Astronaut Barbara Morgan In Spotlight During STS-118 Mission

What is it like to go from zero to 17,000 miles per hour in just over eight minutes? Or to orbit 220 miles above earth? When the Space Shuttle Endeavor blasts off tomorrow for its 12-day mission in space, teachers and students can follow the activities of NASA astronaut and teacher Barbara Morgan (right) through the Sally Ride Science blog.

The Sally Ride Science blog features a series of science-themed entries to help elementary and middle school teachers illustrate real world applications of science concepts and spark lively classroom discussions. Designed for grades four through eight, the blog includes ideas to engage and inspire students as they explore the exciting world of science.

The first blog installment, "Back to School, Back to Space," features daily entries about Morgan’s flight to the International Space Station. "Back to School, Back to Space" shares Morgan’s experiences about being a teacher in space, and provides an up-close look into her daily activities. The blog entries offer teachers an innovative way to connect the classroom to the outside world -- even if it is a couple hundred miles above earth.

The exclusive blog entries are authored by journalist Irene Klotz, a Florida-based freelance writer and columnist specializing in aerospace, who will be in touch with Morgan throughout the mission. Klotz first met Morgan in 1987 when NASA was preparing to return the shuttle fleet to flight following the Challenger disaster.

Morgan's flight is the 94th shuttle mission Klotz has covered. Klotz’s work appears regularly on Reuters newswire, Discovery Channel and other global and national media outlets.

NASA astronaut Barbara Morgan began her teaching career in 1974. Morgan was selected as the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Program in 1985. She trained with Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Following the Challenger accident, Morgan assumed the duties of Teacher in Space Designee. In fall 1986, she returned to Idaho to resume teaching at McCall-Donnelly Elementary School, where she remained until 1998. During that time, she continued to work with NASA’s Education Division.

In 1998, Morgan was selected by NASA as a mission specialist and reported to the Johnson Space Center. Following two years of training and evaluation, she was assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. She then served in the Astronaut Office CAPCOM Branch, working in Mission Control as prime communicator with on-orbit crews. More recently, she served in the Robotics Branch of the Astronaut Office.

FMI: www.sallyridescience.com