SPace Jam

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1R-1vZUudshX_4lMe2sav8gsz7GSdv6eXcuBFhe83gpU/edit?usp=sharing

https://github.com/SpaceJam-NASA-Hackathon/project/blob/main/README.md

This is a project submission for the NASA Hackathon - Space Apps Challenge solution for the "Near Space, Near You" Challenge to design a lesson plan about low-cost balloons for reaching near space.

This challenge is exciting because it allows students to become motivated to further explore science, engineering, mathematics and design concepts by engaging in project based learning with relatively few or minimal costs. Similarly, this project could be taken on by a group of parents, mentors, or older students who wish to energize younger students and encourage the love of learning at any age.

The idea of using a balloon to perform experiments in near-space conditions can be used as a springboard for discussions on what it means to design and conduct an experiment in space. If we wanted to send up an experiment to space, for example, wouldn't that require a sizable budget, and access to a space shuttle, not to mention convincing someone that our experiment was worthwhile to take aboard a space mission? Instead, scientists and students can use weather balloons to perform experiments in near space conditions as an approximation of sorts at a fraction of the cost as a way to learn more about the atmosphere. With the recent popularity of citizen science and near-space flight, this can be one way to stimulate discussion and leverage the media buzz to ignite learning.

The lesson ideas can be extended into multiple directions as some examples illustrate. For instance, before discussing how a balloon is made or how to predict a flight plan, the group may wish to engage in a discussion of what powers such a balloon in the first place, i.e. Helium, and what exactly is this gas? How is it made? Is it scarce or abundant on Earth? Where does it come from? And so on. One discussion that may emerge is that certain gasses actually take many years to be formed, and are not unlimited in quantity, that is there is a scarcity factor to consider. This tangent can be extended to other related topics such as concepts related to sustainability, for example.

We believe that by engaging students at an early age in hands-on applied activities that combine both theory and practice such as project based learning, hackathons, exploratory museum visits, and so on, students begin to develop an interest for these kinds of activities. By facilitating these experiences we not only pass on the love of learning, the fun and importance of learning as well.

NASA (2017) Balloon Launch Locations. URL: https://www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons/launch-locations

This was the approach taken:

• Research the topic
• Brainstorm approach
• Discuss with family members and friends on possible solution - with thanks to my mom Tamara Aliseitchik for insights on how parents can play a role in motivating young students to ignite love of learning in STEM fields at a young age by participating in similar hackathons and activities, and former classmate in a graduate Environmental Economics class Maggie Maillot for discussion on what is a hackathon, how does a lesson based activity align with this endeavor.

I learned that:

• Balloons are instrumental to science discovery
• Project based learning sparks learning in self and peers
• Motivation for scientific projects is contagious - start early to convince friends to join
• Challenge in convincing others to participate and

1. NPR (2019) "The World is Constantly Running Out of Helium Here's Why it Matters". URL: https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775554343/the-world-is-constantly-running-out-of-helium-heres-why-it-matters
2. Launch With Us (2016) Near Space Balloon Balloon Burst Calculator URL: https://launchwithus.com/lwu-blog/2016/6/26/near-space-balloon-burst-altitude-calculator-sceience
3. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Skit About Astronaut Ice Cream Launch and Retrieve. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69l15CZ-ZCY
4. NASA Tabor, A. (2017) Scientific Balloons : Nineteen Miles Up, Experiment Reveals Earth Microbes’ Likely Fate on Mars. URL: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/nineteen-miles-up-experiment-reveals-earth-microbes-likely-fate-on-mars
5. Mohamed Thaheer A S et al (2018) "Development and Testing of a USM High Altitude Balloon" J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1005 012048. URL: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1005/1/012048/pdf
6. National Geographic (2019) "Source Library Encyclopedia Entry: Atmosphere." URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/atmosphere/
7. National Geographic (2019) "Resource Library Encyclopedic Entry: Air" URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air/
8. National Geographic (2021) "Resource Library Encyclopedic Entry: Technology and the Atmosphere" URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/technology-and-atmosphere
9. Launch With Us (2016) Near Space Balloon Balloon Burst Calculator. URL: https://launchwithus.com/lwu-blog/2016/6/26/near-space-balloon-burst-altitude-calculator-sceience
10. Associated Press ( 2008) "'Balloon-atic' in lawn chair aims to fly 300 miles". NBC News. URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25508563 ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MUegI0WLn8
11. ABC News (May 27, 2008 , July 11, 2007) "Fly Away: Man Uses Balloon, Lawn Chair to Float Away" URL: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3365726
12.  NASA (2017) Balloon Launch Locations. URL: https://www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons/launch-locations
13. Launch With Us (2015) High Altitude Balloon (HAB) Flight Path Prediction Guide. URL: https://launchwithus.com/lwu-blog/2015/12/29/space-camp-lesson-3-flight-path-prediction
14. Greig, A., Randall, S. (2010) Cambridge University Spaceflight Landing Predictor (github) URL: https://predict.habhub.org/
15. Stafford. S, Knighton, B. (). High Altitude Balloon Flight Predictions.Montana State University- Bozeman. URL: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/atmosphere/
16. NOAA . What to do if you find a weather balloon/radiosonde URL: https://www.weather.gov/upperair/radiosonde
17. University of Illinois (). A tutorial about GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHT . URL : https://www.weather.gov/source/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/Miscellaneous/Heights_Thicknesses/thickness_temperature.htm
18. University of Wyoming (2021) Upper Air Maps . URL: http://weather.uwyo.edu/cgi-bin/uamap?REGION=naconf&OUTPUT=gif&TYPE=obs&TYPE=an&LEVEL=500&date=2021-10-03&hour=12

#balloons #science #learning #fun

This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.