Cool Cows in Space >-<

Universal Event | Turning STEM into STEAM

µ and π in Space Adventure

High-Level Project Summary

Mu and Pi are two space cows that help us in our project to provide versatile space education and to increase children's interest in science with mini-comics and experiments. They will help kids from 6 to 14 years old learn about the consequences of space missions and experiments with the technology used for these aims. Children, who get information about the work of NASA and partner space agencies through mini-stories with audio animations, will be able to reinforce what they have learned with instructive experiments that can quickly be done at home with just a few materials. This educational media is unique with its diverse elements and the perspective that targets children's creativity.

Link to Final Project

https://spacecows.earth/

Link to Project "Demo"

https://youtu.be/uZWs5Yz8w5A

Detailed Project Description

The first plan we had in mind when starting this idea was to use where everyone is strongest and most creative. Everyone on our team who was successful in coding, researching, creative writing, drawing, and creating new designs contributed in their own fields. First, we needed to have an idea about space exploration, and we could create experiment setups by creating a story about it. After this research, which we made using the resources provided to us on the Challenge page and the websites of NASA and joint space agencies, we tried to create funny comic cartoons compatible with our team name. And that's how Mu and Pi were born. We designed the website we created to present our content using Java, Javascript, Webstorm, Echo3d, Android Studio, reactJS, and CSS.

By keeping the experiment setup simple, we aimed to make the experiments and information reach more people. In this way, we reflected the idea that even with the materials that can be found in everyone's home, the interest in space can be understood. Currently, with only Spanish and English options, we will ensure that the mini-comics and experiments we have prepared will be translated into more languages so that they can reach more children all over the world. It is also among our plans to create a podcast series for visually impaired individuals by voicing the stories in the comics.

Space Agency Data

https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/whereIsWebb.html

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Hipparcos_overview

Hipparcos overview

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hipparcos

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/Spinning_Science_MVP_Arrives_At_ISS

Hackathon Journey

Our team really enjoyed collaborating during NASA’s Space Apps 2022 Hackathon – we learned a lot and overcame many challenges while racing against the clock. While we all focused on different aspects of the project so each one of us widened their horizons in a specific area, we all learned the power of working together and organization skills when each one of us is in a different time zone. Our team really liked the idea of Turning STEM into STEAM because science is often confined to strict boundaries and stereotypes, stereotypes that are often hurtful to science itself and ones that limit the society from learning and discovering its beauty. We believe that science should be accessible to all as well as engaging so that the next generation can truly fall in love with it. We first created a general outline for what we wanted our project to be based on the challenge objectives and then divided the work among us based on our strengths. We had quick zoom calls to check our progress and discuss any challenges we were facing. We resolved the setbacks and challenges we faced by working together and incorporating our strengths to help each other overcome any issues.