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.
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