Today finally provided the conditions for a successful launch of the Orbital Sciences Antares rocket that was carrying the STEM Academy’s SSEP experiment to the International Space Station.
After Wednesday’s early scrub, much of the morning was spent following the countdown “live” via Twitter and the constant stream of information from #Orb1 and @ISS101.
As launch time approached the six remaining SSEP delegations met up for lunch and made their way to the end of Arbuckle Neck Road. This viewing site put the delegation approximately 2 miles from the launch pad. Fortunately two of the student researchers were able to stay to experience the launch along with a few family members.
Student Researchers with the rocket of to the right of the background.
The view from Arbuckle Neck Road
As launch time approached the check-in tweets began flying. Tweets were posted by Mr. Campbell showing the 2/3 of the research team that was unable to be at Wallops today, together in the Knowledge Commons waiting and watching. Tweets from both Mrs. Dunn’s English Class and Frau Staub’s German class at the STEM Academy were also posted just to let everyone know that they were watching with anticipation.
Our Research Team in the KnoCo
Mrs. Dunn’s Class
Frau Staub’s Class
At just after 1:07PM EST the Antares rocket, carrying the experiment of eight STEM Academy Students and the artwork of two fellow DASD students, finally came to life and rushed skyward. The rocket remained visible for the better part of the next three minutes as it climbed into orbit finally disappearing in the blue sky over the Atlantic Ocean.
Antares just after ignition
Over the next two days the Cygnus module will maneuver itself into position to dock with the ISS. Docking is scheduled to happen early Sunday morning with live coverage on NASA TV beginning at 5:00AM EST.
Upon arrival at the ISS, the experiments and other cargo will be unloaded and the execution phase of the experiment will begin.
While most of the posts to this blog have mostly reported the happenings in and around our program, as I reflect on our 3 day adventure to the Wallops Flight Facility for the launch of Orbital Sciences Antares rocket, I feel the need to stray from that a bit here as I reflect on the experience.
For those that do not know us, we are a very unique school with the best type of problems that you can find in education: Our Students are all in. Our Staff is all in. Our Parents are all in. and Our Community is all in. While this does create a little pressure and a bit of stress on all parties, it is all in the effort to provide the best education for each of the STEM Academy’s students.
While I always felt this to be true, the events of the last year, and particularly the last three days, brought it into sharp focus. Below I highlight a few of the things that I will take away from our trip to NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility.
- Having nearly 30 members of the DASD STEM Academy family in attendance to see our students present their experiment to the press, NASA officials and other SSEP delegations. And even after knowing the launch was scrubbed for the day, spending the rest of the morning and afternoon being interviewed by both local and national media outlets.
- After being so excited to present their experiment that they forgot to introduce themselves in their presentation, our students publicly thanked the entire staff at STEM (with a special shout out to Dr. Carrier) in front of a packed auditorium of press, NASA officials, and other delegations for their commitment and support.
- Having dinner Wednesday night with the two remaining student researchers and their families and having a conversation with both parents where they asked very candid questions about why we believe so strongly in our mission. And feeling that they walked away feeling more strongly than ever in what it can do for education as a whole.
- After sending the headmaster approximately a million emails regarding this project/trip (which he may or may not have read every word of) he sends me the text below just to make sure that my blood pressure spiked just before lift off.
Speaking for Dr. Staub and myself, this culture is the product of the collective commitment of our entire school community to provide the very best in opportunities. While it was was not built over night and it will take work to maintain this level, we must recognize that we are very lucky to work in a place where we can take big chances and ask our students to do big things and be met with a response of “How can we not do it?” at all levels of our school community.
Talk about all in…
Downingtown STEM Academy 