Wednesday 29 Oct 08

Hello
WOW - Today has got to have been the best day ever!!!!!! We went to the ATX (Astronaut training experience)centre and did lots of amazing things, like having a go in a multi axis trainer which was like a big eliptical circle with a smaller eliptical circle inside and then a chair inside of that and they all spin in different ways, but you don't get dizzy!! we also did a training as if we were walking on the moon - we were fixed up to a harness (very painful for the boys) and winched up so that the gravity was 1/6 like on the moon. It was really really hard walking and you ended up bouncing up and down in the same place!!!!!! We also made rockets - fully fitted with a parachute to stop any unnecessary damaged to the rocket on its descent, and then we launched them into the sky. Another task was to build a bridge with lego like stuff (not sure of the technical name) and it had to try and hold as much weight as possible. Matt won this competition as his could easily hold 20 pounds! But the most fun thing we did was a mock up shuttle launch, where we all had our roles in the space mission - in the shuttle - josh was commander, Holly was pilot, Katharine and Elaine did experiments and medical checks, and Alex and Matt were mission specialists who had to go outside the shuttle and do a space walk whilst assembling a solar panel. In the control room, I was the Flight Director (person in complete charge!!!), Stu was FIDO, Sophie was PAO, Steve was Science, Nichole was EECOM, and Phil was in chsrge of the other thing (forgotten the technical name agian - sorry Phil!!!) and we had lots of fun communicating through headphones and working out stats. and working through emergencies - lucky that it was a slow burning fire! Also when we were walking through the car park we bumped into Al Worden - who was actually on Apollo 15 as a crew member and actually went to the moon!
Later on in the evening we went to a basketball match, which was AMAZING, we supported the orlando magics and everyone really got into the spirit - and after a crash course in basketball rules and game play - thanks alex - i actually understood what was happening!!!!!! We were all very impressed - even though we lost - because the atmosphere was really really really amazing.
So after that exciting day , everyone was absoulutly shattered and could't wait to get into bed!!!!
Too tired to write any more - will update later
Alice

Trip

HeyaWell we have just had an amazing day, we got up really early again today and every one is really excited about going to see lots of international Baccalaureate students and talk to them all about their experiences in america and how different it is over there to England. We interupted their Theory of Knowledge classes and talked to about 30 or 40 students. They were all very interested in our NHS system and schooling, and everyone asked lots of questions about what sort of music that we listened to and what sort of films we have over here. Later we went to Merrit Island Mall - where we girls did lots of shopping - and then ate lunch! After that we visited Kennedy Space Centre again and wandered round looking at all the different exhibits, a particually good one was a re-enactment of the Apollo 11 moon landing!
We then visited a planetarium which was amazing as we watched a film which covered the dome of the planetarium roof and also gave acurate positions of the stars in their current positions! Me, Elaine and Josh also had fun with a van-de-graph generator which produces static electricity and made all of our hair stand on end!
Yet another amazing day!
alice
#end

Tuesday 28 Oct

Heya
Well we have just had an amazing day, we got up really early again today and every one is really excited about going to see lots of international Baccalaureate students and talk to them all about their experiences and lives in america and how different it is over there to England. We interupted their Theory of Knowledge classes and talked to about 30 or 40 students. They were all very interested in our NHS system and schooling, and everyone asked lots of questions about what sort of music that we listened to and what sort of films we have over here.

NASA trip

Heya
Having an amazing time in America at the moment. We have had problems with connectivity and the wireless network so sorry but we couldn't send anything.

Well we arrived safely in Texas and the journey was very boring but everyone got to know everyone a bit better. We arrived at the Hilton and everyone was very impressed with their rooms!!! No-one was very up for much activities after the 10 and a half hour flight, so everyone went to their rooms and had a shower and got ready for dinner. We went out to dinner at Fudruckers and met Mr Abbey (who was the director of Johnston Space Center (JSC) and was responsible for sending space shuttles to the International Space Station.) He had lots of interesting stories to tell us and everyone listened very hard.

