An Opportunity for Teachers and Students to Participate in the Launch of NASA's CONTOUR Spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Cornell University and the Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) mission team invite teachers and students to participate in the CONTOUR launch activities at Cape Canaveral, Florida, in July of 2002, by developing a plan to share their excitement and experiences with their community. CONTOUR is a NASA Discovery mission that will launch in July 2002 to study comets in unprecedented detail. U.S. students in grades 5 through 12 and their teachers are eligible to participate. All proposals must be received by March 31, 2002.

This program is a unique and exciting opportunity for student and teacher teams to work with and learn from CONTOUR scientists and engineers and to experience the thrill of witnessing an actual rocket launch. This is a particularly exciting opportunity for students and teachers interested in science and education. During the days prior to the launch, the teams will have one-on-one interactions with the CONTOUR scientists, take part in a variety of educational events on the study of comets and the CONTOUR mission, tour the Kennedy Space Center, and attend a VIP briefing with the CONTOUR engineers and scientists. These activities will culminate with a spectacular viewing of the launch of the spacecraft from Cape Canaveral*. After participating in the launch activities, participants will follow through with their plan to share their experience with other students and community members. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit the web site at http://www.contour2002.org.

*Launch delays can occur for a variety of technical or weather-related reasons. If the launch is delayed by one or two days, the trip will be extended to allow participation. If the launch is delayed by three or more days, the opportunity for participation will, unfortunately, be forfeited.