NASA Videos and Multimedia - TeacherLINK @ USU

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NASA Videos - Misc

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NASA eClips

NASA 360: New Worlds New Discoveries
NASA 360: A Look Ahead... X-48B
NASA 360: Inspiration - January 14, 2011 - In this episode of NASA 360, hosts Johnny Alonso and Jennifer Pulley look at some of the most inspiring events/people that have come out of NASA over the past 50 years. This program includes: Apollo 12 Astronaut/Painter Alan Bean; NASA Langley Center Director Lesa Roe; 7-Time Shuttle Astronaut Franklin Chang Diaz; Astronaut Jose Hernadez; Hubble Space Telescope and much more.
NASA 360: Sensory Overload - January 14, 2011- NASA, the five senses, and space-aged materials.
NASA 360: Grab Your Red & Blue 3D Glasses!
NASA 360: Return to Desert Rats
NASA 360: Desert RATS and Analog Testing - January 14, 2011- NASA, Desert RATS, and other NASA analog testing.
NASA 360: NASA and the Future of Aeronautics - September 20, 2010 - Learn how NASA engineers are paving the way to new aeronautical breakthroughs and helping to make the future of flying safer and greener.
NASA 360: Composite Materials - September 20, 2010 - Find out how NASA and industry are using composite materials to change our world.
NASA 360: NASA in Your Home - October 19, 2009 - Find out how NASA technology is being used in your own home.
NASA 360: NASA and Pro Athletes - October 13, 2009 - In episode 11, find out how athletes are being helped by NASA technology.
NASA 360: Johnson Space Center - January 18, 2011 - In episode 10, Johnny and Jennifer tour NASA's Johnson Space Center - and see how sstronauts train for space.
NASA 360: Kennedy Space Center - September 1, 2010 - In episode 9, Johnny and Jennifer tour one of the most recognizable places in the world - NASA's Kennedy Space Center - to find out what it takes to launch a vehicle into space.
NASA 360: Volcanoes, Making Oxygen from Lunar Soil - September 1, 2010 - In episode 8, NASA 360 learns how to make breathable oxygen and drinkable water from lunar soil, visits amazing observatories and discovers how NASA monitors volcanoes.
NASA 360: Mind Body Connection - September 1, 2010 - This episode of NASA 360 examines how humans and machines are working together. Join Jennifer and Johnny as they find out about NASA's robonaut; virtual reality training for astronauts; biofeedback training; and robotic prostheses for veterans.
NASA 360: 21st Century Lunar Exploration - September 1, 2010 - This episode of NASA 360 looks at how NASA tests the equipment needed for our return to the moon. Highlights include: the lunar truck Chariot, NASA's All Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer, or ATHLETE, the rover Scarab and new suits for astronauts.
NASA 360: Full Circle - January 18, 2011 - This episode of NASA 360 contains updates on Mars. Highlights include: the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, or CRISM, mission as it looks for evidence of water on Mars.
NASA 360: NASA, Archaeology and Paleontology - September 1, 2010 - Current NASA technologies are helping archaeologists uncover exciting artifacts. NASA technology helps analyze a 10 million year old dinosaur and uncover the Lewis and Clark Trail.
NASA 360: Exploration and Racing - September 1, 2010 - NASA research is making auto racing safer by incorporating technologies used for space travel. Discover NASA's new inflatable habitats being developed for astronauts to live on the moon and Mars.
Green Technologies at NASA - May 27, 2009 - NASA 360 discovers how technologies developed for space, aeronautics and general applications can help people here on Earth. What has NASA done for you lately? Watch and find out!
Welcome to NASA 360! - May 27, 2009 - This is not your typical NASA program. NASA 360 discovers how technologies developed for space, aeronautics and general applications can help people here on Earth.

NASA Launchpad for Grades 9-12

Space Age Technologies Measure Soil Moisture - Learn how NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission, or SMAP, will use new technologies to help answer questions raised in the National Research Councils' Decadal Survey. See what kind of modeling and forecasting applications the data from this mission
ICESat-2 - Next Generation Technology - Learn how the second generation of the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite, better known as ICESat-2, is being used to map the ice structures in the world's polar regions. Manipulating the distribution of photons by lasers to create accurate images
SAGE III Goes to the International Space Station - NASA's third generation science instrument, SAGE III, sheds light on how aerosols, water vapor and other gases interact with and affect our atmosphere. See how a unique hexapod helps the instrument stay oriented on the International Space Station and how
Pumping Up the Volume - Learn how Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators, or HIAD, use the diameter of an inflatable vehicle to increase drag and land larger payloads on new destinations. See how NASA engineers use design and complex testing to get the inflatable to make
The Heat Is On! - Find out how a team at NASA is using Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators, or HIAD, to solve the aerodynamic heating challenges of entering an atmosphere. Learn about HIAD's unique thermal protection system that uses off-the-shelf technology in
Launchpad: What Are Radioisotope Power Systems? - NASA uses Radioisotope Power Systems, or RPS, to convert heat from radioactive decay to electricity, creating predictable, continuous power for long missions in extreme environments. But learn how a next generation Radioisotope Stirling Engine will perform
Launchpad: History, Benefits, and Safety of Radioisotope Power Systems - With safety designed from inside out and outside in, see how NASA has used Radioisotope Power Systems, or RPS, for more than 20 missions over the last 50 years. Discover the advantages of an RPS that allow spacecraft like Voyager to still do important science
Launchpad: Mission Infusion - A Look at What's Ahead - Find out from the Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) Team how NASA plans to use inflatable heat shield technology to explore new worlds. Learn about the benefits of inflatable heat shields compared to current rigid heat shield technology and how that technology might be used in the future.
Launchpad: Descent and Landing - It's a Matter of Control - See how a diverse research team at NASA Langley is using what they know about aerodynamics to tackle the problems of entry, descent, and landing on any world with an atmosphere. Learn how NASA’s Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) Team uses center of gravity to steer the vehicle and a unique inflatable heat shield to slow it down.
Launchpad: NASA's Space Shuttle - A Workhorse in Action - People from across the country worked together to make sure NASA's Space Shuttles could complete their missions. Learn how this unique workhorse is responsible for amazing advances in astrophysics and planetary science, just because it flew.
Launchpad: The Shuttle Experience - Only 355 humans have ever flown on the shuttle. Join NASA Astronaut Al Drew as he shares some personal experiences about his flights and what made the trips so memorable. See why the shuttle experience has such historical significance.
Launchpad: Spinoffs - Technology Benefits For All - Learn how experiments on NASA's Space Shuttle missions brought tangible benefits to people on Earth. Listen to NASA Astronaut Al Drew as he explains how creative solutions to problems became NASA-aided technologies, better known as spinoffs.
Launchpad: Curiosity Goes to Mars - Find out why Curiosity is the best name for the largest rover ever sent to another planet. Learn about the challenges of landing on a planet with an atmosphere and the geology and chemistry questions scientists hope to answer with instruments on the Mars.
Launchpad: Solar Eclipses - Join NASA to learn more about solar eclipses, especially the awe-inspiring phenomenon of total eclipses. Find out about the unique geometry and the distances and sizes of the sun and moon as seen from Earth that allow us to witness the sun's corona or act
Launchpad: Astrobiology - Are we alone in the universe? Where do we come from? Join NASA in the search for answers to these and many more questions about life in our solar system. Learn how astrobiologists use what we know about Earth to investigate Titan, Europa and other far-off
Launchpad: Global Warming - How Humans Are Affecting our Planet - Learn how the greenhouse effect keeps more of the sun's heat and energy within Earth's atmosphere causing temperatures on Earth to rise. This video explains the effect warmer temperatures are playing on Earth.
Launchpad: NASA and Biosphere 2 - Visit Biosphere 2, operated by the University of Arizona, to find out how scientists are working with NASA to discover more about the effects of global climate change could have on key biomes. Learn about the characteristics that divide Earth into unique
Launchpad: Systems Science - The Earth can be considered a system of interrelated parts. Learn about Earth Systems Science and the spheres that make up the Earth System. Find out why NASA studies the Earth system.
