MAGPI is working with staff from the Challenger Learning Center, Bucks County IU, Hempfield School District and Cornwall-Lebanon School District to develop a distributed student e-mission. Student teams from multiple schools will work together to complete an e-Mission developed by NASA. Students will use H.323 videoconferencing technology to communicate with mission control at the Challenger Learning Center, and elluminmate (a real-time audio/video collaboration software) to communicate with one another. Teachers involved in this program will be trained by NASA and complete a mock e-Mission prior to prepping their students for the live event.

Project Timeline

• January 22, 2010: Meeting with Project Developers and the Challenger Learning Center
• March 3, 2010: Distributed Teacher e-Mission and Professional Development Session
• May 4, 2010: Distributed Student e-Mission Event

About Operation Montserrat

Operation Montserrat is based on a real historical event. The volcano on the normally tranquil island of Montserrat has come to life. As flaming pebbles and lava begin their devastation, emergency response teams learn a hurricane is approaching. Using real-time hurricane and seismic data, teams of student specialists assist Mission Control in saving the residents from certain destruction

About the Challenger Learning Center

Challenger Learning Centers offer realistic mock-ups of Mission Control and an orbiting space station. Students join teams at computer consoles or onboard the orbiting space lab, rev up their imaginations, and work together toward the mission's goal, whether it is the launching of a probe or the interception of a comet.