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An Artist's Concept of the Lunar Traverse that serves as the backgrop for NASA's 2010 Desert RATS Image Credit/NASA
While the White House and Congress debate the nation’s future course in the exploration of space, NASA is preparing its engineers and scientists to carry out their decision, whether it be ambitious missions to the moon, the asteroids, or Mars. And this year, that means offering an introduction to its future engineers, scientists and astronauts as well — the students now making their way through grade, middle and high school.
Their ability to excel in science, technology, engineering and math, the STEM fields, will determine how far and how fast we go.
The Coalition for Space Exploration has joined with the Challenger Centers for Space Science Education to offer the public a unique opportunity to follow along as more than 100 scientists, engineers and astronauts from the space agency and top universities gather in Northern Arizona over the next two weeks to field test rovers, habitats, space suits, tools and the other high tech gear that will be needed for exciting voyages to distance destinations.
NASA calls the exercise Desert Rats, short for Desert Research and Technology Studies.
The test team will gather Tuesday, Aug. 31.
There’s an opportunity Wednesday, Sept. 1, for students to participate in a question-and-answer session with the test team over the Internet and then follow their activities on a daily basis as the field exercise unfolds.
This year’s test site is the Black Point Lava Flow, a vast stretch of high altitude terrain between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona that closely resembles regions of the lunar terrain.
Arizona's Black Point Lava Flow as Photographed by Astronauts Aboard the International Space Station Photo Credit/NASA
That’s where Joe Kosmo, NASA’s Desert Rats mission manager, and his team will web cast from on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 12:45 p.m., EDT. During a 30-minute presentation, team members will present an overview of this year’s activities, a lengthy simulated traverse involving two rovers operated by pairs of astronauts and geologists and a mobile habitat near the moon’s south pole.
Joe Kosmo, NASA's Desert RATS Mission Manager Photo Credit/NASA Photo
Students may start now to submit questions that will be answered by engineers and scientists during Wednesday’s web cast. Go to the Desert RATS’ Facebook page to join and submit questions.
NASA offers a comprehensive backgrounder on the 13-year-old Desert Rats project and the 2010 exercise.
There’s a Space Coalition backgrounder on the 2010 field test:
You may keep up with the Desert Rats’ day-to-day activities. Engineers and scientists will share their field experiences through regular blogs .
NASA's Centaur 2 provides mobility for a torso less Robonaut prototype during a previous Desert Rats field test Photo Credit/NASA Photo
Photos of daily activities will be posted regularly as well.
The field test may be followed on Facebook as well. Click “Like” for Desert RATS on Facebook. The page includes links, photos, as well as the comments/discussions form the Desert RATS team, students and others fascinated by the prospect of space exploration.
In addition, the Desert RATS team will tweet throughout the exercise. These brief communications will give a real-time status of the mission activities,
Don’t miss this inspiring opportunity to see some of the nation’s most visionary scientists and engineers lay the foundation for exciting new voyages of exploration.