WHAT: Science Fiction to Science Fact presentation

WHO: Bill Ledbetter

WHEN: Saturday May 12, 2012 from 12:45 – 1:30pm

WHERE: Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
1600 Gendy St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107

1952. Tom Corbett: Space Cadet. One of the originals and considered to be loosely based on Robert A. Heinleins YA novel, Space Cadet. (Thanks to RimWorld.com for image)

BEER & BONES: SPACE CADETS

Thursday June 21, 2012

7pm to 10pm

Beer & Bones parties offer adults 18 and up a special nighttime look at MNS’ traveling exhibits, permanent collection, even unique chances to see artifacts not usually available to the public. Each Beer & Bones party features special grown-up activities, a DJ to pump things up, light snacks and a cash bar to toast these very special occasions!

Beer & Bones party themes vary, (this year, it’s “Space Cadets”) so it’s never the same party twice and there’s never a dull moment. Come and check out the parties that go down in history, and see why the Museum isn’t just for kids!

Parties go from 7-10pm. Advance tickets for Beer & Bones are available online or by calling DMNS at 214-428-5555. Parking, as usual, is FREE! For more information on the DMNS website, go here.

See you at the Dallas Museum of Nature & Science!

NSS Executive Director Paul Damphousse (carrying Heinlein Award) and Dr. Stephen Hawking. Photo: Lee Ray. Courtesy nss.org

(Washington, D.C., March 28) The National Space Society (NSS) is pleased to announce Dr. Stephen Hawking as the 14th recipient of NSS’s Robert A. Heinlein Memorial Award. The award was presented to Dr. Hawking at aspecial ceremony at the Cooks Branch Conservancy in Montgomery, Texas on Wednesday, March 28 and is given in recognition of his outstanding and continuing public efforts in support of human space development and settlement.

“I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be in space,” says Hawking. “It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster on planet Earth in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million. The human race shouldn’t have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let’s hope we can avoid dropping the basket until we have spread the load.”

Read full press release. Also see Stephen Hawking 25-minute video: Why We Should Go into Space (with transcript).

Come join us at Spring Creek BBQ on Beltline RD in Irving this Sunday.

NASA’s Space Launch System website

Patricia Ferguson (Author), James Dorr (Author), Lynn Lewis (Author), Richard H. Peake (Author), Daniel Ausema (Author), Michael Baldwin (Author), John F. Foster (Author), Jack Horne (Author), Rie Sheridan Rose (Author), Jim Reader (Author), Stephen Sanders (Author), Barbara Lewie Berry (Author), Juan Manuel Perez (Author), Greg Beatty (Author), Kevin James Miller (Author), Bruce Golden (Author), Naomi Stroud Simmons (Author), Brenda Roberts (Author), Clifford Roberts (Author), Joe Blanda (Author)

Moon The Eighth Continent An Anthology of Space Poetry

is available at Amazon.com! Get your copy now.

NSSNT celebrates Yuri's Night 2012 with poetry at the Benbrook Library

Yuri’s Night celebration for 2012, sponsored by 2nd Tuesday Poetry Series on April 10, 2012, 7pm to  pm at Benbrook Library, 1065 Mercedes Street, Benbrook, TX 76126.  There will be a reception from 7pm-7:30, followed by readings from Moon, the Eighth Continent and other space poetry. Seven of the local poets in the anthology will be there.

View Benbrook Library in a larger map

Aerospace & Engineering students of Coppell HS at NSSNT

Bill Montana, continued the presentation, on the Fredricksburg HS program. Mr. Montana said that there were 45 schools across Texas doing this type of engineering and aerospace high school project, but only 5 schools are doing the high altitude project, and so far, only 1 school has been successful.

This is a tough project for anyone, especially high school students. Seventeen students will finish the program.

The Coppell Aeroscience program is a three-year program in which students learn physics and engineering principles in the context of designing, building, and testing rockets. This program is unique in that it employs problem-based learning, in which students direct their own learning as they work together to solve ill-defined real-world problems.

CHS Aeroscience is part of the School of Engineering within the STEM Academy at Coppell High School. The three courses are STEM Rocketry II (open to sophomores), STEM Rocketry III (open to juniors), and STEM Rocketry IV (open to seniors). All STEM students take STEM I as freshmen.

Coppell Aeroscience is Coppell High School’s implementation of an Aeroscience program, SystemsGo, begun by Brett Williams of Fredericksburg High School. The SystemsGo Aeroscience curriculum is being shared with high schools across the state by SystemsGo. More information can be obtained by visiting SystemGo’s website.

This project is a senior level project. The students can choose either a trans-sonic project or a high altitude rocket project. The students at Coppell H. S. selected the high altitude rocket project.

The project is to have the students start from scratch and build the project all the way to flight, ending up at White Sands New Mexico in the summer to launch. For the 2012 class, tentative launch date is in June.

The T-STEM Aerospace/Rocketry Program was awarded to IGNITE, an educational nonprofit, to implement the SystemsGo Aeroscience program. The Rocketry program provides professional development and support to teachers to implement upper level courses in up to 20 high schools. The program enables students to participate in hands-on, project based engineering and technology programs and competitions.

Coppell High School’s Aerospace project instructor is Bill Montana. He has been a teacher in the rocket program for 5 years and this is his second year doing the high altitude project. He said it costs about $30,000 for the entire program, half is spent on the trip getting to White Sands, as well as lodging and meals.

One of the biggest challenges to progressive programs such as this is funding. Mr. Montana said that this project needs a machine shop to donate time and materials and other funds to see the project through to completion. The school itself does not fund this project, and fundraising activities by the students cover only the minimal requirements. Contact Bill Montana for more information or donations to this project at http://chsaeroscience.weebly.com/

Follow them on Twitter as @chs_aeroscience.

Everyone at NSSNT wishes the aerospace students all the best in their endeavors.