In conjunction with the arrival and test flights of the NASA Helios Prototype wing aircraft, free educational workshops, titled “Extreme Airplanes at Extreme Altitudes,” are planned on Kaua’i next month. Aerospace education specialists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
In conjunction with the arrival and test flights of the NASA Helios Prototype wing aircraft, free educational workshops, titled “Extreme Airplanes at Extreme Altitudes,” are planned on Kaua’i next month.
Aerospace education specialists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. will conduct the sessions, which will also be held on Maui, O’ahu and Big Island.
The Kaua’i workshop for children ages 7 to 14 and parents is set for April 14, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Kukui Grove Center. A teachers’ workshop is scheduled for April 17, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., also at Kukui Grove.
The sessions will be held whether or not there is a public school teachers strike, said Cheryl Shintani, a Koloa School teacher who is the contact for reservations and more information on the programs (742-6838).
Meetings for the general public will be scheduled at various public libraries later on, she said.
The parent/student workshop will focus on the story of the Helios Prototype and its Hawai’i mission. In June, the solar-powered craft will launch from the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands in an attempt to fly at 100,000 feet, roughly 19 miles up.
The parent/student workshop will also include hands-on activities.
The teacher workshops will feature demonstrations of NASA math and science education products and services related to the aircraft and NASA aeronautics. The hands-on format will be aligned with the Hawai’i State Science Standards for content and assessment.
