Let's Go to Space: BLUE-SKY Learning

John McClure is the President and CEO of Sicuro Technology, which specializes in satellite and radio communications. Mr. McClure also has over twenty-five years of experience in the IOT or internet of things space, leading the development and business team for the General Motors OnStar subsidiary-- the original large scale IoT commercial business. As an information technology senior manager for El...

Looking for a great way for your STEM-loving middle or high school student to stay engaged this summer? Check out our offerings through the Aerospace and Innovation Academy's Summer Science and Space Sessions-- three distinct and unique virtual camps coming your way in July. Still time to register but don't delay. Deadline June 28th! In this bonus episode, Kevin discusses Science Fair Iteration, O...

Today, we meet with Kevin DiMarzio,  the vice president of business development at RedWire. He leads a team of professionals in the identification and capture of new opportunities, customer engagement and retention, and business strategy focused on technology solutions. Their recent efforts include new material processing techniques, quality tool sets, and unique ways to use existing terrestr...

The Aerospace and Innovation Academy is purposed to provide unique STEM opportunities for students and teachers. Some of these opportunities include speaking at prestigious conferences or with legislators. Today we meet with two students who have spoken on a national stage for Humans To Mars, but more importantly, who demonstrate that being comfortable public speakers has positively impacted their...

Today we interview Mike Miller, President of Sterk Solutions. Mr. Miller has served in both the public and the private sectors; boasting experience in engineering, research, technology transfer, business development, and operations. Sterk Solutions Corporation has supported radio and remote sensing licensing for small satellites for 15 years and has successfully helped launch 100 spacecraft. While...

In previous episodes, we talked about the importance of getting students involved in advocacy. You may recall our Episode 3 interview with Dale Ketchum of Space Florida, which promotes Space Day each year in Tallahassee. Then in episode  7, we spoke with Congressman Brian Mast of Florida’s 18th district, whom our students met with regularly during AIAA CVD each year. Today, we meet with four...

Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee is an astronomer, faculty at the Univ of Central Florida, and the Director of the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium. This consortium is a state-wide association of universities, colleges, the  Astronaut Memorial Foundation ,  Space Florida ,  Kennedy Space Center , and the  Orlando Science Center . The Florida Space Grant Consortium supports the expansio...

Today, Kevin and I reconnect with Frances Dellutri,  member of the NSS Board of Directors and its Deputy Education Director. In this role she founded and facilitated the NSS Student spUN (Debate program  in 2017. Post Covid, she has pivoted to a completely virtual platform which allows students aged 12-18 from around the world to discuss ideas of universalization in space and the policie...

Episode 10: A Hero and Pioneer: The Inspiring Story of Gunther Karger Today, we are honored to interview the esteemed Gunther Karger. Mr. Karger’s story is both amazing and diverse, starting with his birth and early years in Germany, where he narrowly escaped death on the last children’s transport out of Germany to Sweden. Shortly after his departure, his parents and grandparents were murdered by...

This past year, I was fortunate to present two technical papers related to the importance of early childhood identity development in relation to STEM careers. One of the most interesting takeaways I learned from my research is that students as young as 5 begin to identify themselves in careers based on what they recognize or what they see. Have a parent in a STEM field? Children identify with that...

Space Foundation Discovery Center is the Colorado's first and only dedicated space, science and technology center. It is an interactive, education-focused destination that advances STEAM concepts in the exciting context of space exploration, development and utilization. They also oversee a special group of educators to whom both Kevin and I belong, Teacher Liaisons. Teacher Liaisons are educators...

Our special guest is Congressman for Florida’s 18th district Brian Mast. In addition to being an army veteran, Mast is in his third term of elected office. In 2017 our Policy Team students reached out to him to propose and idea for legislation that would increase awareness of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. Over the next few years, the students would work closely with the Representative’s legisl...

Today’s special guest is Janet Ivey, President of Explore Mars, Inc., and creator and CEO of the award winning Janet’s Planet. Ms. Ivey is committed to enriching the lives of children via education and live performances, TV, and online programming. With over 27 years in the children’s edutainment and space science outreach sector, Janet has captivated Nashville and beyond with her work.  Toda...

Today we interview Chelsea Partridge, test engineer for Lockheed Martin Space at NASA's Kennedy Space Center where she conducts spacecraft systems testing on the agency's Orion spacecraft. She is also the president of the Missile, Space, and Range Pioneers––a community of engineers, astronauts, military personnel, and space enthusiasts that has been an institution at Cape Canaveral for over 50 yea...

Vice President of Space Florida, Dale Ketchum, discusses his role in helping to bring aerospace companies to our state. Space Florida also advocates for the industry at our state capitol where our students join in each year to talk to legislators about space policy . This year's Space Day is Feb 22, 2021. 

High school junior Owen Welch and senior Caeden Dooner reflect on their beginnings with the CubeSatDevelopment Team and how it inspired their work on the Amaris Lunar Rover team.  Both discuss how taking advantage of opportunities to expand your skillsets, even when daunting, is instrumental in academic and personal growth.  The Amaris lunar rover is based on Cube-Sat technology and, their major a...

High school Freshmen, Theo Ouyang and Samer Elhoushy talk about their involvement on the CubeSat Development Team and how being a part of real-world experiential aerospace activities as electives and after school programs helped them to stand out on high school applications as well as boasting adult-level resumes. They discuss the missions of the WeissSat-1 and the CapSat as well and we touch upon...

Meet the hosts, Kevin Simmons and Shawna Christenson, as they share their educational philosophy that has helped student and teacher teams to launch satellites into space.