NASA Launches Educator Astronaut Program

For some students, the offer may sound like a Bart Simpson-esque moment: a chance to suggest that their teachers go into orbit.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has other plans for teachers nominated for space travel, however; the agency plans to train the teachers as astronauts. Those educator astronauts will then be charged with conveying the wonders of space exploration to our nations youth and inspiring more students to pursue careers in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.

"It's learning in a whole new light," said Dwayne Brown, spokesperson for NASA's Educator Astronaut program. "Who better to inspire the next generation [to study math and science] than a teacher?"

WE HAVE LIFT OFF

By early 2004, NASA plans to select for the program three to six teachers with backgrounds in mathematics, science, technology, or engineering. Students can Nominate a Teacher and teachers can apply themselves. Application information is on the Web site; the deadline for applications is April 30, 2003.

Interest in the program is high; two days after announcing the Educator Astronaut initiative, NASA was receiving about 100 nominations a day, Dwayne Brown told Education World. In the week following the January 21 announcement, NASA already had received 218 resumes, and almost 50,000 unique visitors had logged on to its Web site, said Deborah Brown, a former teacher and co-manager of the Educator Astronaut program. In addition, about 2,000 teacher nominations had come in from students, parents, and other teachers. Texas led the list with 301 nominations, followed by Florida, California, New York, and Pennsylvania.

"I just think teachers and students are fascinated by the subject matter," said Deborah Brown about the response. "I've always said, you can use space and dinosaurs to teach a kid about anything. This is a chance for teachers to discover more and learn more."

The quick and enthusiastic response also is seen as a sign of restored public confidence in the space program since the space shuttle Challenger exploded January 28, 1986. The explosion, which occurred shortly after take-off, killed all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher-astronaut.

Deborah Brown added that she is not aware of any applicants expressing reservations about the programs safety. "Safety is our number one priority," she said. "We are continually evaluating our safety procedures."

"The country is aware of the importance of math and science," Dwayne Brown said. "The reaction from the public so far is that this [Educator Astronaut program] is long overdue."

A NEW CORE MISSION

Education always has been an important part of NASAs work, but in April 2002, five months after taking office, NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe named education one of the space agency's core missions. "Today, America has a serious shortage of young people entering the fields of mathematics and science," O'Keefe said during an address at Syracuse University. "This critical part of our mission is to inspire the next generation of explorers so that our work can go on. This educational mandate is an imperative."

The Educator Astronaut program fulfills that core mission, Dwayne Brown noted.

NASA has been working with the U.S. Department of Education to develop programs to get children excited about science and technology careers, Deborah Brown told Education World, and the Educator Astronaut program is a big part of that effort. "By giving teachers a chance to experience science and technology at workwe are doing our part to help that mission along."

Current astronauts also will be traveling around the United States to talk about the program, Dwayne Brown said. NASA sees this as a way to spotlight one of our most treasured resources -- teachers."

Widows of several Challenger crewmembers have endorsed Educator Astronauts; some were present when NASA unveiled the program. And, for the first time since 1986, NASA has assigned a teacher-astronaut to a space flight. Barbara Morgan, the back-up astronaut for McAuliffe in 1986, is scheduled to fly on a Space Shuttle mission in November, 2003.

To learn more about Barbara Morgan, see the Education World e-interview Barbara Morgan: Always a Teacher!.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

The Educator Astronauts will be assigned to space shuttle missions, and some will travel to the International Space Station, Dwayne Brown said. When they're not training for a specific mission, the teacher-astronauts will speak to students and organizations.

Before they hit the road or the launch pad, Educator Astronauts face almost a year of training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. They must meet the same requirements as other astronauts-in-training, including rigorous physical conditioning. Training includes a "Survivor-"type stint, in which teams of astronaut-trainees are deposited at an isolated location for several days to live off the land. "They have to know safety measures, contingency plans -- everything," Dwayne Brown said.

Those who want to help with NASA's education programs, but aren't quite ready to suit up for space travel, can apply for NASAs Earth Crew. NASA is seeking students, teachers, and other adults interested in supporting the Educator Astronauts' on-Earth missions. "For every one astronaut, there are hundreds of support people," Dwayne Brown said.