EDCThe Exploration Design Challenge was developed to  engage students in science, technology, engineering and math by inviting them to help tackle one of the most significant dangers of human space flight—radiation exposure. This challenge was created through a partnership between NASA and Lockheed Martin, with support from the National Institute of Aerospace.

During EFT-1, Orion will fly through the Van Allen Belt, a dense radiation field that surrounds the Earth in a protective shell of electrically charged ions. Understanding and mitigating radiation exposure during Orion’s test flight can help scientists develop protective solutions before the first crewed mission. After EFT-1, the students will receive data indicating how well their design protected a dosimeter, an instrument used for measuring radiation exposure.

 

Over the past year, U.S. high school teams competed for a chance to fly a radiation shielding experiment on EFT-1. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson jointly announced the winners at the USA Science & Engineering Festival this past April: Team ARES from the Governor’s School for Science & Technology in Hampton, Va.

Students in grades K-12 from around the world can still be part of Orion’s first flight by completing a radiation shielding activity that can be found online at www.nasa.gov/education/edc . Students who complete the activity by June 30, 2014 will have their names flown on Orion.

You can follow EDC updates on Twitter at #radshield and @NASA_Orion.

 

[Original Article: NASA]