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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images
Experiment/Payload OverviewEducation Payload Operation - Demonstrations (EPO-Demos) are recorded video education demonstrations performed on the International Space Station (ISS) by crewmembers using hardware already onboard the ISS. EPO-Demos are videotaped, edited, and used to enhance existing NASA education resources and programs for educators and students in grades K-12. EPO-Demos are designed to support the NASA mission to inspire the next generation of explorers.
Principal InvestigatorInformation Pending
Payload DeveloperTeaching From Space Office, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Sponsoring AgencyNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Expeditions Assigned|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|
Previous ISS MissionsEPO-Demos have been performed on multiple Space Shuttle flights and on the ISS since Expedition 7.
The objective of Education Payload Operations - Demonstrations (EPO-Demos) is to use toys, tools and other common items in the microgravity environment of the ISS to create educational video and multimedia products that inspire the next generation of engineers, mathematicians, physicists, scientists and space explorers. The EPO-Demos support curriculum materials that are distributed across the United States and internationally. Each ISS Expedition involves different on-orbit activities and themes, as well as different partners, such as museums, universities, and public school districts.
Some of the activities cover physical properties, such as Newton's Laws of Motion or Bernoulli's Principle for air pressure, and others are specific to life in space, such as explaining how the ISS solar panels work or demonstrating extravehicular activities.
These investigations and related activities will have strong ties to NASA?s Vision for Space Exploration and will be designed to encourage students to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Earth ApplicationsEPO is part of NASA's continuing effort to use space as a unique educational tool for K-12 students. Everyday items, such as toys and tools, are given a new twist by combining them with the allure of space flight and the unusual weightless environment to produce educational materials that inspire interest in science and technology and encourage curiosity and creativity.
EPO-Demos does not require power, telemetry, or specialized hardware. However, each demonstration requires several hours from at least two crew members, one of whom will operate the video equipment and the other will demonstrate the activity.
Operational ProtocolsAfter setting up the demonstration, at least one crew member will perform the demonstration while another films it. Each demonstration will have its own props (e.g., toys or tools). The demonstration is then dismantled and returned to stowage. After the videos are returned to Earth, they will be used to develop teaching guides, project plans, and educational packages focusing on the physical sciences and technology.
Information Pending