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May 30, 2008 2:24 pm US/Eastern
Buzz Lightyear To Become Real Space Ranger
Shuttle Discovery Set To Blast Off Saturday At 5:02 p.m.
14-Day Flight Will Take Kibo Lab To ISS
CAPE CANAVERAL (CBS4) ―
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Buzz Lightyear, the ultimate space ranger, will go "to infinity and beyond" aboard the space shuttle Discovery.
NASA
When seven astronauts fly into orbit aboard the space shuttle Discovery on Saturday, not only will they have toilet repair parts and the new Japanese "Kibo" space lab, they'll also have another passenger onboard. A character that is used to flying through space with his backpack rocket and fold out space wings. It's toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear who will begin a journey "to infinity and beyond," to help educate children across the country.
The 12-inch-tall action figure is flying as part of a partnership between NASA and Disney Parks to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology and mathematics, one of NASA's main educational goals.
Disney's Youth Educational Series and NASA have developed an online program known as the Space Ranger Education Series. It includes fun educational games for students, as well as materials for educators to download and integrate into their classroom curriculum.
Buzz Lightyear will 'live' at the International Space Station for six months as part of NASA's "Toys in Space" effort.
"NASA is excited to help students understand the science and engineering currently underway on the International Space Station," said Joyce Winterton, NASA assistant administrator for Education. "The educational games and resources from this partnership will allow students to explore the science and math behind space exploration with a beloved character."
Beginning Saturday, May 31, the online games featuring Buzz Lightyear will be available on NASA'S web site in the Kids' Club section.
There are five educational games debuting on Saturday which feature the famous space ranger and are themed around the events to take place during the Discovery shuttle mission.
The five games are:
- "Mission Match Up: Create a Game" - Match the International Space Station partner countries to space facts.
- "Connect it! Flight Path" - Attach the Kibo laboratory to the International Space Station using a sequence of commands.
- "Load the Shuttle" - Fill the shuttle with cargo to a certain mass.
- "I Spy: Reflections from Space" - Find everyday objects on the International Space Station that were built on NASA technology
- "Toys in Space" - Navigate Buzz Lightyear to different toys to see a movie on how they behave in space
For more information about the STS-124 shuttle mission and its crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
The shuttle is scheduled to launch at 5:02 p.m. on Saturday. There is an 80-percent chance of favorable weather at launch time.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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