Launchpad: Kepler - Join NASA on the Kepler Mission as this traveling telescope images the light from faraway stars to locate Earth-sized and smaller planets. Using the transit method, the Kepler telescope measures the brightness of a star and uses the data to predict habitat
Launchpad: New Horizons Covers the Distance - Learn how scientists use astronomical units, or Aus, to measure large distances in space. Find out what scientists learned about Jupiter as the New Horizons spacecraft used the gravity of the planet to help it continue on its journey to Pluto.
Launchpad: Transits - Discover how scientists used the last Venus transit and a geometric technique called parallax to verify the distance between sun and Earth. Find out what scientists hope to learn the next time Venus makes a shadow on the face of the sun.
Launchpad: 21st Century Crew Exploration Vehicle - NASA is redesigning the space vehicle that will carry astronauts back to the moon. This design includes three components: the ARES rocket, the ALTAIR Lunar Lander; and the ORION space capsule.
Launchpad: The Making of the Biosuit - A biosuit is a futuristic space suit designed for astronauts who will one day travel to Mars. It is designed to be form-fitting and lightweight, enabling astronauts to kneel, climb and maneuver more efficiently.
Launchpad: Protective Materials for Spacecrafts - Kevlar is stronger than steel but one-fifth the weight. While watching this segment, discover how Kevlar works and the future of protective materials.
Launchpad: The Launch Abort System and g-Forces - NASA has not only advanced the technology used to get astronauts to space, but they have also improved safety measures for the crew. In this segment learn about the design of the Launch Abort System which can launch the Orion, the new vehicle that will tr
Launchpad: The Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope - Get an overview of the electromagnetic spectrum and see how scientists are using the new Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope to look at the inconceivable amounts of energy produced by phenomena in space.
Launchpad: New Horizons Heads Towards Pluto - Find out about the fastest spacecraft to ever leave Earth's orbit. See what information scientists hope to gain from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft as it hurls through space. Check out the instruments that will help us get our first up-close look at Pluto
Launchpad: Infrared Astronomy on Mauna Kea - Discover how NASA's Infrared Astronomy telescope on Mauna Kea helps astronomers use different wavelengths of light to make the invisible visible. Learn about the Doppler Effect and heat signatures of faraway objects.
Launchpad: Thin Ice - Looking at Birefringence - Join teacher scientists as they learn what ice can tell us about the history of winter. Find out why NASA studies ice and what thin ice sections observed through polarizing filters can help us learn. See how to use bubble patterns in ice core samples to s
Launchpad: Neon Lights - Spectroscopy in Action - Discover how scientists use spectroscopy to determine what elements are present in remote objects in space. By studying emission or absorption lines, astronomers can use the light an object emits to learn more about the object.
Launchpad: Newton's Laws On-Board the International Space Station - Join astronauts on-board the International Space Station to learn more about Newton’s laws. Learn about the inverse relationship between mass and acceleration when calculating force and see what the equation f=ma has to do with rockets.
Launchpad: Methane - An Indicator for Life? - See how scientists are using spectroscopy to identify methane plumes on Mars. Learn about the biological and geological processes that form methane on Earth and the implications for astrobiologists who are looking for life beyond Earth.
Launchpad: Methane on Mars - Is Mars a living planet, either geologically or biologically? See how NASA scientists are investigating the recent discovery of water ice and methane plumes on Mars to test their hypotheses about the similarities between Earth and Mars.
Launchpad: Wave Motion - Join NASA astronauts on-board the International Space Station to learn about different kinds of waves and the transfer of energy that creates waves. Find out why NASA engineers are working to reduce the impact of waves on sensitive station equipment.
Launchpad: NASA in 3-D - Put on your 3-D glasses and get a new perspective on NASA's Desert RATS, or Research and Technology Studies. See how NASA uses locations like Arizona to simulate living in space for an extended time to test both technology performance and human factors.
Launchpad: The Lighter Side - Find out how you can get involved in NASA's Teaching From Space Program to learn about experiments conducted on board the International Space Station, or ISS. Learn about arachnids in space or how to use a straw on the ISS. Find out about the physics of a
Launchpad: Biofeedback - Learn how NASA graduate students are using biofeedback to improve concentration skills. The project is based on earlier NASA aeronautics research to improve the attentiveness of pilots in flight simulators and improve athlete’s muscle memory.
Launchpad: Phase Diagrams and Why You Cannot Make a Snowball on Mars - Join NASA scientists who study the History of Winter to learn about phase changes and the unique properties of water. Find out why ice floats and why this is important to life on Earth. See what pressure and temperature have to do with making snowballs.
Launchpad: Surface Tension On-Board the International Space Station - Join the Teaching From Space Team on-orbit to learn about surface tension. Learn why water drops form perfect spheres and how the mutual attraction of water molecules forms a tight skin on water surfaces.
Launchpad: Cohesion and Adhesion On-Board the International Space Station - Join the Teaching From Space Team on-orbit to learn about special properties of water. Use a simple eyedropper to examine the strong cohesive bond of water. See how adhesion helps the astronaut on the International Space Station form a glove of water arou
Launchpad: Bernoulli's Principle On-Board the International Space Station - Join the Teaching From Space Team on-orbit to learn about Bernoulli's Principle. See how the relationship between pressure and speed is characteristic of all fluids, not just liquids and how the Bernoulli effect impacts us in everyday life.
Launchpad: NASA's History of Winter Program - What can measuring the density of snow and diagramming snowflakes teach us about the cryosphere and Earth's global climate system? NASA's History of Winter program gives teachers opportunities to conduct real world research.
Launchpad: Three Hot Topics at NASA - In this NASA eClips video discover three hot topics NASA is currently developing. The Cassini-Huygens is a spacecraft NASA sent to check out Saturn.
Launchpad: Cryogenics - The Cold Hard Facts - Discover the everyday applications of cryogenics from magnetic scans to high-tech space telescopes like the new James Webb. Learn about absolute zero and the Kelvin temperature scale.
Firing the Space Shuttle Main Engines - Learn about the chemical reaction that occurs when liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are combined to operate the space shuttle's three main engines. See how this controlled explosion moves the shuttle up into orbit.
Launchpad: Liftoff with Solid Rocket Boosters - Learn about the chemical reaction that occurs when liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen are combined to operate the space shuttle's three main engines. See how this controlled explosion moves the shuttle up into orbit.
Launchpad: Cryogenics in Transportation - Explore the differences between science fiction and science fact related to cryogenics. See how NASA uses cold storage for liquid oxygen and hydrogen used to propel rockets and how this may be used in cars of the future.
Launchpad: Moon Magic - Learn about the effects the moon has on Earth. See what the difference is between an apogee moon and a perigee moon and what role the moon's orbit plays in both. Compare the moon illusion to its angular size.
Launchpad: LCROSS Finding Water on the Moon Music Video - Learn about NASA's exciting LCROSS mission in this music video. Find out why finding water on the moon is so important to future missions.
Launchpad: Night Shining Clouds - Have you ever seen noctulucent or night-shining clouds in the summer sky? Explore the layers of our atmosphere. Find out why NASA is interested in how these glowing clouds are formed and what they tell us about Earth.
Launchpad: The Search for Exoplanets - Join NASA astronauts at Kitt Peak National Observatory in their search for exoplanets. Find out how the two-meter telescope is calibrated to locate giant planets orbiting stars in far off solar systems. Learn about the infrared signature of a transit.
Launchpad: Apollo 11 - History in the Making - Relive the event that 20% of the world's population watched in awe on July 20, 1969. Learn more about the historic Apollo 11 mission and hear what President Obama had to say about the incalculable benefits of the Apollo Program.
Launchpad: Apollo 11 - Challenges of Landing on the Moon - See how 21 hours, 38 minutes and 21 seconds changed history. Learn more about the challenges of landing on the moon, the science involved in the first moon walk and the artifacts left behind for future explorers.
Launchpad: NASA Technologies Used to Treat Acne and Orthodontics - In this NASA eClips video find out how NASA technologies have been used to advance acne treatments and orthodontics.
