NASA Invites Elementary Students and Their Families to a Free Inside Look at the Newest Earth-observing Satellite, NPP

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Md. will host this month’s Sunday Experiment on Sunday, November 20 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST. It’s a free afternoon of eye-opening, hands-on activities spotlighting NASA’s newest Earth-observing satellite, the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP).

NPP is a multi-faceted satellite that was launched on October 28, 2011 to help meteorologists improve weather forecasts and advance Earth and climate science. With its five instruments, NPP will measure the Earth’s atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity and pressure profiles, land and ocean biological activity and cloud and aerosol properties.

Students will get the chance to watch a video presentation of a Delta-II rocket blasting NPP into the night sky. A speaker will be on hand to talk all things NPP. The satellite’s mascot, a polar bear that represents climate science, will also be introduced at the NPPy coloring station. Students can get creative making their own models of NPPy the Polar Bear or models of the NPP satellite.

As always, the Visitor’s Center Science on a Sphere theater will offer insight to Goddard’s cutting edge science and research.

The Sunday Experiment, held the third Sunday of each month from September through May, features activities showcasing Goddard’s world-renowned science and engineering research and technological developments. Families leave inspired by the activities, wowed by the scientists and engineers, and excited about Goddard’s revolutionary research and technology.

In addition to celebrating all things science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the Sunday Experiment celebrates major science missions that are managed by NASA Goddard and set to launch in the near future.

“The Sunday Experiment is a place where children and adults alike can discover the excitement of Goddard through fun and engaging hands-on activities,” said Emilie Drobnes, of NASA Goddard, founder of Sunday Experiment.

For more information on the Sunday Experiment, visit Goddard’s Visitor Center Web page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/events/index.html

For more information on NPP, visit: http://npp.gsfc.nasa.gov/