SpaceX Dragon capsule departs the International Space Station in May 2014.
Image Credit:
NASA
SPACEX UPDATE: Today, NASA shared a press release about the upcoming SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station.
The sixth SpaceX cargo mission to the ISS is scheduled to launch on Monday, April 13, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. NASA TV coverage of the launch begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific time. The Falcon 9 is set to lift off at 1:33 p.m. Atop it will be a Dragon capsule filled with over 4,300 pounds of supplies and payloads, including materials to support about 40 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 43 and 44 aboard the ISS.
The press release says NASA will host a series of prelaunch news conferences on Sunday, April 12, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hopefully MPA's field reporter will get to attend those, at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., which will air live on NASA TV. During the conferences, scientists and researchers will discuss the onboard science and research studies. A brief, pre-launch news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. Seattle time Sunday, and a post-launch briefing will be held approximately 90 minutes after liftoff Monday.
The science investigations included on this mission include "exploring new ways to possibly counteract the microgravity-induced cell damage seen during spaceflight; studying the effects of microgravity on the most common cells in bones; gathering new insight that could lead to treatments for osteoporosis and muscle wasting conditions; continuing studies into astronaut vision changes; and testing a new material that could one day be used as a synthetic muscle for robotic explorers of the future," per the press release.
Dragon is scheduled to reach the ISS on Wednesday, April 15. Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency will use the station's 57.7-foot arm to reach out and capture Dragon at approximately 4 a.m. Pacific time on the 15th. NASA TV coverage of grapple will begin at 2 a.m. Pacific time.
SCHOOLED: Access to education is the next issue the kids' social issues club will be examining. There are so many barriers to education, it's hard to know where to start, but we decided to look at the dollars and 'sense' of it all.
To that end, today we read a number of articles on the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) Web site. GEFI was launched in September of 2012 by the United Nations Secretary-General, to accelerate progress towards the Education for All goals and the education-related Millennium Development Goals. The graphic below (from the UN's GEFI), outlines the organizations' three priority areas.
Global Education First Iniative has published a booklet about its goals. It is a *wonderful* resource, covering the myriad of problems and obstacles facing education today. It also outlines solutions to these problems. It's definitely worth a look: http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/files/GEFI_Brochure_ENG.pdf
Obviously, funding for education is a problem that spans the globe. We read the book, "Listen to the Wind," about Greg Mortenson (of "Three Cups of Tea" fame) helping start a school in the mountains of Pakistan after villagers there showed him kindness after his failed attempt to climb K2. Mortenson went on to help build other schools in remote villages in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
However, I knew that if we were going to use anything by or about Mortenson as a resource, unfortunately, we had to also talk about how the philanthropist's story went rather sideways as donations to the charity he co-founded poured in, so we watched an NBC news video interview from 2014 with him, where he talks about his failures. (Mortenson was eventually ordered to pay $1 million back to Central Asia Institute, the non-profit he co-founded, and step down from its board.)
Educational funding problems also strike close to home. We read parts of the Washington State Supreme Court's decision from September of 2014, holding the state legislature in contempt of court for its continued failures to adequately fund state K-12 schools. In its decision, the court gave the legislature "the opportunity to purge the contempt" during the 2015 legislative session. If it's not resolved, "the court will reconvene and impose sanctions or other remedial measures."
The clock is ticking.
DRAWN IN: This afternoon, Annabelle was working on our never ending book project, and was having trouble drawing her main character wrapped in a blanket. CJ was conscripted to be an artist's model, and then it was done in a snap!
ART ALERT: When we were at the Magnolia branch of Seattle Public Libraries today, we spied news of a weekly art session for students grades 4 and up. It starts this coming Wednesday. We will be sure to check it out at some point (tomorrow, if Annabelle has her way!).
Also worth noting: Seattle Public Libraries has a full slate of school break activities lined up for local spring breakers. Check out their calendar here: http://www.spl.org/audiences/all-ages/school-break-activities/school-break-activities-calendar
No comments:
Post a Comment