Launchpad: Using Technology to Make Discoveries on Mars - Find out about the technology on the Mars Phoenix Lander that helps NASA remotely explore the distant planet. Learn about the filters that are used to obtain color images and the high-tech oven that proved the existence of water ice on Mars.
Launchpad: Data Loggers - Find out how efficient data loggers, such as thermochrons and ingestible thermometers, collect repetitive data for NASA scientists to analyze. Learn about spinoff technologies that monitor body temperatures for athletes, firefighters and divers.
Launchpad: Designing a Capsule for Space - Why was the Apollo capsule shaped like a gumdrop? Learn about the blunt-shaped capsule used for past and present NASA spacecraft. See how engineers use the design process to help expand on the work others have done before them.
Launchpad: Gigapan - Learn about the NASA spinoff Gigapan, an intelligent tripod that allows photographers to stitch photos for a dramatic panoramic view. See how NASA first used this technology on Mars. Find out how high school students can get involved with NASA
Launchpad: NASA and Indy Cars - This NASA video segment describes how NASA-inspired technologies used in space are influencing the design of racecars. Learn how the Indy car racing suits and gear are similar to the spacesuits astronauts wear.
Launchpad: NASA and NASCAR - Explore how NASCAR uses NASA technologies to provide safer stock cars for drivers. The NASCAR race team PENSKE designed a catalytic air filter to remove airborne particles supplying fresher air for drivers.
Launchpad: Aviation Infrastructure for the 21st Century - This NASA segment focuses on the importance of air travel in today
Launchpad: NASA Technologies and Indy Cars - This segment describes how NASA technologies are used to design safer race cars. Indy car crash data is being used to minimize the risks associated with space vehicle re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and landing.
Launchpad: Invention of Doppler Radar - NASA's Wind Shear Program and the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, worked together to invent a sensor to warn pilots about hazardous wind shears called microbursts.
Launchpad: Unmanned Air Vehicles - How They Work and Why They Are Useful - Unmanned Air Vehicles or UAV are designed to provide a cost-efficient and safer way to explore. UAV travel lower, longer and venture into more hazardous spaces than manned air vehicles.
Launchpad: Flight Simulators - A Safer Way to Test - Flight simulators are one of the most effective tools for pilots and engineers to experiment on aircraft. NASA flight simulators enable engineers to run tests and experiments without risking pilot safety.
Launchpad: How Global Positioning System Works - A NASA expert explains the inner workings of the Global Positioning System, or GPS. Learn how four satellites work together to identify exact locations on Earth with the help of a two-dimensional model.
Launchpad: Food for a Mars Mission - NASA must find a way to provide food for astronauts that fits into very limited space. The food must be safe, nutritious and provide a variety for astronauts. Learn about new techniques in food processing.
Launchpad: Food Aboard the International Space Station - Get the inside scoop from astronaut Michael Foal about what it is like to eat in space. Foal describes changes he's experienced while in space and how food and water help counteract some of these changes.
Launchpad: NASA Technologies Helping Firefighters - Learn how firefighters detect wild fires. Ikhana is an Unmanned Aerial System, or UAS, used to take images through smoke and haze in order to detect hot spots and changes in temperature.
Launchpad: Multifunctional Equipment for Moon Missions - Learn about the different types of multifunctional tools and equipment being tested for missions to the moon. Experts use landscape similar to the moon in Moses Lake, Washington to test equipment on Earth.
Launchpad: Advanced Equipment to Use on the Moon - NASA is currently testing potential equipment that can be used on missions back to the moon. Moses Lake, Washington, the site for the tests, has a surface similar to that of the moon. This segment introduces two advanced pieces of equipment that NASA is d
Launchpad: Food for Thought - See how NASA technologies are advancing food for crews in space and people on Earth. Find out about nutrigrass, shear thinning and much more in this Launchpad segment.
Launchpad: Clouds and Earth's Radiation Budget - Explore clouds and find out how they affect Earth's radiation budget. Learn how to help scientists determine ground truth as they compare satellite data with observations.
Launchpad: Contrails - What is a contrail? How is it made? Learn all about these special clouds and how you can help NASA study clouds in your geographic location.
Ares I-X Overview - Find out how scientists will use the Ares I-X to improve future craft that will carry astronauts to space. During a 363-second test flight, scientists will collect thousands of measurements to help them modify the new rocket system.
Atmosphere and Optical Telescopes - Learn about the effect of our atmosphere on optical telescopes. Discover how the geography of Mauna Kea, Hawaii helps astronomers overcome the problems of light pollution and the atmosphere. See why you might need a coat to visit the Big Island!
Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication System - Need a hammer? How about a wrench? In space and don't have a hardware store around? NASA is researching the EBF3, a computerized machine capable of producing tools and equipment on hand.
Flight Test Articles - Learn how scientists and engineers use tests and computer simulations to improve individual components of the new spacecraft system. NASA is then better able to see how systems work together and to increase the efficiency of future designs.
Fluid Dynamics - What a Drag - Learn about fluid dynamics with NASA engineers. See how NASA uses planes and a neutral buoyancy tank to train astronauts for spacewalks or how wind tunnels and ultrasonic welding techniques can be used to reduce drag for swimmers.
Light Detection and Ranging - Learn how NASA uses Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDAR, to study distant objects. NASA uses LiDAR technology to measure distances of faraway objects, locate aerosols and to develop topographic maps on Earth and Mars.
Mapping the Boundaries of Our Solar System - What is the shape of our heliosphere and what lies beyond? How does interstellar medium affect the heliosphere? To find out, NASA launched the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, to map out the boundaries of our solar system.
Mass Properties - Learn how mass properties, such as weight, mass, center of gravity and inertia affect how things fly. See how NASA compensates for missing components in a flight test article by using ballast to meet mass and center of gravity requirements.

NASA's The Real World Mathematics - Grades 6-8

Comet Quest - What is so interesting about a chunk of ice hurtling through space? NASA is using the information to help us understand why different planets are so different. Find out what a comet's diameter tells astronomers about the life of the comet. Learn about Com
What Is Soil Moisture? - What is the connection between water, soil, and carbon cycles? The answer may be in the soil beneath your feet. See how NASA plans to measure soil moisture from space with the Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission, or SMAP. Learn to calculate soil moisture
ICESat-2 and Earth's Cryosphere - Earth's cryosphere, one of Earth's six spheres, is composed of all its frozen structures including sea ice, ice caps, and permafrost. Understanding changes in the cryosphere provides scientists with valuable information about the past, present, and future
Ozone Alerts - NASA's SAGE III instrument will provide valuable information to help us understand how our global Earth system is changing. Find out the difference between good ozone and bad ozone. Learn about the health problems that a small percent of our atmosphere,
Changing the Way We Explore New Worlds - NASA engineers are using a unique new technology to overcome the challenges of entry, descent, and landing on a planetary body with an atmosphere. See how Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators, or HIADs, can be used to land larger rovers at high
3-2-1 Testing! - NASA engineers used diameter, surface area, and drag forces to test their most recent inflatable concept. The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment 3, or IRVE-3, provided a flight demonstration of inflatable technology. The successful flight test gave e
Real World: NASA Harnesses Half-Life - Learn about isotopes and radioactive decay. See how NASA uses the predictable decay of certain elements to power spacecraft in remote locations. Find out why a Radioisotope Power System, or RPS, provides dependable energy for the Mars Science Laboratory.
Real World: Comets - It's Done With Math - NASA engineers are finding new uses for old spacecraft as a way to study comets. Find out how a repurposed spacecraft can return to a comet for a second visit to uncover secrets about the formation of the solar system. Use angular size to see just how b
Real World: Legacy of NASA's Space Shuttle - Because It Flew - Use a graph to learn more about the history of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Find out how mission complexity increased over time, leading to new careers and innovations that will launch us into the next stage of space exploration. See how important the
Real World: Mercury's MESSENGER Reveals Mysteries - How long is a day on Mercury? Why does the planet have a 600 degree range in temperature? MESSENGER, NASA’s first mission to Mercury in 30 years, will capture stunning imagery, determine the composition of the surface and measure Mercury’s unusual magnet
Real World: Satellites and Solar Eruptions - Learn about twin satellites NASA launched to collect data about the sun. Find out why we study the sun and what scientists learn from these missions.
