Davis Creek Elementary fifth grade students stayed after school on December 5, 2001 to watch the NASA TV broadcast of the Endeavor launch.  The boardcast was transmitted over the Internet.  Endeavor is carrying six aluminum mirrors ground and polished by Davis Creek Elementary students last spring.  The mirrors are part of a satellite that will be deployed from Endeavor's cargo #3 bay on December 15, 2001 at 10:10AM.  The students will use the Heavens-Above web site maintained by Chris Peat to find out when their satellite will be in orbit over the Barboursville, West Virginia area.  The students will carefully note the time, direction, and latitude and longitude of StarShine II and report their findings to Dr. Gil Moore, director of the StarShine Project.  We will be watching to cheer on StarShine II as we watch the deployment on NASA TV on December 15, 2001 at 10:10AM. 
Spring 2001 Grinding and Polishing Aluminum Mirrors for StarShine II and III
These DC Students are now attending Barboursville Middle School
In the pictures above, Davis Creek Elementary fifth grade class watches as Mrs. Hamilton read the directions for grinding and polishing from the StarShine web site last spring, November 2000.  The pictures below show the DC students on December 5, 2001 staying after school to watch the Endeavor launch on NASA TV.
Just a few minutes until launch!
Tension is high . . . 
Everyone's eyes are glued onto the computer image of the space shuttle, Endeavor.
NASA Countdown Clock
Endeavor's nose
DC 5th grade student watches carefully
Full side view of the space shuttle Endeavor
4 minutes, 29 seconds, and counting . . .
We have ignition!
We have Liftoff of the space shuttle Endeavor and its seven member flight crew.
Leaping up toward the sky . . .
Starting the roll over . . .
Jettison the empty fuel tank nearing . . .
Roll over complete . . .
Look at the rocket go!
Second computer shows delayed transmission of the shuttle's launch. Another photo opportunity!
Watching the second time is even more exciting!
Two computers, same camera, different transmission rates, different pictures.
As the fifth grade students watch the second playing of the launch the excitement was electric in the atmosphere.  Perhaps one of these students will be the first human to set foot on another planet.  

 Endeavor is just a bright spot in the night sky . . . a shining torch to light the way!

As we watched the space shuttle Endeavor disappear into space the light of understanding shone in DC students' eyes.  Many terrific science adventures await those with the courage, wisdom, and integrity to follow the path.

Davis Creek Elementary fifth grade class keeps the extra mirrors from StarShine I and II in our Marscape box.  We have the DC Mars Red Rover robot that travels around in the Marscape with the directions given by drivers who have logged in over the Internet to our dedicated server:  daviscreek.cabe.k12.wv.us
If you have access to a Planetary Society's Red Rover site you can log on and drive our robot.  For information to purchase the Red Rover program log onto http://planetary.org
StarShine II & III
More Pictures of StarShine II & III
Davis Creek Elementary LEGO Site Map
Davis Creek Elementary StarShine I
StarShine I Model
Davis Creek Elementary
LEGO Links of Linda Hamilton
Project StarShine



 Created 12 / 5 / 2001
S. Simon