NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. invites elementary school students and their families to its Visitor Center on Sunday, May 17 from 1–3 p.m. for a special afternoon of hands-on activities exploring the Hubble Space Telescope, which has revolutionized astronomy.
Because the HST has provided us with eye-opening and clear images of our solar system, stars, and galaxies, the students will create their own images of what they think the next pictures from Hubble will look like in an activity called, Hubble Through they Eyes of a Student.” During the activity, “Hubble Docking,” the students will work with a partner and try to dock a small paper shuttle in a cup that represents the telescope. Students will also participate in Hubble Perfection, an activity that simulates how astronauts train for their mission in space suits and gloves. As always, the Visitor Center’s Science on a Sphere presentation will provide insight to different aspects of science.
At the same time the families are busy with their Hubble activities at the visitor center, the astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis will be finishing the fourth of five planned space walks as part of the final servicing mission to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. Coverage of STS-125 mission will be shown on television monitors at the visitor center.
The Sunday Experiment, held the third Sunday of each month from September through May, features activities showcasing the NASA Center’s world-renowned science and engineering research and technological developments. Families leave inspired by the interactive activities, wowed by the scientists and engineers, and excited about Goddard’s revolutionary research and technology.
“The Sunday Experiment is a place where children and adults alike can discover the excitement of Goddard through fun and easy hands-on activities,” said Emilie Drobnes, founder of Sunday Experiment. “You get to act like scientists and engineers while building all types of little rockets and hover-crafts, designing your own planets and stars, and even trying your hand at being part of the manned spaced program. At the Sunday Experiment we energize the public about NASA and the science we do here and we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty in the process!”
In addition to celebrating all things science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, The Sunday Experiment celebrates major science missions that are managed by Goddard and set to launch in 2009 and 2010.
For more information on the Sunday Experiment go to Goddard’s Visitor Center’s Web page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/events/index.html