Real World: How the Electric Car Gets its Power - Learn how engineers and scientists are working to develop more efficient and long-lasting batteries to solar energy. Compare an electric car, which operates on lithium ion batteries, to cars that use fossil fuels.
Real World: Solar Power on Earth - Learn how NASA-inspired technologies produce solar power here on Earth. Go behind the scenes at the "Solar Decathlon," a competition to design a solar-powered house. Explore the benefits of solar energy.
Real World: How the Hubble Telescope Is Powered in Space - Learn how NASA uses light from the sun to make electricity to keep the Hubble Space Telescope powered in space. Scientists use an equation to balance the power in the solar panels and batteries.
Real World: Centripetal Force - Join astronauts on-board the International Space Station to learn more about centripetal force and why planets or moons and artificial satellites like the space station stay in orbit. Use math to find out if the artificial gravity in science fiction movie
Real World: Scale Models and Ratios - This NASA video segment explains scale models, ratios, proportions and how to calculate problems with different units of measurement. Color animations clarify the use of ratios.
Real World: Hubble Thermal Blanket - In this NASA video segment, learn how new technology and old-fashioned tailoring keep the Hubble Space Telescope in top shape so it can continue to gather data about the universe.
Real World: Hubble Wide Field Camera 3 - The new Wide Field Camera will allow researchers to see further in space than ever before. This camera will replace the current camera on the Hubble Space Telescope and will record objects the human eye cannot see.
Real World: Mathematics: The Deciding Factor for Lunar Habitats - Discover how NASA uses math to design lunar habitats for future missions to the moon. The final configuration will be determined by factors such as weight, dimensions, physical architecture and purpose.
Real World: Global Cloud Observation Day - Learn about precipitation and how clouds are formed. Find out why scientists study clouds and how you can help NASA collect cloud observation data as part of the Students' Cloud Observation OnLine, or S'COOL, Project.
Real World: Space Lighting - Join NASA engineers as they share the next generation of light emitting diodes, or LED, lighting. Find out how these energy efficient, longer lasting lights recently installed on the International Space Station will benefit us here on Earth.
Real World: NASA Inventions - Polyimide Foam - Learn about the everyday applications of polyimide foam, one of NASA's commercial inventions of the year. This low-density foam can be used as a fire-resistant insulation for ships or to reduce airplane noise.
Real World: Self-Healing Materials - Learn about the new self-healing materials being developed at NASA. See how these polymers snap back after impact while the structural integrity of the material remains intact. Find out how scientists use math to calculate tensile strength.
Real World: Keeping the International Space Station in Orbit - Each day, gravity pulls the International Space Station, or ISS, a little closer to Earth. See how drag causes the ISS to slow down. Learn about the challenges of keeping the ISS in orbit and how NASA counteracts orbital decay.
Real World: History of Winter - Abiotic Conditions - Join scientists and teachers as they learn how to measure some of the abiotic conditions of winter. Find out about latent heat, low thermochrons can be used to collect data points and the importance of snow:water equivalents.
Real World: Heart Rate and Blood Pressure - Learn about the physiological effects reduced gravity environments have on the human body. Use multiplication to calculate cardiac output and find out what effect space travel has on sensory-motor skills, stroke volume and heart rates of the astronauts.
Real World: Solar Power in Space - Learn how NASA technologies use alternative energy. Solar sails propel spacecraft through space. The International Space Station, or ISS, catches sunlight to provide electricity and oxygen to the station.
Real World: Home Improvement - Space Station Style - Join astronauts on a spacewalk to fix the solar arrays on the International Space Station, or ISS. Find out about new crew quarters, exercise equipment, a recycling system and an expanded kitchen that finally includes a refrigerator.
Real World: Robotic Arms - Join astronauts on-board the International Space Station as they look at the mass-handling capabilities and unique engineering design of the robotic arm that helps astronauts build, repair, investigate and more in situations too large, too dangerous or to
Real World: Longitude and Time Zones - What determines how long a second, minute, or hour lasts? Learn about the development of the units of time and how they depend on the rotation of the Earth on its axis. Learn how time zones are related to lines of longitude.
Real World: Using Lunar Soil to Make Oxygen - Learn how NASA plans to use lunar resources to provide astronauts with water and oxygen. Travel to Hawaii to see tests using a special reactor and a process called hydrogen reduction to release oxygen from the volcanic soil.
Real World: NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission - Join NASA scientists for a look at the new Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Find out about the instruments that will make a comprehensive map of the moon and search for safe landing sites by collecting unprecedented amounts of data.
Real World: Preparing to Launch Ares I-X - Preparing for future space missions, NASA is testing the Ares rockets prototype, Ares I-X. By finding the vehicle’s center of gravity, engineers can calculate the exact mass of the vehicle. The forces felt by the astronauts during launch are similar
Real World: STS-119 Brings More Power to the Space Station - Meet two teachers turned astronauts who had important roles in the mission to update the solar arrays on the International Space Station. Find out how STS-119 carried the giant arrays that will allow the station to house a crew of six in the future.
Real World: Hubble Repair Mission - See how math and Newton's laws help engineers design tools and astronauts successfully train for the next Hubble Space Telescope repair mission.
Real World: What Time Is It In Space? - The International Space Station, or ISS, orbits Earth once every 90 minutes. Learn how astronauts keep track of what time it is while on-board the ISS using Universal Time. Learn how students can talk to astronauts on the ISS using amateur radio.
Real World: Calculating Shuttle Launch Windows - Learn how NASA engineers use mathematical equations to determine when to launch the space shuttle so it will successfully dock with the International Space Station. Learn about gravity, the orbit plane and other factors that influence launch windows.
Real World: NASA and the Chesapeake Bay - Learn how NASA uses Earth observing satellites to monitor conditions in the Chesapeake Bay over time. Information about pollution, eutrophication, land cover and watershed runoff helps water managers enact policies to improve the health of the Bay.
Real World: Lunar Power Plant - Learn about one of NASA's new innovations that could supply the huge amount of power needed for exploration. NASA engineers are working with the United States Department of Energy to perfect a nuclear fission system that is efficient and virtually hazard
Real World: The Silent Airliner - Learn how NASA engineers are working to design safer, faster, quieter aircraft that have less impact on the environment. Discover how to control sonic booms. See how students are encouraged to think and act like engineers through competitions and NASA int
Real World: Exploring the Lunar Electric Rover - Join NASA at Desert RATS, or Research and Technology Studies, in Arizona to test drive the Lunar Electric Rover, or LER. Discover how LER's turning radius, ability to move in multiple directions, attached suits, and habitat capabilities optimize safety an
Real World: Analog Testing in Extreme Environments - See how NASA uses analog testing to simulate space exploration. Explore extreme environments like the Aquarius underwater laboratory in Key Largo, Florida. Find out how scientists use mathematical equations to determine an astronaut's center of gravity.
Real World: Using Lab on a Chip Technology to Identify Microorganisms - Listen in to a downlink with the crew on the International Space Station, or ISS, to learn about a recent experiment that helps astronauts monitor their environment. Find out about exponential multiplication and the benefits of new technology to keep the
Real World: Environmental Control on the International Space Station - Learn how engineers turn perspiration into innovation on the International Space Station so astronauts can live and work comfortably. The Environmental Control and Life Support System, or ECLSS, regulates the environment, including temperature, humidity a
Real World: TriATHLETE - The Engineering Design Process in Action - See the engineering design process in action at Desert RATS, or Research and Technology Studies, in Arizona. Learn about the next generation of the ATHLETE vehicle. See how the original design changed to allow a split into two robots and the addition of u
Real World: JASON-2 - Learn how the satellite, Jason 2, is able to use radar waves to determine the height of sea levels and evaluate the effects of global warming.
Real World: Shuttle Safety - Learn about the safety measures implemented to protect the shuttle astronauts. Computer modeling and simulation is used to help engineers evaluate the probability of malfunctions in everything from shuttle valves to the thermal protection system.
