Education Payload Operations (EPO)
- Paper number
IAC-08.A2.6.B9
- Author
Mr. Matthew Keil, NASA Johnson Space Center, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Overview: Education Payload Operations (EPO) is an education payload or activity designed to support NASA‘s mission to inspire the next generation of explorers. Generally, these payloads and activities focus on demonstrating science, mathematics, technology, engineering or geography principles on orbit. EPO goals and objectives are met by capturing video and still images of the crew operating EPO hardware. The images are used to support NASA education products and services. The overall goal for every mission is to facilitate education opportunities that use the unique environment of spaceflight.
In support of STS-118, NASA Education has put together a comprehensive education plan designed to engage students in the mission through an engineering design challenge in which students will design, build and evaluate their own plant growth chambers for future missions to the moon and Mars. The challenge ties directly to the two education payloads that have flown on STS-118 (EPO Kit C and EPO Educator).
EPO Educator was manifested for launch and return on flight STS-118/13A.1 while EPO Kit C was manifested for launch on STS-118/13A.1 and return on STS-120/10A. The investigations and related activities have strong ties to NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration, encouraging students to pursue studies and careers in STEM fields and applying these disciplines to future exploration goals.
EPO-Kit C: EPO-Kit C is an education payload consisting of two small collapsible plant growth chambers and the associated hardware to conduct a 20-day plant germination investigation (See Figure 1 and 2). During the investigation, crew members maintained the plants and captured still images of plant growth. All images were incorporated into a comprehensive set of education activities planned in association with STS-118 and Increment 15.
EPO-Educator: EPO-Educator is an education payload consisting of approximately 10 million basil seeds. The seeds launched in SPACEHAB, remained on the shuttle and returned with STS-118/13A.1. After the mission, the seeds were distributed to students and educators as part of a comprehensive education plan for STS-118. On-orbit operations included capturing still images of the seeds in a microgravity environment. The still images were incorporated into a set of education activities.
Both EPO-Kit C and EPO-Educator align with ground-based education activities planned in conjunction with STS-118. As part of these activities, students in grades K-12 plan, design, build and validate the performance of their plant growth chamber design using flown and control seeds by conducting scientific investigations of their choosing.
EPO-Demos: EPO-Demos are education demonstration activities that are captured with video and have been conducted by International Space Station crewmembers since Increment 7. These education demonstrations are designed to use hardware already onboard the ISS. They are designed to enhance existing NASA education products and programs. Educators, students, and NASA Education Programs suggest activity topics. Students will also participate in design challenges connected to the payload. These investigations and related activities will have strong ties to NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration and will be designed to encourage students to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Highlighting unique NASA content, people, and facilities, the overall objective of EPO-demos is “…to inspire the next generation of explorers as only NASA can.” These videos can be used in presentations for educators and students. Please find a complete list of existing EPO-Demos in the Check Out Items section on our website.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
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