VSMS Overview
Introduction
The goal of this project is to develop a mobile/web application that will operate as a space mission simulation system to be used in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculums. The objective of the system is to give students exposure to what's involved with conducting a space mission.
The system will be known as the Virtual Space Mission Simulator (VSMS) and will allow students to experience as well as learn some of the scientific and technical details of a space mission from both the point of view of the flight crew and the mission control personnel. The system is not intended to act as full scale simulator like systems currently in use for aerospace development projects. The intent is to create a learning tool that will provide insight into the exciting world of science and engineering as it relates to space exploration.
Scope
There is an ongoing desire by government agencies to use technology to provide learning tools that will enable students to learn more effectively. One of the main goals of the STEM educational process is to increase the number of persons wishing to have careers in science and technology.
A 2011 report from the National Economic Council titled “A Strategy for American Innovation: Driving Towards Sustainable Growth and Quality Jobs” (The White House 2011), states: “We must first ensure that our economy is given all the necessary tools for successful innovation, from investments in research and development to the human, physical, and technological capital needed to perform that research and transfer those innovations.” It goes on to state that: “President Obama has proposed initiatives to dramatically improve teaching and learning in K-12 education, expand access to higher education and training, and promote student achievement and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields”. Furthermore: “Innovation is essential for creating new jobs in both high-tech and traditional sectors. In recent years, innovation has led to new jobs in high-tech and advanced manufacturing sectors as diverse as aerospace, nanotechnology, life sciences, and alternative energy.”
References
The White House. (2011, February 4). A Strategy for American Innovation: Driving Towards Sustainable Growth and Quality Jobs. Retrieved November 2, 2014, from www.whitehouse.gov: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nec/StrategyforAmericanInnovation
It is the aerospace component of the previous excerpt that the VSMS system is being proposed to address. Missions like the International Space Station (ISS), the Mars Rover projects and proposed future manned missions to the Moon and to Mars, have brought new excitement to the American space program. This excitement can be leveraged by giving students in STEM programs the ability to participate in space missions that they can plan and execute. The anticipated outcome is that some students will choose careers in the space industry. Perhaps those young people will go on to help develop the technologies needed to propel humans to the next level of space exploration.
The NASA Space Camp is a wonderful opportunity for students interested in space, science, and technology. The camp allows them to gain exposure to experiences they may never encounter otherwise. However, attending the camp is very expensive and can be out of reach of a great many students who have an interest in space. The goal of this project is to create a tool that will help students get the experience like those offered by the NASA Space Camp program without having to actually go to Space Camp. The Virtual Space Mission Simulator (VSMS) is a tool that will bring the Space Camp experience to the student.
VSMS brings the opportunity to work with space technology to students who may not be able to experience this due to financial limitations. Often students may have a desire to learn more about space technology but don't have the necessary tools at their disposal. For students who may not have the opportunity to visit their local NASA research center or to go to the NASA Space Camp, VSMS is a system that will bring those kinds of opportunities to them!