Real World: Using Lunar Reactors - Find out how NASA scientists, like explorers of old, plan to use the natural resources of new worlds to provide life-sustaining materials for the astronauts. During tests in Hawaii, scientists practice extracting oxygen from the lunar-like soil.
Real World: Lunar Excavation Blade - Learn how NASA engineers use mass efficiency, a measure of size to productivity, to evaluate the excavation blade that could be used on future lunar missions. The blade can help astronauts build landing pads or protective berms.
Real World: Choosing the Right Lunar Excavator - See how NASA engineers use the design process to evaluate the best choice for a new lunar excavator. Three different models are tested on location in Hawaii where the soil on Mauna Kea Volcano is simiilar to that on the moon.
Real World: Altair - In future space missions, Altair will carry crew from Orion to the moon. An engine is being developed that uses deep throttling to control the amount of thrust coming out of the engine. Using mathematics principles, the engine lowers the vehicle and allow
Real World: Lightning Protection for Launch Complex 39 - See how NASA is using a rolling spheres lightning protection system to expand the cone of protection currently used on Launch Complex 39. Find out how the towers and catenary wires create an easier path for the lightning to get to the ground.
Real World: Putting Together the Ares I-X - NASA centers from across the United States are working together to build the new Ares rocket. Find out how engineers use micrometer tolerances to be sure the parts fit together and how drag coefficients help predict the aerodynamics of the rocket flight t
Real World: Tools for Construction - NASA's Lunar Crane - Learn more about the innovative lunar crane being developed by NASA for use in heavy lifting on other worlds. See how composite materials are used to improve the mass: strength ratio and how variable degrees of rotation allow this versatile machine to mov
Real World: Lessons in Heavy Metal - Watch as NASA engineers use a special welding technique known as friction-stir welding to bond new composite metals used for the Ares I launch vehicle. See how this process adds strength to the material. Learn to convert degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Cels
Real World: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Resources - Get a new perspective on moon resources with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. See how NASA plans to gather data about the unique lunar poles. Scientists will use the light reflected off the surface to identify different minerals on the moon.
Real World: Aircraft and Spacecraft Landing Tests - Learn how NASA experts use a gantry to test the design of aircraft and spacecraft returning to Earth. See the new design of Orion, the crew exploration vehicle planned for NASA's return to the moon.
Real World: Lunar Landing Test Designs - Discover how NASA uses a gantry so astronauts can practice safely landing spacecrafts on the moon. Learn about Orion, the exploration vehicle planned for missions to the moon and Mars.
Real World: The Math Involved in ARES - Learn about ARES, the unmanned vehicle NASA plans to send to Mars that will fly around the surface collecting data about the red planet. Discover the mathematics used to design ARES.
Real World: US Standard System of Measurement vs. Metric System - Learn about different types of measurement and measurement tools. Compare the US standard system of measurement to the metric system.
Real World: Chemistry and Advanced Propulsion Technologies - The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, or VASIMR, uses plasma for rocket propulsion. Review the four states of matter and explore the make-up of atoms, electric and magnetic fields and radiation.
Real World: Power Tools in Space - Learn how household tools have been used in space missions. Find out more about how astronauts use cordless power tools to perform tasks like tightening screws in space and collecting moon rocks.
Real World: Lunar Habitats - Learn how inflatable structures may be used as mobile living quarters for astronauts when NASA returns to the moon and then travels to Mars. Explore one inflatable model made of Kevlar.
Real World: Earth System Science - Learn about Earth System Science and how systems are formed when parts interconnecting with other parts make a whole. See how the use of graphs, charts and drawings help communicate thinking.
Real World: How Gravity Affects Molecules - See how NASA runs experiments in reduced gravity environments and simulated weightlessness. Learn about polymers and use slopes and ratios to explain a relationship between gravity and convection.
Real World: Hurricane Hunters - This NASA video segment focuses on how scientists use satellites to collect data. These sets of data are then analyzed and used to predict storms.
Real World: Proportionality: Using Ratios and Scales - This NASA video segment gives a short review of proportionality. Learn how scale models are created as a cost-efficient way to design and study larger objects. Examples are used to support the presentation.
Real World: Rectangular Coordinate System - Use a number line in a rectangular coordinate system. Identify horizontal and vertical axis lines, quadrants, coordinates, ordered pairs and integers. Example problems help review key concepts.
Real World: Work, Force, Energy and Motion - Learn how to calculate the force, energy, motion and work of an object using proper units of measurement. Find out how these properties compare with one other. Calculate gravitational potential energy.
Real World: Law of Conservation of Energy - Learn about the Law of Conservation of Energy and how energy changes from potential energy to kinetic energy. Review the procedure to calculate kinetic energy.
Real World: Space Weather - This NASA video segment looks at space weather and examines the major ramifications space weather can have on Earth.
Real World: A-Train - The A-Train is a group of satellites in orbit collecting atmospheric data . Measuring the same part of Earth's system within minutes of each other, the satellites examine air quality, cloud movement, and more.
Real World: Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System - Explore the protection system that allows the shuttle to go from frigid temperatures in space to extremely hot temperatures when entering Earth's atmosphere. See how these tiles made of sand protect the astronauts.
Real World: Moon Dirt - Learn about the special characteristics of moon dirt. Go behind the scenes at the NASA lunar backhoe competition to see who designed the most efficient machine for moon digging.
Real World: NASA and a Dinosaur Named Dakota - Learn how remote sensing is used to help paleontologists identify where fossils may be found. See how the discovery of a hadrosaur has enabled scientists to further their research on dinosaurs.
Real World: Monitoring Earth's Energy Budget with CERES - Learn how NASA uses a data-collecting sensor, Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System, or CERES, to study clouds and make accurate measurements of energy leaving Earth.
Real World: Testing NASA's New Moon Robot - Learn about the mobile robot NASA plans to use for future missions to Mars: the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer, or ATHLETE. This one-third scale model helps NASA see just what the robot can do.
Real World: Designing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - NASA is using new technology to design Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that collects data and tests experiments without putting pilots at risk. Learn about the mathematics involved in designing these airplanes.
Real World: Farewell to the Mars Phoenix Lander - See what tools were sent to Mars onboard the Phoenix Lander. Find out why scientists chose a lander to search for water ice on the red planet and what math was involved to slow Phoenix down enough to make a safe landing.
Real World: Scarab, NASA's Newest Lunar Exploration Rover - Find out why engineers are testing NASA's autonomous rover called Scarab. Scarab is equipped with drills for taking lunar soil samples and special wheels designed by Michelin to optimize ground contact pressure.
Real World: Mission to Mercury - Find out about NASA's innovative spacecraft that was launched to explore Mercury. Learn about gravity assist and see what scientists have already learned from the preliminary flybys, including evidence of volcanism and plate tectonics.

NASA's Our World - Grades K-5

What is a Solar System - Find out why one amateur astronomer created an amazing graphic of the 88 largest objects in our solar system. Learn just what makes up a solar system and find out how we classify the thousands of objects in our own solar system
What Is Soil? - Learn about soil and how different kinds of soil hold moisture. See how NASA plans to use measurements from the Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission, or SMAP, to make Our World a better place to live.
ICESat-2 Measures Ice Sheets - Why is NASA interested in Earth's ice? The creation of ICESat-2 is allowing NASA's scientists to make accurate maps of polar ice sheets. These maps help them make informed predictions about weather patterns, climate change, and the effects of changing ice
ICESat-2 - What Is Ice? - Water has some very unique properties, but what are they? What do they mean for us? Water, unlike other types of matter, is less dense as a solid than as a liquid. This means more than simply floating cubes in a cold drink. The various forms of water allo
Sunsets and Atmosphere - How is NASA using SAGE III to help us learn about the air we breathe? See how the colors of sunsets tell us about the particles in the air. Find out how putting an instrument on the International Space Station will allow NASA to make repeated measurement
Our World: Mission Patches - See how NASA astronauts design their mission patches to tell the story of each shuttle mission. The astronauts must choose pictures, colors, and symbols that explain the importance of the mission and represent each of the astronauts on the team.
