Living By the Launch Pad: STS-132

Launch Time: Fri., May 14, 2010, 2:20 PM EDT
Launch Vehicle: Space Shuttle Atlantis
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center - Launch Pad 39A
Description: STS-132 will deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and a Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station.

You’ll remember that in November, the Seminole Ridge seniors had a poster with their signatures flown aboard space shuttle Atlantis. I think there’s a beautiful symmetry in that it flies again on the day they graduate.

These Hawks are Going to Fly! Space Shuttle Launch Today Brings Seminole's Class of 2010 Signatures Into Orbit

Shuttle carrying Palm Beach County student signatures.

Read about it in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper education weblog.

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STS-129
Launch Time: Monday, November 16, 2:28 p.m. EST
Launch Vehicle: Shuttle Atlantis • ISS ULF 3
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

STS-129 will be the 31st U.S. mission to the International Space Station and will return Space Station crew member Nicole Stott to Earth.

Space shuttle Atlantis will deliver components including two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm to the International Space Station.

And, most excitingly, our Seminole Senior's Student Signatures in Space poster has been manifested to fly on STS-129. Last spring, SECME co-captain Aleen Touma lead the collection of the Class of 2010 names as Seminole Ridge High joined with more than 500 other schools worldwide to sign posters for Student Signatures in Space (S3), sponsored by NASA and Lockheed Martin.

S3 began in 1997 as a way to draw kids into space studies by giving them a personal connection to space. Participating schools receive large posters for students to sign and, after schools return the posters to Lockheed Martin, their signatures are scanned onto a disk.

After the signatures return from space, the signed poster will be returned for permanent display at Seminole Ridge, along with a flight certificate and a picture of the crew that carried the signatures into space. It usually takes about 8 to 12 weeks after the mission concludes to get all posters returned.

Seminole SECME school coordinator Erich Landstrom said, “Our goal with Student Signatures in Space is to spark kids’ interest in school and to give them a personal connection to the wonders of the universe. In SECME we use space-related activities to inspire students to continue the stellar work of today’s space program, and to prepare young people for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

For more information about the STS-129 mission and its crew, visit:
NASA at http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle, and
SpaceFlight Now at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts129/

Student Signatures in Space update

From: NASA News
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 4:58 PM
Subject: NASA Updates Shuttle Atlantis Target Launch Date, Crew Rehearsal

RELEASE: 09-246

NASA UPDATES SHUTTLE ATLANTIS TARGET LAUNCH DATE, CREW REHEARSAL

WASHINGTON -- NASA is targeting Nov. 16 for the launch of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Managers for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate met Monday and decided to adjust Atlantis' target launch date to optimize the agency's ability to launch both Ares I-X and Atlantis before the end of the year. The same launch team at Kennedy is supporting both the shuttle and the flight test of the Ares I-X rocket, which is targeted to lift off on Oct. 27. Ares I-X is scheduled to roll out to its launch pad at 12:01 a.m. EDT Tuesday.

Atlantis' new target launch date will give Ares I-X launch opportunities Oct. 27, 28 and 29. NASA has yet to schedule Atlantis' new target liftoff date on the Eastern Range.

The change to Atlantis' targeted launch will affect the launch countdown dress rehearsal for the shuttle's six astronauts. The astronauts arrived at Kennedy on Monday for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test and related training. The simulated countdown has been rescheduled to Nov. 3. The astronauts will practice emergency escape and other related training while they are at Kennedy this week and return there Nov. 2 to conclude their rehearsal work.

The agency's Flight Readiness Review meeting for STS-129 is set for Oct. 29. NASA will schedule an official launch date for Atlantis following that meeting.

For more information about the STS-129 mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-

Student Signatures in Space update

Hello Student Signatures in Space 2009 schools,

Our signatures have been manifested on the upcoming STS-129 Space Shuttle mission, which is currently scheduled for launch on November 12. Originally we had thought the signatures might go on STS-130, but they have been confirmed for STS-129.

This is a terrific 11-day mission to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Atlantis will deliver parts to the Space Station, including a spare gyroscope. The mission will feature three spacewalks, and will return Space Station crew member Nicole Stott to Earth.

After the mission, we will get the flight certifications and crew photos from the astronaut office and begin shipping posters back to schools. It usually takes about 8 to 12 weeks after the mission concludes to get all posters returned.

I will email out more info in the future. Until then, you can get more details about STS-129 at the sites below:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-129

Thanks!
April Tensen
S3 Program Manager

Living By the Launch Pad: Florida Fall 2009 Launch Schedule

Launch Time: Oct. 27, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EDT
Launch Vehicle: Ares 1-X • Test Flight
Launch site: LC-39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

The Ares I-X flight test is NASA's first test for the Agency's new Constellation launch vehicle -- Ares I. The Ares program is being developed to replace the space shuttle for launching astronauts. The Ares I-X sub-orbital test flight will provide NASA with an early opportunity to collect valuable engineering data from the vehicle and prove flight characteristics, hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I.

Launch Time: Nov. 12, 4:04 p.m. EST
Launch Vehicle: Shuttle Atlantis • ISS ULF 3
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

STS-129 will be the 31st U.S. mission to the International Space Station and will return space station crew member Nicole Stott to Earth. The mission will feature three spacewalks. Space shuttle Atlantis will deliver components including two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm to the International Space Station. And, most excitingly, our Seminole Student Signatures in Space poster has been manifested to fly on STS-129. After the mission, we will get the flight certifications and crew photos from the astronaut office and begin shipping posters back to schools. It usually takes about 8 to 12 weeks after the mission concludes to get all posters returned, after which the poster will be displayed at Seminole Ridge High.

Seminole SECME Sends "Students Signatures in Space"

SEMINOLE SECME SENDS SENIORS SIGNATURES INTO SPACE

On Wednesday, May 27th and Thursday, May 28th, students in Seminole SECME at Seminole Ridge Community High School will join with more than 500 other schools around the world by signing Student Signatures in Space (S3) posters.

Jointly sponsored by NASA and Lockheed Martin, S3 is one program for the SECME (science, engineering, communication and math) club. Senior Aleen Touma is spearheading the collection of the class of 2010 names.

S3 began in 1997 as a way to draw kids into space studies by giving them a personal connection to space. Five hundred participating schools are sent large posters for students to sign. After schools return the posters to Lockheed Martin, their signatures are scanned onto a disk which will be flown aboard space shuttle mission STS-129, a flight to the International Space Station that is scheduled for November 2009. Schools also receive lesson plans and information about the mission their signed posters are flying on.

After the signatures return from space, the poster will be returned for permanent display at Seminole Ridge Community High School along with a flight certificate and picture of the crew that carried the signatures into space. Schools are allowed to participate in the signatures program once every six years.

“Our goal with Student Signatures in Space is to spark kids’ interest in school and to give them a personal connection to the wonders of the universe,” said physics teacher Erich Landstrom, the Seminole SECME school co-ordinator, “In SECME we use space-related activities to inspire students to continue the stellar work of today’s space program, and to prepare young people for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

Barbara Reinike, program manager for Lockheed Martin, said “Classes usually follow their Signatures mission together from launch to landing, so it really piques the students’ interest in the whole process. Counterpart lesson plans that incorporate math and science activities help teachers take the learning experience to the next level.”

More information about S3 is available online at www.spaceday.org.