Students at the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory‘s space exploration camp will conduct a simulated space shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope on Friday, July 11. The mission will use a large mock-up of the Hubble Space Telescope and computer software derived from NASA training simulators. The mission plan was created based on the upcoming scheduled shuttle Atlantis repair mission to the Hubble in October 2008.
Three teams of seventh- and eighth-graders will conduct three mission sessionsone team at 9 a.m., the next team at 11 a.m. and the final team at 1 p.m. The sessions will each featurea simulated Hubble Space Telescope mission, complete with a shuttle launch,rendezvous, grapple and repair of the Hubble followed by landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Camper astronautswill work in mission control andthe shuttle Atlantis and willeven don space suits and helmets for the EVA telescope repair. This mission is part of the Dyer Observatory’s celebration of the "Year of the Hubble" in 2008.
WHAT: Seventh- and eighth-graders using computer simulators and a large telescope mock-up to fly a Hubble Space Telescope "repair mission," complete with space suits
WHERE: Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
Dyer Observatory is located 1000 Oman Drive, half a mile north of the intersection of Granny White Pike and Old Hickory Boulevard
WHEN: There are three mission sessions scheduled that will feature students doing the same activities:
9 – 11 a.m.; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 1 – 3 p.m.
Media Contact: Missy Pankake (615) 322-2706
Missy.pankake@vanderbilt.edu