Our World: Meet the Orbiters - Join Orby, the Orbiter, as she shares some fun facts about NASA's space shuttles. Did you know the shuttles traveled more than 826 million kilometers? Or that each shuttle was named after an important sailing ship? Find out where the shuttles will find a
Our World: Moons In Our Solar System - Did you know astronomers have identified more than 300 moons in our solar system? How big is Ganymede? How small is Deimos? Which moons might have what it takes to support life? Follow the NASA missions to learn about these unique bodies in space.
Our World: Two Eyes on the Sun - Learn how NASA launched two satellites to collect data about the sun. Also learn about solar eruptions and how they affect Earth and astronauts in space.
Our World: The Sun, A Real Star - Learn about the important relationship between Earth and the sun. Find out about the layers of the sun and how Earth's magnetosphere acts like a giant handkerchief to protect us from all kinds of space weather.
Our World: Eyes in the Sky - Learn about amazing Astronaut Earth Photography. See sand dunes, oceans, large man-made structures, clouds, mountains and even sunrises and sunsets in photos taken by the astronauts on-board the International Space Station. Find out how you can be part of
Our World: Recycling on the International Space Station - Join engineers at NASA and astronauts on board the International Space Station to learn about the importance of recycling. Find out how NASA is solving the challenge of giving astronauts water to use without wasting any with the new Water Recovery System.
Our World: What Is a Cloud? - This NASA video segment describes the different types of clouds and cloud formation. The relationship between clouds and weather on Earth is demonstrated.
Our World: Cool Clouds - Learn how clouds are formed and watch an experiment to make a cloud using liquid nitrogen. Find out how scientists classify clouds according to their altitude and how clouds reflect and absorb light, giving them different colors.
Our World: Going Green? What Does That Mean? - Going green? Find out how "going green" is beneficial to Earth and discover ways YOU can help keep the environment safe.
Our World: Propulsion Systems - This NASA video segment compares efficiency of different types of propulsion systems. NASA is designing improved propulsion systems that are faster, safer, more cost effective and more reliable.
Our World: Traveling to the Moon and Mars - This NASA video segment calculates the distance from Earth to the moon and from Earth to Mars. This video also analyzes the temperature and surface of other planets and explains why Mars is targeted for human exploration.
Our World: Hubble Clothing: Thermal Protection Blankets - The Hubble Space Telescope is exposed to extreme temperatures in space, so NASA scientists had to find a thermal material able to protect it from the harsh environment.
Our World: Exercise in Space - Find out why exercise is so important to the astronauts who travel into space. Learn how gravity affects our bodies and what astronauts must do in reduced gravity environments to keep their bodies healthy.
Our World: Exercise Equipment - Learn about the exercise equipment used by the astronauts in space to keep astronauts fit and healthy. Compare this equipment to the exercise equipment we use here on Earth.
Our World: Fluid Shift - Learn about the circulatory system and how gravity aids blood flow in our bodies here on Earth. Find out how NASA flight surgeons help the astronauts deal with the fluid shift that happens during spaceflight.
Our World: Stardust - Visit a lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center where scientists study meteorites. Learn how aerogel, the lightest material in the world helped capture pieces of a comet and return the comet dust to Earth. See what scientists can learn about our universe from
Our World: Lunar Rock - Learn about NASA’s Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. See how NASA protects these precious moon rocks brought to Earth by the Apollo astronauts. Explore the special storage boxes filled with nitrogen where the mo
Our World: Sleeping On-Board the International Space Station - Join astronauts on board the International Space Station, or ISS, to learn about living in space. Explore the inside of a Temporary Sleep Space, or TESS, and see the astronauts' sleeping bags. Learn how the astronauts do personal hygiene tasks like brushing
Our World: Plants in Space - Find out how plants use light to make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. See how NASA uses LED lights to help grow plants in space. Design your own plant growth chamber like the ones used by NASA.
Our World: Communications in Space - Communication is very important for astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). Learn about the many ways that astronauts can communicate with people on Earth while they are on-board the ISS.
Our World: Learning about Astronaut Gloves and Tools On-Board the International Space Station - Join Astronaut Sandy Magnus on-board the International Space Station as she explains how the astronauts use special tools in space and why astronaut gloves are so important.
Our World: Learning About Astronaut Suits On-Board the International Space Station - Join Astronaut Sandy Magnus on-board the International Space Station as she explains why astronauts must sometimes work outside their spacecraft. Learn about the protective suits worn by the astronauts on these spacewalks.
Our World: Gravity in Space - What is gravity? Find out about the balance between gravity and inertia that keeps the International Space Station in orbit. Learn why astronauts "float" in space and how the space shuttle has to slow down in order to come back to Earth.
Our World: NASA at Jamestown - See how astronauts today compare to explorers of old. Find out how NASA technologies are being used to help archaeologists in Historic Jamestowne to learn more about the artifacts they are uncovering without damaging the artifacts.
Our World: Snowflakes - Snowflakes are actually a history of what was happening in the atmosphere as the snowflake formed and fell to the ground. Find out how you can help NASA scientists study different types of snowflakes to learn about the atmosphere and changes in climate.
Our World: Careers at NASA - More than Just Astronauts! - Explore some of the unique career opportunities at NASA. Learn how NASA internships and co-op programs influenced scientists and engineers working on exploration projects today. Find out how you can be part of NASA, too!
Real World: Honeybees - Join NASA scientists and beekeepers in a citizen science project to collect important data about climate change. Learn how honeybees pollinate over 130 crops in the United States each year and what NASA is doing to help study the decline in bee populatio
Our World: Journaling in Space - Learn how famous explorers, scientists and even NASA use journals and science notebooks to record observations about Our World. See why journaling is important on the International Space Station to record how the astronauts react to living in space.
Our World: Wind Tunnels in Action - Join NASA scuebtusts and engineers at NASA Langley Research Center, one of the most extensive wind tunnel facilities in the world, as they study air flow around objects at differenet wind speeds. Learn what kinds of objects can be tested in the various ki
Our World: Changing Theories - The Scientific Method in Action - See how scientists develop ideas about the universe, then set out to prove what they think is right. Often this search leads to new questions and new discoveries. Find out how the Mars Phoenix Lander has changed what NASA scientists believe about Mars.
Our World: Challenges of Exploration - The Right Vehicle for the Job - Learn about the challenges of exploring the surface of Mars. Find out how NASA uses science and math to successfully design the type of vehicle needed for specific missions. See why scientists refer to entry, descent and landing as "seven minutes of terro
Our World: Pluto - Our First Dwarf Planet - With more powerful telescopes, scientists are discovering smaller objects in our solar system. Find out how scientists now classify planets. See how NASA's robotic spacecraft, New Horizons, will help us learn more about the dwarf planet Pluto and similar
Our World: What Is a Tide? - The sun, moon and gravity all play a role in the creation of tides and waves. This NASA video segment demonstrates how the three interact to form waves.
Our World: Snowpits - Learn about adaptations that help animals survive in winter biomes. See how scientists build snowpits to investigate these unique environments. Find out why NASA is interested in snow and ice.
Our World: Monitoring the Earth's Climate with CERES - Learn how scientists use a satellite called CERES to study the clouds and monitor Earth's climate changes.
Our World: How High Is the Ocean? - NASA uses a new satellite called JASON-2 to measure ocean heights.
Our World: On-Board the International Space Station - Learn about the global cooperation to build the International Space Station, or ISS. Use a simple scale model to demonstrate the amazing mathematical relationship between the Earth and moon and see how the low-Earth orbit of ISS compares.
Our World: Hubble History - Learn how the Hubble Space Telescope has changed the way scientists look at the universe, without the interference of Earth's atmosphere. Find out how this telescope works and a bit of history about the man for whom it is named.
Our World: The Rock Cycle - Find out how rocks brought to Earth by the Apollo astronauts have helped NASA learn more about the rock cycle. Compare igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks found on Earth to three types of rocks found on the moon.
