A former NASA launch operations manager is helping to inspire school children to reach for the stars.
Forty-five Brackendale Elementary Grade 3 students sat wide-eyed in rapt silence as Jim Meyer told them about the 2003 launch of two Mars Rovers, humankind's first successful landing on Mars.
"The failure of the first mission to Mars created a new philosophy and so we launched two little spacecrafts instead of a monster one," said former NASA launch operations manager Jim Meyer. "It was a learning curve."
As the students filed into the music room where Meyer has posters and a video screen set up, he smiled at the kids.
"I didn't know there were so many future astronauts at Brackendale" said Meyer opening before launching into his hour-long discussion that included video footage of the rovers launch.
"I think this an amazingly educational experience for our students," said Brackendale Elementary principal Paul Lorette. "And the kids are so interested in anything to do with space that they don't consider it education at all. They've been very excited."
And the students proved his point.
"What is Mars made of?" asks one student, waving his hand frantically in the air.
"Mars is the only other planet we can live on, right?" asks another.
Meyer is used to these questions now, having visited all five elementary schools in the area over the past five years.
The 62-year-old still spends most of his time in the East Coast space launch mecca of Cape Canaveral, Florida, and has spent every summer in 撸奶社区since retiring from NASA in 2003. He's here during the winter this year to enjoy the Olympics.
Meyer said he's been encouraged by the students' enthusiasm for space exploration because it bodes well for NASA's future.
Student interest was more than apparent at Friday morning's Mars Rover session. Many of the students knew exactly who Spirit and Opportunity (the names of the Mars Rovers) were, and their status on Mars.
Both rovers Spirit and Opportunity, launched on June 10 and July 7, 2003 respectively, were designed to operate for 90 days.
As Meyer understated to the students, "they have exceeded their design significantly" - significantly being approximately seven years longer than expected.
"But Spirit is stuck right now and they don't know if they can get it free," said one girl.
"You're right," said Meyer, explaining Spirit drove into a rut and sunk into some deep sand. Two of its six wheels are no longer working and NASA now considers it stationary.
Near the beginning of his 37-year career, Meyer worked on the famous Apollo 11 mission to the moon as a young engineer, and remembers feeling a sense of awe while watching the landing on television on June 20, 1969.
"I just couldn't believe we were doing it," he said.
The students once again showed their enthusiasm during Meyer's launch footage by over-anticipated the 10-second countdown, completing the "5-4-3-2-1 launch-off!" chant four times. And it seems at least one student has her eyes set on the stars.
"Mr. Meyer, can you help me become an astronaut?" she asked following the presentation.
"I told her that I could help her by telling her what to do to prepare, but she would have to do the large part on her own- getting a proper education and showing initiative and setting their goal," he said.
"The goal is so important and once it's established, if you have strong initiative you'll succeed."