The next day I woke up at about 3.00am because my body clock hadn't reset, so i was exhausted for most however everyone soon found out that American portions are about 100x the English ones and only about one person finished their breakfasts - their pancakes are like cakes. Later on we went to Johnston space centre and met mr Ohjar , who was going to be our teacher for the next few days. We had a whole day of workshops on Mars and the problems of getting there, the history of Mars and whether or not there was or not once intelligent life on mars. It was all very interesting and we ending up doing lots of experiments with liquid nitrogen and fake snow stuff. We also did lots of calculations working out how many stars there were in the universe. Half way through Gene Cranz came in - he was the person in charge of the Apollo Missions - and Left Mr Ohjar speechless (which was quite an achievement as he could speak for England) We ate dinner at Villa Capris and met Mr George Abbey and Kevin Millett - who is an areospace and areonautical engineer, and is in charge of safety and maintenance. Also Mr Abbey - after finding out that we hadn't spoken to any real astronauts - phoned up one of his friends and asked him to talk to us! It was all really exciting but everyone was knackered and everyone needed their beds.

The Next day - Friday - we all had to get up at 6.30 and we had to have gone by 8.00 in the morning. We went to IHOP again and everyone was yet again fed really well. Next we went back to Johnston. This time we had a lecel nine tour - this included seeing the Neutral Buoyency lab - a huge swimming pool - in which astronauts train to see whether the suits are functioning properly and the water gives good practice for weightlessness. Then we went to the Vehicle training mockup facility and saw where astronauts train for getting in and out of their vehicles and emergency procedures. Next we visited missions control and we saw the present one in which they were controlling a shuttle at the moment, and the historic one which people controlled the Apollo and Gemini missions. It was a really interesting day.

The next day yet again we still had to get up at 6.30 in the morning again. Today was our last day in Texas and we started off at Johnston and did a Rocket workshop where we had to make our own rockets which had to survive the journey up into space, then had to come back down to earth and the parachutes had to come out and make the rocket come down safely. Ours didn't work because the parachute wouldn't come out. Later on we went to a very famous cowboy shop - and looked at all the saddles which had been handmade and were really beautiful. Also there were loads of cowboy hats and lots of our group bought one. We also saw the Thunderbirds in action as they did their airshow, which was facinating - even if we did see it from miles and miles away.

On Sunday we flew to Florida and it was a boring flight. Everyone was really tired after getting up at 6 so most people slept on the plane. When we arrived in Florida, we went straight to Kennedy Space centre and got our passes. Then we went to the hotel, to chill out and get in the pool.

On our first day in FLorida, we had a trip around Kennedy Space Centre which was really interesting, we saw different videos on trips to the moon and the Apollo missions, including Apollo 1 which was really sad because the entire crew died in a fire before they actually got into Space. We had a tour of the different places and saw the pad where the rockets are launched. We also saw the Astronauts walk of fame which was really amazing as many people connected with the astronauts had donated lots of things to this museum, like their boots or their hats. They also had a section of Mission control which was very hands on as they wanted us to press every button and flick every switch. We also went learn't about Aries 1 and 2. It was really fun and I dressed up as an astronaut - the suit was really heavy and really hot. We ate dinner in a buffet place called Whistle stop, and are going to go to an American Highschool and speak to the students.

Having an amazing time so far.


Will write soon as we have an internet conection now.
Bye for now
alice

Summary of Houston

Hi there to you,
It’s Elaine here. This is my first entry, we’re currently in Florida and it seems as if Houston went by in a flash. The first thing that springs to mind is Anu, he has been an awesome teacher and we’ve learnt loads about gravity, mars and N.A.S.A missions past and present due to him. Experiments included liquid nitrogen, marshmallows, rhinestone glasses (never mind), rockets (mine and Nicole’s got stuck in a tree) and tennis balls. Sadly we’ve left him behind but we won’t forget the only time we saw him speechless... when Gene Kranz walked in, Gene was in charge of the Apollo missions and the early Hubble space craft.
The Johnston space centre was incredible and everyone was so, so friendly and helpful. The level 9 tour was fascinating and it seems strange that launching the huge Saturn 5 rockets- of which we have seen 2 of the only 3- was even possible. Now it seems that what we view as impossible is just over the horizon and we owe thanks to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who stretched these boarders. We have only met a few of these people but their stories have been unbelievable and never again will we have the chance to meet and talk to men and women like George Abby, Gene Kranz, J P Chretin and Kevin Millet, only one of them an astronaut (the others put them there).
If all goes to plan we will keep updating daily, thank to all those who are supporting us and our teachers.
Love you all, Elaine. Xxx
P.S i have loads more to tell you but that can wait until tomorrow

Congratulations Alice on a lovely speech.  Very well received by parents, pupils and even the staff (although a few may not be talking to you upon your return).

We hope the journey went well for all of you and we await the first installment of your "diary".  Have a fun week. 

Mr. P.

Alice and Elaine are off to the USA tomorrow morning.

Visit this page daily to read their diary and find out how their visit to NASA is going.

Mr P.