Footscray City College Newsletter

SCIENCE

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its bright-orange external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is bathed in xenon lights and takes centre stage on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in this aerial image taken from a NASA helicopter.

FCC NASA EDUCATIONAL TOUR 2018 

February 2018 will be the first time our students will be offered a trip to Florida to visit the Kennedy Space Centre on an interactive and intense educational experience sprinkled with some exciting and fun activities.  The trip will include:

  • visits to Kennedy Space Centre, Camp Kennedy – Space Trek – Robotics, Lunar Rover - Construction & Programming, meet and greet with an Astronaut, Shuttle Launch Experience, Edison Museum, Wonderworks and Crosby Observatory.
  • Space Explorer Adventure - a hands-on, interdisciplinary look at science and technology through workshops and simulators.
  • Innovation Challenge -Teams develop their own design of a robotic rover that can navigate on a near-real mock-up of lunar or Martian surface.
  • Moon Mission - Final mission on a near-real lunar surface replica (4m X 4m). Student teams will compete in a Moon like environment.
  • Theme Park Days - Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Harry Potter World, Behind the Adventure Tour, Boggy Creek Airboats, Cocoa Beach and I-Fly Orlando.
  • Physics and freefall workshop  - students will enjoy a 40-minute lecture taught by an accredited physics professor on the physics of freefall and the technology behind the wind tunnel, followed by a Q&A session and an exam. Everyone will leave this class educated and exhilarated after experiencing a one-minute freefall in a state of the art vertical wind tunnel.

Interested students who are currently in years 8, 9 and 10 should contact Adam Taylor to express their interest. An information evening will be held later this term.  

footscraynasa2018 (case sensitive) is the password to check out the dedicated website for the trip: 

http://www.easchooltours.com/teacher-zone/footscray-college-nasa

Please note preference will be given to students studying Physics or intending to study Physics from Year 10 onwards.

Adam Taylor – Head of Science

AMAZING SPAGHETTI MACHINE COMPETITION UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

What is a spaghetti machine?  Come to the meeting and find out.  You won’t be disappointed, especially if you are into problem solving and engineering.  For students interested in joining the 2017 Spaghetti Machine team, there will be an introductory meeting in the Science room during lunchtime on Friday 24th February.  Bring your lunch. All are welcome.

Adam Taylor - Head of Science