Navigation
Click on sponsors business card for more information
Student Night at Great Lakes Science Center Rescheduled
Tuesday April 19th, 2011
Free Admission and Free Parking for up to 8 students per accompanying adult. Download and print this flyer for free admission.
Matthew Melis will be presenting his VERY popular presentation "Lessons from Columbia" at 6pm and 7pm. Mr. Melis will walk you through the investigation into the shuttle Columbia accident and in the gripping story of engineering forensics.
Special Traveling Exhibit - Facing Mars. Find out if you have what it takes when you explore the real physical, psychological, and scientific challenges involved in journeying to the Red Planet. Discover 28 entertaining and thought-provoking exhibits designed to fire your imagination about the possibilities that exploring Mars may hold for the future of humankind.
IF the weather is questionable, call Great Lakes Science Center, 216-696-4941, and inquire about the status of the ASM special event. Amanda Brown is the event coordinator at GLSC.
In case of inclement weather call Amanda at 216-696-4941 for event status.
Please register using link below to ensure that we can notify you of any changes!
Lessons from Columbia
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry, resulting in loss of the vehicle and its seven crewmembers. For the next several months, an extensive investigation of the accident ensued involving a nationwide team of experts from NASA, industry, and academia, spanning dozens of technical disciplines. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), a group of experts assembled to conduct an investigation independent of NASA, concluded in August, 2003 that the most likely cause of the loss of Columbia and its crew was a breach in the left wing leading egde Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) thermal protection system initiated by the impact of thermal insulating foam that had separated from the orbiters external fuel tank 81 seconds into the mission's launch. During reentry, this breach allowed superheated air to penetrate behind the leading egde and erode the aluminum structure of the left wing, which ultimately led to the breakup of the orbiter. The findings of the CAIB were supported by ballistic impact tests, which simulated the physics of External Tank Foam impact on the RCC wing leading edge material. These tests ranged from fundamental material characterization tests to full-scale Orbiter Wing Leading Edge tests.
Following the accident investigation, NASA spent the next 18 months focused on returning the Shuttle safely to flight. In order to fully evaluate all potential impact threats from the many debris sources on the Space Shuttle during ascent, NASA instituted a significant impact testing program. The results from these tests led to the validation of high-fidelity computer models, capable of predicting actual or potential Shuttle impact events, which were used in the certification of STS-114, NASA's Return to Flight Mission, as safe to fly.
Matthew Melis, NASA Glenn Research Center
Matt received both a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Engineering Mechanics from Michigan State University and has worked at the NASA Glenn Research Center for twenty six years. His primary area of focus is in advanced finite element modeling and analysis methods including nonlinear and dynamic impact loading. Trained in engineering mechanics, he has been recognized for expertise in actively cooled structures, stress analysis, ballistic impact research, and multiphysics analysis during his tenure at the Research Center. He has worked on numerous aeronautics and space programs for the agency including the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle and NASA's Exploration Program to return to the moon. In the four and one half years that followed the Columbia accident, Matt was assigned full time to working the Columbia Accident Investigation and the Shuttle Return to Flight Program as technical lead of the NASA Glenn Ballistic Impact team. Most recently Matt has worked on landing impact testing of various design concepts for the Orion crew module and is currently involved in a high-temperature materials development program for NASA's Hypersonics Program.
Students must be accompanied by an adult. Please register your group here
Directions and Parking
The Great Lakes Science Center is located at 601 Erieside Avenue, at the foot of East 9th Street and the Shoreway (St. Rt. 2) between the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the new Browns Stadium. Look for the OMNIMAX® dome.
From Airport: Take I-71 North to East 9th Street exit. North on East 9th Street. Turn left on Erieside Avenue.
From Akron: Take I-77 North to East 9th STreet exit and stay to your right. Follow signs to East 9th Street. And take East 9th Street North. Turn left onto Erieside Avenue.
From Erie: Take I-90 West (St. Rt. 2) to East 9th STreet exit, turn right on East 9th Street and left onto Erieside Avenue.
From Youngstown: Take I-80 to 480 West to I-77 North to East 9th Street. Turn left onto Erieside Avenue.