Our World: Arecibo - The Largest Radio Telescope on Earth - Learn about radio waves, a special type of light that has a longer wavelength and less energy than the light we see. Find out how NASA uses radio waves to learn more about the universe and our own atmosphere with a giant telescope in Puerto Rico.
Our World: Constellation: NASA's Next Generation Spacecraft - Get an up-close look at the spacecraft that will replace the shuttle. Explore the different components of the Constellation Program. Learn about Ares I, Ares V, Orion and Altair and the role each will play as we return to the moon.
Our World: NASA's Lunar Electric Rover - When astronauts return to the moon, they will need to be able to move around on the surface. Learn about NASA’s Lunar Electric Rover, or LER, that will solve problems with pressurization, moon dust and mobility.
Our World: Offshore Oil Drilling - This NASA video segment focuses on offshore oil drilling and oil pollution in the ocean. Color animation demonstrates how oil is collected from the ground.
Our World: The Topography of the Ocean - This NASA video segment describes the topography of the ocean floor and discusses oil and gas seepages in the ocean.
Our World: How Oil Spills Are Affecting our Planet - Oil spills affect our planet in many harmful ways. To contain the spill, the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and Coast Guard map the location and use weather and current data to predict the path of the oil.
Our World: Seeing Stars - Peer through a telescope's lens for a closer look at planets and star clusters. This NASA video focuses on the habitable zone, the Orion Nebula and the Whirlpool Galaxy.
Our World: Radiation - This NASA video segment looks at radiation in space and on Earth. Learn about two types of radiation and how NASA engineers are developing better shielding material to protect astronauts during long missions in space.
Our World: Living Conditions in Space - In this NASA video segment, astronauts in orbit compare living conditions in space to life on Earth.
Our World: The Importance of Spacesuits - This NASA video segment explains how spacesuits keep astronauts safe while they are in space. Learn about different components of a spacesuit and the importance of each component.
Our World: What Is a Hurricane? - This NASA video segment explains the formation of hurricanes. Go behind the scenes with a meteorologist at the Weather Channel in Atlanta, Georgia to learn how scientists predict hurricanes and hurricane formation.
Our World: Energy and Work - This NASA video segment discusses the relationship between energy and work. Ways people try to overcome Earth's gravity in order to do work are explored.
Our World: What Is a Ratio? - This NASA video segment explains how ratios are used to compare two numbers. Fractions and ratios are used in example problems.
Our World: What Is Weather? - This NASA video segment focuses on the relationship between weather and climate. Learn how heat, air pressure, winds and moisture work together to produce local weather.
Our World: What Is Work? - This NASA video segment explains the relationship between work, force and distance. Sample problems demonstrate how to calculate work.
Our World: How Elevators Operate - Go behind the scenes with a mechanical engineer to learn how elevators operate. This NASA video segment explains how balance, counter weight and traction all play an important role in the operation of elevators.
Our World: Science in the Circus - This NASA video segment describes some science principles found at the circus, such as levers and pulleys. Potential energy and kinetic energy are also introduced.
Our World: How Pulleys Work - In this NASA video segment an aerospace engineer explains how pulleys work and how they are used to lift and transport the space shuttle.
Our World: How Gears Work - This NASA video discusses gears and how they work together as a simple machine. Demonstrations explain primary and follower gears and how different-sized gears affect rotational speeds. Math is used to determine the force produced by meshed gears.
Our World: The Moon - This NASA video segment looks at the moon and its relationship to Earth.
Our World: Why Are Oceans Salty? - This NASA video segment explains how oceans were formed, what makes them salty and how they are different than fresh water rivers.
Our World: Surface Currents - This NASA video segment explains the variables that affect and steer ocean surface currents.
Our World: Lunar Habitat - Structure - In this NASA video segment, find out about different structures being considered for living on the moon.
Our World: Digging in Moon Dirt - NASA scientists are working to develop a machine capable of digging in the fine, razor sharp dirt on the moon. Go behind the scenes at the NASA lunar backhoe competition where researchers compete to find out whose machine rises to the challenge.
Our World: NASA's New Moon Robot - NASA plans to use a six-legged, wheeled robot for missions to the moon and Mars called the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer, or Athlete. Athlete will be used to move the astronauts’ habitats and capture images to send back to Earth.
Our World: How Sand Protects the Shuttle! - The space shuttle uses sand as a protective covering that withstands extreme temperature changes as it enters and exits Earth’s atmosphere. Find out how sand is used in shuttle tiles and as a protective layer to keep the astronauts and the shuttle s
Our World: Finding Dinosaurs - NASA assists paleontologists in finding dinosaurs by using remote sensing technology.
Our World: A-Train Satellites - The A-Train consists of five satellites orbiting Earth that use the latest NASA technology to study the Earth's system. This segment introduces Aqua, one of the satellites that studies water on Earth.
Our World: Altair Lunar Lander - In this NASA eClip, learn all about the next generation lunar lander, Altair. Altair will carry crew from Orion to the moon and back and house the crew while they are on the moon.
Our World: Space Grub - Discover what types of food astronauts eat in space and how the food must be lightweight, nutritional, take up little space and be long-lasting.
Our World: The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - Learn about the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. As it orbits the moon for one year, LRO will collect moon temperatures, determine safe landing sites for future NASA missions and more!
Our World: Instruments on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - Meet Cathy Peddie, a NASA engineer working on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Discover how the LRO will use color to learn more about the moon.
Our World: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - NASA's Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or planes that fly without pilots, are being used to collect data about Earth.
Our World: Collecting Data from Mars Using ARES - Learn about the ARES mission, the unmanned vehicle NASA plans to send to Mars that will fly a mile above the surface collecting data about the red planet.
Our World: Cloud Inspection - Find out why scientists and meteorologists study clouds and what tools they use to collect data about the effect of clouds on Earth's climate. Learn to tell the difference between cirrus, stratus and cumulus clouds.
Our World: Life on Other Worlds - Explore the possibility of fiding life on other planets. See how NASA's search for water on Mars proved successful with the Phoenix Lander. Find out about extremophiles and what makes a habitable zone for life as we know it.
Our World: Chandra - Exploring the Invisible Universe - Learn why NASA put the Chandra X-Ray Observatory far away from Earth's atmosphere to capture images of the x-rays given off by objects under certain violent conditions. Scientists use those images to learn about our universe.
Our World: How Do You Get a Plane to Mars? - Airplanes cannot fly to Mars, so how do you get a plane to Mars so it can soar above the surface and collect interesting data about the Martian atmosphere? Learn about the protective case or aeroshell created to get Ares to Mars.
Our World: NASA and the Super Suit - Learn how Speedo contacted NASA to help them test the best material possible for the new Olympic swimsuits. Find out how drag affects swimmers and how NASA could test the material for the suits in a wind tunnel.
Our World: Observatories on Mauna Kea - Learn all about the optical telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Find out why astronomers prefer the thin atmosphere found here and compare Earth-based telescopes to space telescopes like Hubble.
Our World: Investigating Mars with the Phoenix Lander - Find out about the amazing new discoveries made on Mars with the Phoenix Lander. See how Phoenix uncovered water ice on Mars. Learn about habitability and the difference between a day on Earth and a sol on Mars.

NASA Liftoff to Learning Videos

NASA SCIence Files™

NASA Destination Tomorrow™

Program 1 - In program 1, we see how Synthetic Vision is helping pilots fly with zero visibility. Understand how an airplane flies, and in the "Tech Watch" segment, viewers gain insight into the new fetal heart monitor technology. And take a look back at how lunar-orbit rendezvous allowed man to safely get to the moon.
Program 2 - Take a look "Behind the Scenes" and see how the Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn is helping to save lives; in the "Tech Watch" segment, viewers gain insight into the Periodontal Probe that is making pain free dentistry a reality; viewers meet Richard Whitcomb, inventor of the "Area Rule" concept as part of the "Retrospective" segment; viewers see how NASA researchers are designing planes to fly more like birds in "On the Runway" segment; and viewers find out how sensors work on the "How it Works" segment.
