The KidSat Project flight system

This paper mas witten to discuss the technical aspects of granting students in classrooms the ability to explore and study earth sciences from a uniqu e view of our planet. A high-resolution digital imaging system mounted in t he space shuttle cabin window made it possible, in part, to provide realtim e student interaction with the space program, This access provided an indiv idual ownership of research and interest in our environment and earth scien ces, The other project technical elements, also key to the program success and real-time student interaction, were the University of California, San D iego (UCSD) web-based mission operations system and the Jet Propulsion Labo ratory (JPL) ground data system.