INSA News The Latest in Aerospace Development and Public Outreach News for the Inland Northwest December 8, 2005

In This Issue:

Fundraising Effort Begins for CLCNR

INSA and local school celebrate with NASA

INSA contributes $50,000 for equipment

LifeGuard clinical trials to begin in January

2006 Glasgow M2M Camp to expand

INSA News is a publication that provides information about the Inland Northwest Space Alliance, our public education and outreach activities, research and development and INSA’s ongoing projects and partnerships.

http://www.inwspace.org

Fundraising Effort Begins for CLCNR

The Challenger Learning Center of the Northern Rockies began its fundraising effort in December. With a goal of $6 million dollars, CLCNR hopes to be operational by August 2007.

In May 2005, INSA was chosen to be the site of the Challenger Learning Center of the Northern Rockies. The Challenger Learning Center offers opportunities for people of all ages to have hands-on computer simulations of space flight through a teamwork curriculum that explores comets, Mars, the moon, and Earth in an exciting educational experience.

The EdVenture Lab is the first step in developing the Challenger Learning Center and has already been installed and is being used.

The families of the Challenger astronauts founded Challenger Center for Space Science Education in 1986 to continue the crew’s educational mission. Challenger Center’s strength comes from an international network of educators, scientists, and corporate and community leaders assembled by the Challenger families.

If you would like to donate or find out more about the Challenger Learning Center of the Northern Rockies, please contact Mike Britzius at (406) 541- 3130.
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INSA and local school celebrate with NASA
Hellgate

Hellgate Elementary School kicked off its three year stint as a NASA Explorer School on Wednesday, November 30, 2005 with a day full of space related fun.

Events lasted throughout the day and into the evening allowing members of Hellgate’s Robotics Club to display their work, listen to NASA astronaut, John Grunsfeld and get their picture taken in space.

Bonnie Dalton, Deputy Chief of Life Science Division at NASA Ames Research Center attended the celebration. Dalton, who is native Montanan, emphasized the importance for students to excel in math, science and technological fields.

“If a girl from Hardin, can do it, so can you,” said Dalton of her career at NASA.

Hellgate competed with 500 other schools to secure one of the 50 Explorer School spots. As an Explorer School, Hellgate has access to education specialists from NASA Centers and will acquire new teaching resources and technology tools to provide exciting learning experiences in science, mathematics and technology for students.

INSA continues to work with Hellgate Elementary and Hellgate Middle School to provide quality space education opportunities for students and teachers.
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INSA contributes $50,000 for equipment

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance contributed $25,000 to Rocky Mountain Agile Virtual Enterprise Technical Development Center (RAVE TDC) and the University of Montana Western and Helena Capital High School for the purchase of Haas precision manufacturing equipment.

The equipment will support UM-Western’s Industrial Technology Management program and Helena Capital’s Industrial Technology program. The equipment will provide hands-on technical education and manufacturing prototyping for students.

“Improving access to high technology training and career opportunities for Montana students is at the forefront of INSA’s mission,” said INSA CEO George Bailey. “We are delighted to contribute to this worthwhile effort.”

INSA is working with RAVE Creativity Forge to further its “Forge Affiliate” program aimed at extending the benefits of its Haas Technical Education Center designation throughout the state. The INSA seed program will form the basis of a larger effort to obtain external funding from federal, state and private sources for the purpose of purchasing significant quantities of these packages for a broad- based effort to expand the program throughout the state.

“The UM Western Industrial Technology program produces most of the industrial arts teachers for high schools across the state,” said Rick Donovan, Director of RAVE TDC. “It is a good fit for what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The Rocky Mountain Agile Virtual Enterprise Technical Development Center is located at Montana Tech in Butte and is one of only 51 designated Haas Technical Education Centers in the nation. The program is designed to support the emerging light manufacturing sector of Montana’s economy by providing critical educational opportunities in precision fabrication for local residents.
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LifeGuard clinical trials to begin in January

The first phases of testing have begun on the LifeGuard C-Pod device at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. St. Pat’s is testing the C-Pod to ensure no electromagnetic interference issues will hinder upcoming clinical trials.

LifeGuard is a wearable wireless physiological monitoring system developed for astronauts by NASA Ames Astrobionics and the Stanford National Biocomputation Center. It is capable of monitoring vital signs including 2 channels of ECG, respiration rate, heart rate, activity, skin temperature, blood oxygen level and blood pressure for several hours. The device transmits the data on demand in real-time using secure wireless technology.

Clinical trials are scheduled to begin in January when four test scenarios will be conducted near Seeley Lake and two more in the spring in Anchorage, Alaska.

Scenarios will test LifeGuard’s capacity for aiding in rural medical emergency situations.

Ten device prototypes have already been manufactured by S&K Electronics and will serve the next stage of development.

In April 2005, INSA was slated with the task to further develop LifeGuard’s communication capabilities. LifeGuard will soon allow data transmission over cell phone, satellite phone or P25 radio.
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2006 Glasgow M2M Camp to expand

The Mission to Mars Camp program continues to steadily grow and gain popularity each year. A week- long Mission to Mars camp will take place in Glasgow, Mont. June 12-16, 2006.

A three-day camp was held last year in Laurel, Mont. The positive response garnered from the Laurel camp prompted a group in Glasgow to organize a camp there and extend the camp to a five- day event.

Dates for the Missoula YMCA Mission to Mars Camps will be released in January.
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email: [email protected]

phone: (406) 541-3130

web: http://www.inwspace.org