Send Your Name Into Space
Students, teachers, kids, and parents can actually submit their names to fly upon the Glory satellite. Your name will become a part of a microchip carried on the satellite. A printable certificate will provide a souvenir of your efforts, but names must be submitted by November 1, 2008. Go to the Glory satellite Your Name in Space page. You will also find this slideshow overview of the Glory Mission very informative and suitable for printing.
Background
The sun is the energy provider for the Earth. The sun gives enough energy (the current estimate is approximately 1,361 watts per square meter) to power a half million 60 watt light bulbs per every person on Earth. No matter how much technology progresses, there will always be natural aerosols on Earth that interact with the sun and create climate variability. Some causes of aerosols are natural, but others are anthropogenic or human-caused. For instance, while a natural drought can cause excess dustiness, increased railroad traffic caused more dust in the earlier parts of the 20th century. Now, the focus is on excess carbon in the atmosphere and one of the primary components of cloud formation - aerosols.
Educational Resources on Glory
- Student Worksheet This elementary level worksheet helps students understand the purposes of the Glory Mission.
- Glory Question and Answer Flower This worksheet is an interactive exercise that needs to be cut and folded to create a neat elementary level activity
- Glory Mission Word Search Everyone loves a word search. Try it and learn more about the Glory Mission.
- Glory Word Scramble Test your knowledge of the Glory Mission and the science behind the satellite.
- Coloring Page Elementary level kids can color the Earth and the Glory satellite in this printable worksheet.
- Kids in Space Coloring Book Get an entire 16-page coloring book online for kids.
Glory Science
Glory will carry the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor and the Total Irradiance Monitor. In addition, two cameras for cloud identification will be on board. One of the goals for the mission is to quantify the role of aerosols as natural and human-produced agents of climate change. Another key component is to understand Earth's energy balance.Glory is scheduled for launch with a Taurus or Taurus XL launch vehicle in June 2009 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Glory will orbit as part of the Afternoon Constellation, or A-Train, a series of Earth-observing satellites. The A-Train spacecraft follow each other in close formation, crossing the equator a few minutes apart shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time each day. The 824km, circular orbit of Glory should provide a minimum of 3 years of data to scientists. For more information, visit the NASA Glory Mission page.
