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HAMPTON, Va. – Michael Bittner spent a week of his summer planning a mission to Mars.

 

Bittner, a student from Grafton High School in Yorktown, Va., was one of 48 rising high school seniors from across the Commonwealth selected to take part in the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) academy. The academy was held July 9-July 15 at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., and was hosted by NASA Langley in partnership with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium.

 

Prior to the academy, the students completed a six-month interactive distance-learning program on aerospace exploration that prepared them for their intensive week at NASA Langley. During the academy, Bittner toured NASA labs and facilities, talked with NASA researchers, scientists and astronaut Dr. Roger Crouch, as well as gained solid workforce experience and college credit.

 

Bittner was on the Working There team, which was tasked with determining feasible ways to conduct research and collect data. Working There was one of four teams that together planned a mission to Mars. On the team, he was charged with researching robotic rovers and determining what type of rover should be utilized to meet mission research objectives.

 

Bittner, who hopes to study computer science at Virginia Tech or James Madison University, said the academy was exciting.

 

“Getting to work with the robotics was a highlight of the academy,” he said. “It has been so interesting. I’ve never done anything like it before.”

 

VASTS is a competitive program that allows high school juniors the opportunity to engage in an on-line NASA-based course that uses a space exploration theme to teach a broad range of math, science, engineering, and technology skills. Applications for the 2011-2012 program will be available Sept. 1, 2011 and will be due by Nov. 4, 2011. Selections will be made and coursework is initiated in early December.

 

For more information about VASTS or for an application, visit: http://www.vasts.spacegrant.org

 

For more information about NASA research and exploration, visit: http://www.nasa.gov