MESSENGER spacecraft MESSENGER spacecraft at Mercury ...... ...... Artist rendering of the inner solar system Artist's concept of New Horizons encountering Pluto in 2015 ...... ...... Dawn spacecraft and asteroid Vesta (needs caption) ...... ...... GRAIL's Ebb and Flow gathering gravity data at the moon GRAIL's Ebb and Flow gathering gravity data at the Moon ...... ...... Artist's concept showing NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting the giant asteroid Vesta Artist's concept showing NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting giant asteroid Vesta ...... ...... Artist's concept of the Juno spacecraft in orbit above Jupiter's colorful clouds Artist's concept of the Juno spacecraft in orbit above Jupiter's colorful clouds ...... ......

The Challenge of Discovery

One Dynamic Workshop, Four Sites

Presented by NASA's Discovery and New Frontiers Programs

Vision. Collaboration. Creativity. Persistence. Adaptability. Dedication.

You want to go WHERE? What does it take to make a NASA mission happen, and who are the people that drive these tremendous projects?

In Discovery's third annual multi-site professional development workshop, we delve into the stories behind some amazing NASA missions, from conception to science results. Learn how scientists, engineers, and mission operators collaborate to meet the challenges of complex missions to assure the science goals will be met. Investigate what it takes to move a fantastic idea — like scooping up samples of an asteroid and dropping them back off on Earth for analysis — from dream to reality. Explore science as a human endeavor at its awesome best.

All Four Sites Include:

Special Speakers

  • You want to go WHERE?
    • OSIRIS-REx…asteroid sample return in 2023
    • Cat Merrill
    • Bashar Rizk
    • Ellyne Kinney Spano
  • You Want to Bring Back WHAT?
    • Sample return realities and planning
    • Karen McNamara
    • Keiko Nakamura-Messenger
  • Are We There Yet?
    • New Horizons…still zooming to Pluto for 2015 flyby
    • Ralph McNutt
  • Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Here!
    • MESSENGER…orbiting Mercury since 2011
    • Nancy Chabot
    • Alice Berman

Hands-on, standards-aligned science and engineering activities and multimedia interactives

  • For both K-12 and out-of-school time educators
  • Break-out sessions at varying grade levels

Resource materials

  • Containing mission activities for all grade levels, all packed conveniently onto a CD with links to great on-line interactives. Cool goodies such as trading cards, bookmarks, stickers and more!

Webinar Option:

Can't make it to one of our workshop sites? Watch the special speaker presentations over the Internet through our free webinar!