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Students work on a little piece of NASA satellite
From left, North Medford juniors Jamie Parkinson, Shannon Leever and Dan Edwards work as a team to polish their bit of Starshine 4. By MEG LANDERS It's not every day that Tiffany Lynch gets to work on a piece of a NASA project. "It's kinda neat to think it's gonna be on a satellite," says the North Medford High School senior. Tiffany is one of Gary Sprague's astronomy students devoting time and elbow grease to polishing 12 round, flat pieces of aluminum 1 inch in diameter that will be used to make up a 19-inch-diameter satellite. The satellite is scheduled to be launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's space shuttle Atlantis in January. The disco ball-like reflective satellite will be monitored to help study the density of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Project Starshine is a cooperative, international volunteer student project which already has launched three similar satellites since 1999. Sprague's students are working on Starshine 4. Jessica Stormberg begs for a polishing break as she makes tiny figure eights with the mirror on a paste-covered cloth. "My arm is cramping, do you want to do this?" asks the junior, giving her astronomy partner the opportunity. "I've always loved stars and stuff," says Jessica. "It's kinda cool to be included in this." The many grinding and polishing phases involve aluminum oxide, polishing lubricant, and various abrasive pastes. The project must be completed by the end of March, says Sprague. Next, his class will monitor two Starshine satellites currently orbiting in the atmosphere about 250 miles above the Earth, he says. Gil Moore, of Monument, Colo., is the designer of the satellites and director of the Starshine Project. He says that after 55 years in the space business, he wanted to come up with a project for young enthusiasts. "The goal is to involve children in doing a real space experiment," he says in a telephone interview. With his connections, he's been able to get some assistance. From designing and engineering to building and launching, the entire project is volunteer. "NASA doesn't charge us a dime to launch," says Moore, a retired professor of space engineering at the Air Force Academy outside of Colorado Springs, Colo. "This is a real set of space experiments and the data is being used professionally," he says. "We hope to help spaceships to use less rocket fuel." He estimates the Starshine 4 will be orbiting for eight months before it is burned up in the atmosphere. To learn more and find out when the satellites can be seen over the Rogue Valley, visit the Web site at www.azinet.com/starshine. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com. |
