If you're
a student, educator, scientist, engineer, or just someone
who is excited about the adventure of space, there are opportunities
for you to get involved with the Discovery Program.
One of Discovery's objectives is to enhance public
awareness of space exploration. Toward that end, all Discovery missions design activities and products to share the
excitement and meaning of NASA's discoveries with students and the public. The aim is to bring about a clearer
understanding of our Solar System and the reasons why NASA explores it. MUSEUMS, SCIENCE CENTERS AND PLANETARIUMS
Many
museums, science centers and planetariums across the country
partner with NASA missions. Some examples include:
A 1:5 scale model of the MESSENGER spacecraft is hanging in the Mercury exhibit in the Exploring the Planets Gallery of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. As the mission progresses, the exhibit will be upgraded to reflect the mission and new Mercury results.
A model of the New Horizons spacecraft is on display at the Maryland
Science Center, Baltimore, MD, along with information about the mission.
The
Challenger Learning Center at the Chabot
Space and Science Center, Oakland, CA, has a "Rendezvous
with a Comet" activity, based on the Stardust mission.
A 1/25th scale model of the Stardust spacecraft is on display at:
Chabot's
observatory dome against the San Francisco skyline.
In smaller communities, The Space Place has formed partnerships with community libraries, museums, and planetariums to share the space program with children and adults nationwide. Each has a display with NASA mission information and materials such as posters and spacecraft models.. Click here to find a Space Place partner in your area.
NASA's Museum Alliance currently provides access to NASA and Discovery Program missions to 250 museums, science centers, and planetariums worldwide. To join the Alliance, museums may register at: http://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/alliance/
SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADORS
The Solar System Ambassadors are a special group of nearly 300 enthusiastic volunteers located in all
50 states, Puerto Rico, and a military base in Okinawa. They organize and conduct public events in their
communities to communicate NASA's exciting discoveries and plans for exploration.
Ambassadors can be found speaking in libraries, schools, malls, planetariums, parks, restaurants, and
concert halls. They receive training about NASA's missions and then engage the public with star gazing
parties, displays, lectures, and a wide variety of fun events.
Find an Ambassador in your community or learn about becoming one by clicking here.
Mars
event at an elementary school in Georgia.
Launch
event at Jetty Park, near Cape Canaveral, FL.
For
more information on how students and the public can participate
in Discovery missions, please go to Outreach
and Education.
PROPOSING A DISCOVERY MISSION
NASA intends to announce the opportunity to propose to conduct planetary science investigations through Discovery Program
space flight missions approximately every 18 months. The philosophy of Discovery is to solicit proposals put together by
teams comprised of universities, NASA centers, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, industry, and small
businesses. Each Discovery team is led by a Principal Investigator (PI) who is responsible for the overall success of the
mission. The cost cap for the next opportunity will be $425 million. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF OPPORTUNITY
The call for proposals is done through a NASA Announcement of Opportunity (AO) that can be found on the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, web site under "Solicitations." NSPIRES also lists proposals selected to conduct NASA research.
The Discovery
Program Acquisition homepage includes the Discovery Program
Library of reference documents needed to write a Discovery
proposal.
The Science Support Office (SSO) at NASA Langley Research Center supports the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters in the acquisition of earth and space science missions and instruments. SSO supports the development of Announcement of Opportunity (AO) solicitations and the Technical, Management, and Cost (TMC) evaluations of proposals received in response to the AO solicitations. The SSO additionally has responsibility for special studies and selected independent assessments and reviews for SMD.
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH (E/PO) PROPOSALS
Each Discovery proposal is expected to contain a plan to
actively engage students and the public in the excitement
of space exploration through a variety of venues. The guideline
is that ¼ to ½ per cent of mission funds are to be allocated to education
and outreach.
Go to "Helpful
Information for Scientists" for information on:
what
SMD is doing in education and public outreach
opportunities
to participate
preparing
an E/PO proposal
The SMD E/PO Support Network has representatives across the country,
by science theme and by region, to facilitate the many aspects
of scientists, educators and NASA missions working together
toward enhancing public understanding of science. PARTNERING
See
the Partnering Page for more information
on getting involved with a Discovery mission team.
Mars
event at an elementary school in Georgia.
Launch
event at Jetty Park, near Cape Canaveral, FL.
