Monday, March 10, 2008

Mission to Mars Launch Times: T-4 days!

Houston, we have launch times!

Please reference your astronaut's launch time below. (And remember, astronauts are required to arrive 15 minutes prior to the official launch time and depart immediately after the debrief with the international press!)

M2M Teams and Launch Times:

9-noon: Olympus
Amalia
Emma S.
Taryn
Unity
Lucy
Maddy
Jackie
Lilly
Anja

1-4 pm: Achillles
Emma M.
Meena
Kathryn
Le'Jayah
Madeira
Louisa
Emily
Kimmy
Alice

5-8 pm: Titan
Sam
Gabby
Cecilia
Honoré
Traciemichael
Rhys
Lena
Hannah

9-midnight: Vesuvius
Gillia
Alaina
Thalia
Kayla
Clara
Gemma
Maya
Rose
Anna


Parents/ Significant Adults typically stay for the first thirty minutes of the mission and then arrive fifteen minutes early to retrieve their astronauts. That said, I can't guarantee that you'll be able to promptly pull yourself away once you see what we're up to! Consider yourself forewarned!

This is Commander McLaughlin...over and out!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

T-minus 8 days...and counting!




Yes indeed, Houston...we ARE Mars bound! As I'm sure your 8th graders have been sharing with you, we've been busily preparing our minds, bodies and spirits for our pending lift off(s) on Thursday, March 13th. On the Monday after mid-winter break, girls coalesced into crews with impressive alacrity and made these seemingly arbitrary groupings their own! Within the hour they'd determined their crew names: Achilles, Olympus, Titan and Vesuvius and within the day they began performing as supportive and team-oriented groups. The transformation has been most impressive; we've particularly witnessed it in the crews' enthusiasm and attention to detail in their beautification duties, where they're left to figure out procedures and protocols on their own and are stringently assessed on Promptness, Thoroughness, Communication, Teamwork and Attitude.

Throughout the week, in addition to our core academic classes, various Commanders joined us for on site trainings. Commander Cone (aka Steph) led the crews in strength, coordination and cooperation drills, while Commander Smith (aka Trina) oversaw the creation of their crew patches - emblems that will proudly voyage with each crew to Mars...and hopefully back. In addition, Commander Lee (aka Rosetta) has continued her skill-based sessions on circuitry and soldering, and Commander Erikson (aka Ava) has kept the math fires burning brightly.

On the horizon we have an arduous schedule of strenuous trainings. On Monday of next week (3/10) we'll conduct a series of on-sight team building exercises to further encourage crews' abilities to function cohesively. We'll also demystify cryptography, to ensure that secure communications can be maintained at all times. On Tuesday (3/11) crews will congregate at "Underwater Sports" on Aurora for a full day of training in "neutral buoyancy' - aka scuba diving. (See email sent to families on 2/26/08 for directions.) On Wednesday morning (3/12) we will travel by bus to the Museum of Flight where we will train in space robotics, yet another useful skill for our Mars mission. Then on Thursday (3/13) we will attempt lift off in four consecutive launches: 9am-noon / 1-4pm / 5-8pm / 9- midnight. Astronauts are expected to arrive fifteen minutes prior to their launch times (not 14...not 16!!) and will vacate the premises after a brief encounter with the International Press right after splashdown.

Each crew's assigned launch time will be announced on Monday. Families are cordially invited to attend any and all of their astronaut's mission. Of particular interest to spectators will be the actual lift off (the first 30 minutes of a given launch) and the splashdown (the last 30 minutes of the three hour ordeal.) That said, we have had folks who stay the entire three hours, seemingly unable to tear themselves away! It's your call!

For the time being, this is Commander McLaughlin...(almost) OVER AND (definitely) OUT!