Program 3 - Go "Behind the Scenes" at NASA Glenn and see how the 2.2 second Drop Tower is helping researchers learn about microgravity here on Earth. Gain insight into a new treatment option developed at NASA for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Meet Dale Reed, champion of the "Lifting Body Program" as part of the "Retrospective" segment. See how NASA researchers are helping reduce air traffic delays in the "On the Runway" segment; and viewers find out how helicopters work on the "How it Works" segment.
Program 4 - Go "Behind the Scenes" and see how the Hyper-X program is developing new hypersonic vehicles that might one day take you into space. See how composite materials are revolutionizing aircraft technology in “Tech Watch”. Meet Francis Rogallo, inventor of the modern hang glider as part of the "Retrospective" segment and see how NASA researchers test aircraft and Space Shuttle tires in the "On the Runway" segment. Plus find out how wind tunnels work.
Program 5 - Go "Behind the Scenes" and see how NASA researchers crash test aircraft to make flying safer. “Tech Watch” shows us that treating head trauma has become easier with a new Intra-Cranial Pressure Monitor developed at NASA. Meet John V. Becker, X-15 researcher in the "Retrospective" segment and see how NASA is designing the revolutionary Blended-Wing Body aircraft in the "On the Runway" segment. Plus find out how a jet engine works on the "How it Works" segment.
Program 6 - Go "Behind the Scenes" and travel to the Red Planet aboard the new Mars Rover. "Tech Watch" introduces us to a new Child Presence Sensor which will give parents a second set of eyes to watch their children. Meet Maxime Faget, Mercury Spacecraft designer in the "Retrospective" segment and see how NASA is designing Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the "On the Runway" segment. Plus find out how a flight simulator works on the "How it Works" segment.
Program 7 - A new satellite developed by NASA called GIFTS or Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer will revolutionize weather forecasting. The VAD or Ventricular Assist Devise was NASAís invention of the year. This ingenious invention will prolong peopleís lives stricken with heart disease. Destination Tomorrow also investigates new technologies derived from flight simulators and current airplane data that will help pilots fly safer. Johnny Alonso finds himself in a 3D environment designed to help astronauts work more efficiently on board the International Space Station. Destination Tomorrow meets NASAís chief engineer for the successful Viking missions.
Program 8 - Breakthrough technologies developed by NASA will reduce pollution emitted from catalytic converters. Commercial airplane pilots have new turbulence avoidance systems developed from flight simulators and in flight data. Johnny Alonso finds out the secrets of how lasers work. DT looks back at the successes of the TDT or Transonic Dynamics Wind Tunnel. The MISSE project or Materials International Space Station Experiment is a breakthrough program that allows long term experiments in outer space.
Program 9 - A revolutionary technology developed by NASA is being used to detect cancer instantly, leading to a more accurate diagnosis of this disease. In an effort to quiet our skies, NASA has a new program aimed at reducing noise generated by aircraft. A record setting, unmanned aircraft called the Helios is changing the way scientists conduct Earth and atmospheric science missions. State of the art space suits give astronauts a place to live and work in outer space. DT looks back at the Gemini program. The Gemini missions flew between the Mercury and Apollo programs and allowed astronauts and planners to practice many of the procedures that would be important for future moon flights, paving the way for man to walk on the moon.
Program 10 - A unique ballistic parachute system might potentially help pilots and passengers survive a catastrophic accident. NASA’s Destination Tomorrow™ traveled to the Andoya Rocket range in Andennes, Norway and spoke to researchers about the aurora borealis (the northern lights). Norway is a unique place to investigate this phenomenon of the northern skies. NASA’s Destination Tomorrow™ also looks back at how NASA research helped change the shape of America’s air superiority in WW II. Find out how air traffic controllers keep a watchful eye on our skies at all times. Discover how a new satellite called CALIPSO is studying the Earth’s atmosphere from space.
Program 11 - NASA researchers are developing Solar Sails for deep space exploration. Our nations Charters of Freedom were slowly deteriorating until NASA researchers stepped in to repair the damage. Destination Tomorrow looks at how the next generation of reusable launch vehicles are being developed. Retrospective looks back at the NASA 20 foot free flight spin tunnel. Research performed at this tunnel would have a direct impact on virtually every American fighter aircraft from World War 2 through today. And Johnny Alonso finds out exactly how GPS works.
Program 12 - A special edition of Destination Tomorrow looks back at the first century of powered flight. See how two relatively unknown bicycle makers from Dayton, Ohio beat many of the world's foremost thinkers to become the inventors of the airplane. Correspondent Jennifer Pulley speaks to researchers who are working on new designs that could change air travel. New aircraft shapes, cleaner burning fuels, and new materials could be the first steps in the next revolution of aircraft design.
Program 13 - A new type of rover called the Mars tumbleweed is being developed by NASA. This wind driven rover might provide a better understanding of the Martian Surface. Plus we investigate a new robot that will help astronauts in space. Called the Personal Satellite Assistant or PSA, this ingenious robot will move freely in its environment with the help of reduced gravity. And Johnny Alonso finds out how telescopes work.
Program 14 - Over the last few years Destination Tomorrow has produced many informative segments that have highlighted NASA technology. In fact, some technologies and achievements have been so successful we thought they might warrant a closer look. After years of research and development, the Mars Exploration Rovers have landed and are conducting experiments on the Martian surface; we'll get an update on this amazing achievement. We also reported on new type of catalytic converter that could potentially eliminate pollution in automobiles. Since then this technology has been applied in creative ways. And video games are now assisting doctors in treating ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; we follow up on this stimulating new technology.
Program 15 - Destination Tomorrow looks at one of Saturn’s most fascinating moons called Titan. Learn about how this moon that has one of the best chances for life to exist in its hazy, thick atmosphere. NASA is working on a unique technique called Aerobraking to slow spacecraft into orbit around distant planets. And Johnny Alonso finds out how advanced materials including Kevlar can stop a bullet in its tracks.
Program 16 - On part one of this two part edition of Destination Tomorrow we take a look a Food Technology and how it is used by NASA. We’ll find out about packaging and processing food for short and long duration space flights. And we’ll see what types of foods astronauts are enjoying in space.
Program 17 - Part 2 of this special edition of NASA’s Destination Tomorrow focuses on the future of food technology on long duration missions. Johnny Alonso speaks with Astronaut Mike Foale about eating aboard the International Space Station.
Program 18 - On this episode of Destination Tomorrow we take a look at NASA's new plan for Space Exploration. We'll find out about some of the robotic missions that will lead the way for our Astronauts. And we will talk about some of the challenges of getting to and staying on other worlds.
Program 19 - Program 19 consists of four exciting segments. In the "Behind the Scenes" segment, viewers will learn about a joint governmental agency working to redesign the national airspace; in the "Tech Watch" segment, viewers will learn about a new type of airplane which may soon be flying in the Martian Atmosphere; in the "Retrospective" segment viewers find out how NASA's Wind Shear Detection program helped save countless lives; and viewers find out about the Hypersonic X-43 aircraft in the "How it Works" segment.
Program 20 - Program 20 consists of four exciting segments. In the "Behind the Scenes" segment, viewers will learn about the new Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter; in the "Tech Watch" segment, viewers will learn about a new type medical device that will give Doctors a form of X-Ray vision; in the "Retrospective" segment viewers find out how the Space Shuttle program was started; and viewers find out about sonic booms in the "How it Works" segment.
Program 21 - Program 21 consists of four exciting segments about NASA's Aviation Safety Program. In the "Behind the Scenes" segment, viewers will learn about the Single Aircraft Accident Prevention Program; in the next segment, viewers will learn about crashing airplanes for safety at the Impact Dynamics Research Facility; in the next segment viewers find out about a unique Icing Research Wind Tunnel; and viewers find out Turbulence Detection in the final segment.
Program 22 - Program #22 focuses on the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) rollout event in Danville, Virginia. This new technology will use personal aircraft to ease conjestion in our skies.
Program 23 - NASA's Destination Tomorrow Program #23 will look back at the successful Casinni-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan. We will also revisit robotic exploration that will enable future human missions to the Moon and Mars, GPS technology, and the development of the Space Shuttle program in the Retrospective segment.