Macduff pupils win in NASA contest
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Macduff Primary School have reached for the stars and won a competition run by space agency NASA.
The school’s P4C class had the chance to meet astronaut Carl Walz and engineer Heather Paul at the NASA in Aberdeen event at the city’s Science Centre.
A robot and poster they had created for the event was chosen as the best overall.
Class teacher Aileen Clark said: “It was an amazing opportunity for the pupils to have the chance to ask questions and discover about space.
“It was especially exciting for the class when their robot and poster was chosen as the best overall.
“They received a telescope as a prize for the school, a certificate and the children got individual prizes of goody bags from event sponsors, Oceaneering.
“Macduff may have produced future astronauts and engineers.”
The NASA in Aberdeen event featured a talk by engineer Heather Paul who is the health and medical technical authority for the Orion Crew and Service Module, ensuring that design decisions for this exploration initiative keep the crew healthy and able to perform their mission duties successfully.
She was joined by former astronaut Carl Walz, who flew four space flight missions on the space shuttle and space station, logging 231 total days in space Mr Walz is now director of business development for Oceaneering.
He discussed how underwater training made space walks by astronauts and cosmonauts safe and efficient, and how technologies developed for Remotely Operated Vehicle subsea applications have enabled robotic servicing of the International Space Station and will enable future robotic satellite servicing far beyond the reach of astronauts.
It also focused on how this technology will transform human and robotic space exploration in future missions.
