Picture Perfect

Atlantis made a perfect landing today. It was exciting to see her touch the ground. To me, it was also a little sad. Atlantis will fly into space only one more time. There are only five shuttle missions left. Then the shuttles will be retired. It is sad to see them go.

The shuttles have flown since 1979. They have allowed humans to do many things. More than 600 astronauts have flown on the shuttles. They have completed hundreds of science experiments in space. They have fixed satellites and docked with space stations. The shuttles have carried more than three million pounds of cargo.

After 2010, a new rocket will launch humans into space. It is called the Ares rocket. The new rocket will help humans go back to the moon. If you would like to learn more about the Ares rocket, go to http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/354470main_aresIX_fs_may09.pdf

Do you like to build models? After Thanksgiving, your recycle bin is a good place to find parts to build your own Ares rocket! Go to http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/385179main_AresI_Can_Model.pdf. Have fun and fly high!


Photo courtesy NASA.

Butterflies in Space

Right now, caterpillars are circling the earth! Yesterday NASA launched space shuttle Atlantis. The astronauts took many experiments with them. One of their experiments will use caterpillars.

Tomorrow, the shuttle will dock with the international space station. The astronauts will leave the caterpillars on the space station.

The caterpillars will live in space. They will live in a special home. It will have air, food, and water. It will have all the things they need. The only thing missing will be gravity.

Scientists want to learn how butterflies grow in space. They want to learn if the caterpillars will make cocoons. They want to learn if they will hatch into butterflies. They want to learn if the butterflies will fly.

NASA wants you to be part of this experiment. You can watch the butterflies on the computer. Just go to http://www.k8science.org/space/STS_Mission_129.cfm. NASA also has projects that you can use for school. Have fun with NASA’s “butterflynauts!”