Educator Astronaut Project

The Educator Astronaut Project is a NASA program designed to educate students and spur excitement in math, science, and space exploration. It is a successor to the Teacher in Space Project of the 1980s that was cancelled after Christa McAuliffe died in the Space Shuttle "Challenger" disaster (STS-51-L). NASA halted the "teachers" project amid concerns surrounding the risk of sending civilians to space.

History

In the 1990s, NASA decided to reopen its selection process, but with a more rigorous approach dubbed the Educator Astronaut Project. The Educator Astronaut Project carries on the objectives of the Teacher in Space Program, seeking to elevate teaching as a profession and inspire students. Unlike the Teacher in Space Program, educator astronauts are fully trained astronauts who do the same jobs, and duties that any other astronaut does. [cite news | first= | last= NASA | coauthors= | title=Preflight Interview with Barbara Morgan | date= | publisher=NASA | url =http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/morgan_interview.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-13 | language = ] . They fly as crew members with critical mission responsibilities, as well as education-related goals. In addition to their technical assignments, they assist other astronauts in connecting to students and teachers through space exploration. [ [http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-118/index.html STS-118 mission summary] ] [ [http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=4263 'Teachers in Space' will endure] ] [ [http://www.bookrags.com/sciences/astronomy/civilians-in-space-spsc-03.html Civilians in Space] ] [ [http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/space_educator_030203.html NASA Assures That Teachers Will Fly in Space] ]

Joseph M. Acaba, Richard R. Arnold and Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger were selected as the first Mission Specialist Educators in the 2004 class. [cite news | first= | last=NASA | coauthors= | title=NASA's New Astronauts Meet The Press | date=2004-10-08 | publisher=NASA | url =http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/oct/HQ_n04160_new_ascans.html | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-08-13 | language = ] . Both Acaba and Arnold have been assigned to the crew of STS-119, an ISS mission scheduled for 2009.

Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan, the backup to Christa McAuliffe in the Teacher in Space Project, remained involved with NASA after STS-51-L and continued to work with NASA’s Education Division until her selection as a Mission Specialist in 1998. Morgan completed two years of astronaut training and evaluation, and began official duties in 2000. Morgan became the first former teacher in space on STS-118. While NASA press releases and media briefings often referred to her as a "Mission Specialist Educator" or "Educator Astronaut", Morgan did not train in the Educator Astronaut Project. NASA Administrator Michael D. Griffin clarified at a press conference after STS-118 that Morgan was not considered a Mission Specialist Educator, but rather was a standard Mission Specialist, who had once been a teacher. [Michael Griffin, NASA TV: STS-118 Post-Landing briefing] Morgan's duties as a Mission Specialist were no different than other Shuttle Mission Specialists.

References