NASA’s Training Program For Home Astronauts

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NASA and the ISS National Lab offers lots of space-related activities and fun programs for all the kids in lockdown. From building a hovercraft, becoming a home astronaut, to launch rockets, children can enjoy now free educational activities. They can also explore science subjects, such as robotics, physics, maths, life sciences, or human health. All the lessons and guides are for kindergarten little students through to year 12.

Enjoy Lots of Space Lessons and Have Fun With NASA

Kids stuck at home can explore the Universe with NASA’s new educational space program. Students can join scientific teams online and do experiments similar to those astronauts on the ISS do. They can compare the results to those from space, and much more. For example, examining the microgravity utilizing simple materials to prove how astronauts float in space.

Children can also support the science in progress by choosing citizen science projects. They can search for new brown dwarfs and planets, train a computer to act like a scientist for next Mars missions. Or utilize satellite data to support biologists and their researches. Moreover, until April 22, children can even pick which plant astronauts will next grow in space. The project, dubbed the Leguminaut Challenge, is for SpaceX’s October shuttle resupply mission to offer astronauts a spacefaring legume.

Students involved in this project will join team Mungbean, Alfalfa, or Lentil, and decide which plant is the best for the ISS. As for educators, the Leguminaut Challenge also teaches them review processes and design thinking. These skills are perfect for the next challenges many parents might face during the lockdown.

“We know many students are learning at home right now, and hands-on activities are especially important to keep students engaged and learning,” detailed Dan Barstow, the ISS National Lab education manager. In developing such activities, the ISS National Lab and collaborators, such as NASA, intend to inspire purpose in young people during these tough times.

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