GRAIL Naming
19 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Our Progress, Schooling Tags: astronomy, GRAIL, NASA, Science
Last Friday, I submitted the names for the GRAIL satellites that our children came up with. As you may recall, they were to decide on two names, one for each of the GRAIL satellites. All of the kids worked together and brainstormed different names, then they voted. The winners were….Tom and Jerry. Yup, just like the cartoon. After they decided what the names should be, they all worked together and wrote up a little explanation of why they chose those names. I thought I would include it here. We will find out if our names are selected sometime in December. Here is what we submitted:
We want to start by thanking you for allowing us to participate in this contest. We also want to thank you for sending the GRAIL satellites to study the moon so we can learn more about it. This year our homeschool co-op, the Explorers, is studying astronomy. We are very excited for the opportunity to explore with NASA and learn more about the moon, through the GRAIL mission.The names that we have chosen for the two GRAIL satellites are Tom and Jerry, just like the cartoon. We chose these names for several reasons. First, in the same way Tom and Jerry chase each other, the two GRAIL satellites will have to “chase” each other once they get into orbit around the moon. Second, after the GRAIL satellites “catch” each other, they will have to work together to study the moon and accomplish their mission. Tom and Jerry always end up working together to accomplish their goals. Third, Tom and Jerry run into problems, as do NASA scientists. It is important for both Tom and Jerry and the NASA scientists to help each other solve the problems, especially when communicating with satellites as far away as the moon. Next, just like Tom and Jerry are always up to something, NASA scientists are constantly coming up with new inventions and ideas. Last, in one episode Tom and Jerry went to the moon. That was only pretend, but this would be a chance for them to really go there.Thank you again for letting us be a part of this program. We have really enjoyed it and it was very cool. We hope that you will allow people to participate in naming missions in the future. Thank you for your consideration.
I Believe I Can Fly….
03 Nov 2011 1 Comment
in Curriculum, Our Progress, Schooling Tags: astronomy, GRAIL, History, MoonKAM, NASA, Science
I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day…
When I was a child, I wanted so very much to become an astronaut when I grew up! As far back as I can remember, I dreamed about the stars and heavens. At night, I would stare longingly up at the sky (something that has never changed). I’ve always been in absolute awe at the wonder and beauty of the heavens. As I grew, I studied all I could about astronomy and NASA and the history of space travel. For years, I took any story on astronomy or space travel out of the newspaper and put them up on my bedroom walls. One of the greatest birthday presents I ever received was when my mom wrote to dozens of former astronauts and asked them if they would just send me a picture or write a letter, and she gave me everything that they sent. I was part of the astronomy club in high school. My senior project in high school was on the Space Race, and once I got to college, the first classes I took were the astronomy classes.
I tell you all this so you can understand how much I truly LOVE all things space.
So, when we gave the kids the choice of what science they wanted to focus on this year, and they picked astronomy, I was pretty excited. I was hoping I could get the kids to be excited about it, too (maybe not as much as I am, but excited nonetheless.) I think astronomy is a great science to begin with, because it touches so many of the other sciences. It also inspires a lot of imagination and creativity.
In preparing for our lessons, I like to try to keep up to date on what is happening now in astronomy news. So, one day, I was going through my NASA app and found a story that really caught my eye. NASA is having a contest for kids to name two spacecraft. You have to admit, it would be pretty awesome to name a NASA spacecraft. 
Here’s the deal on the contest. In September, NASA launched to satellites into space; they are currently on their way to the moon. Once they get into orbit around the moon, in January, they will spend a bit of time getting synced up together and will begin orbiting the moon together. Then, beginning in March 2012, they will work together and start mapping the inside of the moon, by measuring the changes in gravity as they orbit. The mission, called GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory), is amazing. To think, we can know what is happening inside the moon, just from measuring shifts in gravity, just amazes me! Currently, the two satellites are called GRAIL 1 and GRAIL 2. However, NASA would like the kids to rename them. So, our children will be working on coming up with a name for each craft, and the reasoning behind the name. NASA is looking for something with substance and meaning. I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids! We even spent some time looking at the history of space travel, in particularly, going to the moon, in order to help them understand a little better, and maybe even come up with some ideas. We will be submitting our names next week.
Alright, that was cool enough, right? Yeah, I think so. But wait! There’s more!! Be prepared to have your mind completely blown!! 
So, on each of these two satellites, there is a camera that will be taking pictures of the moon. But, not just any pictures….pictures that kids will take! This part of the mission is called MoonKAM, which is Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students. Here’s the deal. Teachers can register their classrooms to be a part of the MoonKAM program. Then, the students in the class will be able to get online and tell the camera what to take pictures of on the moon. They will be able to have the cameras zoom in and out and then decide what they want to take pictures of. Now, hold on……WE’VE BEEN APPROVED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS!!!!!!!
That’s right, our little homeschool co-op is going to be part of a real live NASA mission!! Right from our very living rooms, we’ll be able to get online and communicate with satellites that are ORBITING THE MOON!!!
Mind=Blown!
I don’t even know how to convey the excitement I have over this! And when I told the kids, they were ecstatic! We were all pretty sure that it would just be for kids in “regular school.” But, I thought, it won’t hurt to try! And BAM, just like that, we are going to be part of something truly historic and monumental! I just can’t even tell you how amazing this is!! I’ve always wanted to be part of NASA, and now we’ll all get that opportunity. It’s just completely astonishing to me!!
I am truly grateful the kids will be able to experience all of this, especially during the year we are learning about astronomy! All the pieces just fell into place and it’s just perfect. This, I believe, is an experience they will always treasure.
