EDUCATION – HOW SOLAR CELLS WORK (EDUCATION-SOLAR CELLS)
Research Area: Educational Activities and Outreach: Educational Demonstrations
Expedition(s): 13
Principal Investigator(s): ● Christopher J. Ferguson, NASA’s Johnson Space Center,
Houston, Texas
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The astronaut discusses in detail how solar cells work and how they provide energy. The activity
is videotaped for use in classroom lectures.
EARTH BENEFITS
Using a new approach in the classroom to spaceflight, science, and mathematics will capture
the imagination of students. Allowing students to participate in activities that directly involve
NASA will inspire them to pursue careers in science and engineering.
SPACE BENEFITS
Education-Solar Cells introduces the next generation of explorers to the environment of space.
RESULTS
The Teaching From Space Office at NASA's Johnson
Space Center worked closely with Astronaut
Christopher Ferguson, pilot of STS-115 (Atlantis);
Lockheed Martin Corporation; Oklahoma State
University and the Student Observation Network to
provide classroom versions of solar cells and learning
activities to NASA Explorer Schools. These activities
have been designed to engage students through the
STS-115 primary mission objective, deployment of a
new solar array on the International Space Station
(ISS).Ferguson demonstrated how solar cells work in front
of a video camera and discussed, in detail, how solar cells provide energy; open circuit voltage;
and power measurement with resistors. With the aid of LED lights, a visual demonstration of
solar flux was also performed.
Lockheed Martin Corporation donated solar cells to this project; engineering students at
Oklahoma State University linked the solar cells together in packs for use in the space shuttle
demonstration and for distribution to the schools. The NASA Student Observation Network
created lessons and activities that were provided to the NASA Explorer Schools and the
Aerospace Education Specialists when teaching this lesson.
This investigation is complete and all results are published.
Dan Hern, Oklahoma State University (OSU)
masters student in aviation and space
education, works on solar cell hardware that
will fly aboard STS-115. OSU image.