On Sat, Aug 22, 2009 at 12:35 AM, Rocky Jonesorbitjet@hotmail.com wrote:
I offered three classes in a local Middle School after SS-1 was launched. The details were posted in this letter: http://128.54.16.15/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200602/msg00877.html As I noted then, it was a great success: the idea of communicating with an object pushed out of humanity's current only outpost in space was not lost to the students. I can honestly say that they found it considerably more engaging than other classes I have given on s
73, Bruce VE9QRP
Bruce...so we are doing satellites now for their educational not communicative value?
Rocky --
Thanks for your reply. I think you are positing a false dichotomy: I hadn't meant to suggest that these goals are exclusive. In fact, I hoped I'd suggested that the communication role of the bird would enhance its educative one. Moreover I'm likely to spend an order of magnitude more time communicating through SS-2 than teaching by means of it. I was responding to the implication in the original post that SS-2 would lack educational purpose.
Years ago when the twins were in High school they gave a demonstration to their class of "chatting it up" with people in space, some of which they latter got to come to their class (Houston) and have a follow up.
Proud parents aside...I dont see how the next one is going to be all that more interesting then the "Sputnik" revival (which got little attention)...
I guess I was trying to give experience-based evidence to the contrary: SS-1 was, as I said, *very* popular with the kids when I used it as a means of supplementing our province's gr. 7/8 orbital mechanics and radio theory. I expect SS-2 to be equally so.
and while NASA pushes the long term "invest in our youth" stick, they do it because they have nothing else to sell.
sorry the "we have to look after the kids thing" doesnt impress me much (of course now the twins are being slung off of the Ronald Reagan...)
You obviously have more experience and knowledge of the inner workings of NASA than I do. I don't mean to make a larger argument on behalf of it, or any such slogan above. Rather, I was just attempting to rebut the contention that SS-2 will have little educative value.
73, Bruce VE9QRP