Inspiring the Next Generation: Student Experiments and Educational Activities on the International Space Station, 2000-2006.

摘要

One important objective of NASA has always been to inspire the next generation. NASA and human space flight have a unique ability to capture the imaginations of both students and teachers. The presence of humans onboard ISS for more than five years now has provided a foundation for numerous educational activities aimed at capturing that interest and motivating study in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics. Even before the Expedition 1 crew arrived at International Space Station (ISS) in November 2000, experiments with student participation were being conducted onboard ISS in support of the NASA mission. One of NASA's protein crystal growth experiments was delivered to station by space shuttle Atlantis during the STS-106 mission in September 2000, and was returned six weeks later aboard space shuttle Discovery during the STS-92 mission. Many of the protein samples that were flown had been prepared with the help of middle and high school students from across the country. From very early on it was thus recognized that students would have a strong interest in the ISS, and that this provided a unique opportunity for them to get involved and participate in science and engineering projects on the ISS. In the first five and a half years of continuous human presence on the ISS, a wide range of student experiments and educational activities has already been performed by the United States, the 16 International Partner countries officially participating in the International Space Station Program (ISSP), and a number of other countries under special commercial agreements. Many of these programs still continue, and others are being developed and added to the station tasks on a regular basis.