Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Future Astronaunts: Members of the Westmont High School Space Shuttle Simulation Project crew (from left) Salomon Wang, 15; Martina Spielman, 15; Alex MacDougall, 16; Yuichiro Sato, 15; Trevor Hegstarm, 16; and Joy Li, 15, get ready to enter their mock shuttle for the next 53 hours, doing various scientific tests and repairing a satellite.
Westmont High School's science club blasts off into other galaxies
Space shuttle simulation program is the only one remaining in the CUHSD
By Moryt Milo
Although funding was limited, Westmont High School's space shuttle simulation project blasted off on schedule Jan. 24.
Six science club astronauts simulated 53 hours in orbit. They lived inside a student-built, full-scale space shuttle model; while a second group of students manned mission control.
Through sheer drive and determination the students kept the program from being prematurely grounded.
"We received very little money for the project because no one wants to fund a bunch of kids doing a space simulation," said George Hain, a Westmont High School senior and four-year program participant.
Hain, who has directed the mission for the past two years, said being part of a team has been a very rewarding experience, but wished the club had more money because the program is starting to dwindle.
During the past several years, funding for the project has evaporated to the point where Westmont is now the only high school in the Campbell Union High School District with a space simulation program.
Westmont science teacher Dr. Lewis Keizer said the program was almost shelved completely before the school elected to move it into the new science building, slated for construction this summer.
In the past, other high school students in the district participated. The flight crew and command center consisted of students from Del Mar, Branham and Westmont. But for the past two years the only students involved have been from Westmont.
In the past, private donations also helped purchase astronaut uniforms and enabled students to broadcast a live feed of the event over the Internet via the CUSHD website. This year, Hain said, the web host pulled out at the last minute so live viewing was not possible.
Keizer said the entire event is student driven. The students put together the mission, design the experiments that are carried out inside the shuttle and determine each club member's role.
"All we do is act as chaperones," Keizer said.
Keizer, the students, parents and Westmont science teacher Tim Yang trade shifts over the three-day, two-night period as the students work together to repair a broken satellite bombarded by a simulated meteor shower.
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Spaceborne: Westmont High School Space Shuttle Simulation Project first officer Joy Li, 15, and science officer Yuichiro Sato, 15, try out the bunkbeads they slept in during their 53 hours inside the mock space shuttle they created to learn more about a space environment.
Although the simulation requires repairing destroyed computer equipment, communicating with mission control--staged in the science club classroom--and solving unexpected disasters and problems, the biggest challenge of the mission is learning to work in a close team environment.
Each member inside the shuttle has a piece of the puzzle and they have to work together to solve the problem, Hain said.
"The project teaches leadership skills," Yang said. "It also develops self-esteem and an interest in science and space technology."
The program is challenging, not only because the students have to endure 53 hours in close quarters, but because of the simulation's realism.
On board the spaceship was a medical officer, who was required to learn CPR and first aid, in case of injuries. There was a science officer, who was required to design at least 10 experiments for the crew to work on during the mission. There was also a communications officer, whose job was to stay in close contact with mission control, and, as in any real mission, there was a commander, pilot and first officer.
Westmont sophomore Yuichiro Sato, 15, designed many experiments using lemons.
"Lemons create electricity," he said "We used copper and wire to generate electrical energy and chart volt meters."
He also planned some fun experiments like making a flashlight.
But Sato admits coming up with enough experiments to fill the 53-hour time span was hard.
Several crew members, including Sato, were also astronauts last year.
Communications officer and sophomore Solomon Wang, 15, was the science officer on the previous mission, and although he already knows what it's like to be inside confined quarters with five other crew members, he was looking forward to repeating the simulation.
Each year the mission is different, and this year the crew experienced some power failures, communication blackouts with mission control, computer freezes, and experiments that required darkness.
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Space Science: Westmont High School senior George Hain, 17, works on last-minute details before the space shuttle crew of students from the science and astronomy clubs spent 53 hours inside a simulated space environment.
Sophomore Juliette Wigley, 16, who was inside the shuttle last year but was part of the mission control during this year's simulation, said, "Last year I learned that even if an experiment goes wrong, it can be salvaged and made to look good. We learned to be creative on the spot."
Wigley's way of thinking is a key element to the simulation program's success. In the past, the mission's goals were set too high and by not achieving the desired results students became frustrated. Through trial and error, the students directing the simulation learned to provide alternative solutions so crew members could succeed.
"We learned to balance the information provided so that everyone had a positive experience," Hain said.
Expectations and energy were running high as time grew close, with students anxiously gathering the necessary equipment to begin the simulation.
This year's flight commander, junior Trevor Hegstarm, 16, said he hoped this year's mission was more successful than last year's.
Hegstram said that last year the students didn't spend enough time preparing for the mission.
"We only spent a month," he said. "We didn't have all of the necessary supplies and didn't have that much of a mission or [science experiments]."
This year the students corrected their mistakes by spending the entire year preparing for the simulation on a shoe-string budget.
When it was time to launch, six crew members walked into a space shuttle that contained only three bunks for sleeping--members had to rotate their sleep schedule--a flight area, one portable toilet, a sink, and food for 53 hours.
On Jan. 26 they emerged tired and wanting a shower, but when asked how this year's mission was compared to last year's, everyone agreed it was better planned.
So will these astronauts launch into space next year?
The shuttle pilot, sophmore Alex MacDougall, 16, said, "I got a lot less sleep compared to last year, but, of course, I would do it again. It was a very positive experience."
For more information about the Westmont space shuttle program, visit its website at www.westmont.cuhsd.org/shuttle.
Campbell, California
