THURSDAY

Tour of Johnson Space Centre in the morning
Picked up by NASA staffers and buses in the carpark, then taken on a VIP tour of several JSC facilities: Click on any picture for the fullsize image
SPACE VEHICLE MOCKUP FACILITY
This is where full-scale models of vehicles used in space are constructed. Astronauts can then train and test procedures.
The Mars rover mockup is shown.





APOLLO-ERA MISSION CONTROL
This historic room is where the dramas, triumphs, and tragedies of the Apollo programme were controlled. Now abandoned, the room is deeply atmospheric and "more than a room". John Jurgenson, who worked for mission control from 1967 (he retires today) spoke about some of his experiences and insights including the first landing by Apollo 11 and the recovery of Apollo 13.



ISS AND SHUTTLE CONTROL ROOMS
Bright, clean and colourful, the new control rooms project a feeling of controlled excitement. We visited the shuttle control room during a live linkup with the crew of STS-127.
Huge screens in the rooms project real-time video of activity in the vehicles, telemetry and positioning data on a world map, and technical messages on the systems. The photo is of the ISS room.


NEUTRAL BUOYANCY LAB (BIG POOL)
Astronauts train for zero-gravity by using this pool. They have weights/floats attached to give them neutral buoyancy so they can practice some of the tasks they will have to perform during EVAs (extra-vehicular activities).




In the second photo you can see the astronaut as a white shape just under the surface. Each astronaut has four attending divers.







FOOD PREPARATION LAB
This is where the food for all space missions is prepared. Surprisingly domestic-looking, the facility is all about packaging, the food eaten by the astronauts is not that different from what we terrestrials eat every day. Although they avoid anything crumbly or too liquid.




It's all about packaging - an evolution from toothpaste tubes to spoon-bags and beyond - although the Russians still use tins!

WEDNESDAY'S PHOTOS

John with Dr Lee Morins















Red Team begin planning their mission



Team badge, first slide and song completed!

WEDNESDAY

First full day at UHCL.
First guest speaker was astronaut Dr Lee Morins in his blue astronaut overalls. HE gave us a talk on the space station assembly process and his role in it. He then moved on to talk about his interest in "rocks to rockets" which is about using the resources already on the moon for energy and construction. Millions of kilogrammes of existing materials such as metal oxides can be utilised rather than bringing everything from Earth at enormous expense, risk and time. Solar energy and microwaves can be used to effect the physical and chemical changes to produce building materials and conductors etc. Telepresence can be used to allow robots or machines to carry out tasks while being operated from Earth.
Then we finally got together as a team in a breakout room to start our project - Red team is working very well and I'm really impressed with our progress.
After lunch the leader of the JSC imagery group Patrick Chimes gave us a fascinating talk and dozens of historic and contenporary shots of spaceflight. This gave students a very valuable insigh into the evolution of the technology, society and culture of space exploration. Then back to breakout room for more project work and finally a briefing.
Dinner was at Tierra Luna Tex-Mex restaurant on Saturn Drive near JSC. The owner's husband is, of course, an astronaut (Jose Hernandez)!

TUESDAY

To UHCL for the first full day of the programme.
Sabiha gave the students a run-down of some of the stages they might experience, being so far from home in a different culture. We then went out into the atrium for some team-building with Peter Fontana, who has recently returned from training missionaries in China. This was fun and gave the students a chance to work together in their teams with their mentors for the first time. I picked up a couple of good team activities from Peter.
After lunch in the university cafe we went to the Houston Space Center. This is a display/activity/souvenir/foodhall sort of place, incredibly noisy and full of schoolkids on holiday. But it also had some useful displays and an IMAX theatre.


Quiet evening getting to know and appreciate host family.

Monday Photos

(click for large version)
You can see this and other pictures from today's activities here

• Lunch at Villa Capri restaurant on the shores of Clear Lake, with opening remarks by Rob Alexander, and notables from UHCL, JSC and an astronaut.
• Tour of UHCL and team interviews
• Soccer match at Gilruth Centre (students won!)

WHO ARE WE?

The kiwi students at USS this year are Patrick (NPBHS) and India (NPGHS) and I'm one of the mentors who guide the students through the school programme.

WHY US?
Patrick and India were chosen because of their academic ability, but also for their passion for space exploration and technology.
Me? I have been the "country contact" for a few years and because of the quality of the students we have sent over the last decade the USS board voted that NZ would provide the first visiting scholar.

You can read the Taranaki Daily News article about us here

What's This?

A daily blog so you can all keep up with our trip to United Space School in Houston 27 July - 8 August 2009