lunar regolith simulant for the Artemis mission.
Media interested in covering the Virginia event must RSVP no later than 4 p.m. on Jan. 8., to Kristyn Damadeo at: kdamadeo@odu.edu or 202-465-5190.
For more than 23 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts living in space aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Near Space Network.
Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the International Space Station benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration.
As part of Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.
See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the space station at:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
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Katherine BrownHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1288katherine.m.brown@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

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University of Utah takes top honors in BIG Idea Lunar Forge Challenge 

Source: NASA

Through Artemis, NASA plans to conduct long-duration human and robotic missions on the lunar surface in preparation for future crewed exploration of Mars. Expanding exploration capabilities requires a robust lunar infrastructure, including practical and cost-effective ways to construct a lunar base. One method is employing in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) – or the ability to use naturally occurring resources – to produce consumables and build structures in the future, which will make explorers more Earth-independent.  
An ISRU process that NASA wants to learn more about is forging metals from lunar minerals to create structures and tools in the future. Through its 2023 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Lunar Forge Challenge, NASA sought innovative concepts from university students to design an ISRU metal production pipeline on the Moon. The year-and-a-half-long challenge, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and Office of STEM Engagement, supports NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative in developing new approaches and novel technologies to pave the way for successful exploration on the surface of the Moon.
Finalist teams presented their research, designs, prototypes, and testing results to a panel of NASA and industry judges at a culminating forum on Nov. 16, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The University of Utah team, partnering with Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory, earned the Artemis Award, which represents top honors in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Their lunar forge project, Production of Steel from Lunar Regolith through Carbonyl Iron Refining (CIR), represents a promising avenue to extract iron from reduced lunar regolith and refine it into a high purity powder product in a two-stage process. The Artemis Award is given to the team whose concept has the best potential to contribute to and be integrated into an Artemis mission. 

Collin Andersen, Team Lead
University of Utah and Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory

Teams could select to address technologies needed along any point in the lunar metal production pipeline, including, but not limited to: 
Metal detecting 
Metal refining
Forming materials for additive manufacturing
Testing and qualifying 3D printed infrastructure for use on the Moon
In January, teams submitted proposal packages, from which seven finalists were selected in March 2023 for funding of up to $180,000, totaling nearly $1.1 million across all teams. The finalists then worked for nine months designing, developing, and demonstrating their concepts. The 2023 BIG Idea program concluded at its annual forum, where teams presented their results and answered questions from judges, followed by an interactive poster session. Experts from NASA and other aerospace companies evaluated the student concepts based on technical innovation, credibility, management, and teams’ verification testing. In addition to the presentation, the teams provided a technical paper and technical poster detailing their proposed metal production pipeline.

Niki werkheiser
Director of technology maturation within STMD

In addition to the top spot, several teams were recognized in other categories, including: 
Edison Award: Missouri University of Science & Technology
Path-to-Flight Award: University of North Texas with Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Processes Institute at UNT; Enabled Engineering
Systems Engineering: Northwestern University with Wearifi, Inc.
Best Verification Demonstration: Colorado School of Mines
BIG Picture Award: Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Honeybee Robotics 
Innovation Award: Pennsylvania State University with RFHIC & Jacobs Space Exploration Group
The 2023 BIG Idea Challenge is sponsored by NASA through a collaboration between STMD’s Game Changing Development program and the Office of STEM Engagement’s Space Grant project. The Challenge is managed by a partnership between the National Institute of Aerospace and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). 

NASA sponsors the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge through its Game Changing Development program and the Office of STEM Engagement’s Space Grant project. The National Institute of Aerospace and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland managed the challenge for NASA. 
Team presentations, technical papers, and digital posters are available on the BIG Idea website.   

For full competition details, visit:https://bigidea.nianet.org/2023-challenge/

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Lazer Maze

Source: NASA

Next Generation Science Standards
Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (MS-PS4)
Grades 5-8. Students strengthen their understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, specifically lasers and their applications, through a series of math, writing, and graphing challenges. This series of activities can be completed together or in parts.

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STEM Learning Resources to Prepare for Upcoming Eclipses

Source: NASA

The Sun and Moon will work together to put on a celestial show in the skies above North America during two solar eclipses in the months to come. On Saturday, Oct. 14, the Moon will nearly cover the Sun during what’s called an annular solar eclipse, and on April 8, 2024, the Moon will completely block out the Sun during a total solar eclipse. Get ready to make the most of these rare events with this curated list of NASA STEM learning resources and related content, including activities, citizen science opportunities, and more.
Safety First!
First things first! It’s important never to look directly at the Sun, even during a solar eclipse. Protect your eyes with specialized solar viewers, such as eclipse glasses or view the event with a pinhole projector check out these video instructions on how to make your own. You can learn more about eclipse viewing safety here.

What You’ll See
During the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, the Moon will appear smaller when it slips in front of the Sun’s disk, leaving a ring of sunlight visible for people on the main path of the eclipse. During the total solar eclipse in April, the Moon will fully block the Sun for a brief time for people on the main path of this eclipse. For both eclipses, people in most of the U.S. can see a partial solar eclipse, even if you’re not on the eclipse’s main path.
Wondering how much of the Sun will be blocked by the Moon where you are? Use this map to find out what the view will be like in your area, since the eclipses will take different paths as they cross the United States.

Learn What’s Happening
Students are invited to visit NASA’s Space Place for a helpful overview of eclipses and a deeper look at what happens during a total solar eclipse. Learn even more through fun hands-on activities such as How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun and the solar eclipse beach ball demonstration. Looking for books? Read “Our Very Own Star,” or the Braille book “Getting a Feel for Eclipses,” available in English and Spanish.
Educators can bring solar eclipse learning into the classroom with eclipse lessons from My NASA Data, the Epic Eclipse: A “Pi in the Sky” math challenge, and the Living With a Star educator guide, which explores the Sun-Earth connection. Other fun activities include learning how to measure solar energy during the eclipse, taking the new NASA Eclipse Kahoot! Quiz modeling the Earth-Moon system.

Be an Eclipse Scientist
Anyone can become a citizen scientist and contribute their eclipse observations! Here are two exciting opportunities:
Eclipse Soundscapes: Share your multi-sensory observations and recorded sound data during the upcoming eclipses to help NASA better understand how these events impact ecosystems across the U.S. Learn more about the different options to get involved.
GLOBE Eclipse: Only available when a solar eclipse is happening somewhere in the world, the GLOBE Eclipse tool will prompt users to record air temperature measurements in addition to observations of sky conditions and vegetation at the data collection site. You’ll need to download the GLOBE App to get started.

For the latest fun activities, learning resources, and opportunities to engage with NASA, visit NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement online at: https://stem.nasa.gov