Frequently Asked Questions
What grade level of students can participate in the Mars Student Imaging
Project (MSIP)?
Students
in grades 5 through college sophomore level can participate in MSIP.
Will
college students have a chance to be involved in this program?
Yes.
Undergraduates will be able to participate in MSIP, although they
will be evaluated completely separately from the 5 through college sophomore level
students.
Will
a 5th grade proposal be evaluated the same way as a college sophomore level proposal?
No,
proposals submitted by students in the 5th grade will not be evaluated
using the same criteria as a college sophomore level proposal. We realize that
students in the upper grades will submit proposals with a higher
degree of science background than students in the lower grades.
Can
a group of students simply submit a Mars Science Team Proposal and
become involved in MSIP?
No,
for starters, students must have an adult facilitator to lead
their team. Secondly, there are a set of simple procedures to
follow in order to be involved.
What
are the procedures to be followed in order to be involved with MSIP?
The
first step is to submit the MSIP
Application. From there, depending on which format you will participate, there is a checklist and set of procedures available at the Activity Format link of our website. What is the on-site format?
Students
who participate in the on-site format will spend 3 days at
the Mars Space Flight Facility
to receive the image they chose to take of the surface of Mars.
Student teams will also learn how to use image-processing
tools to
enhance their image for better scientific study. Additionally
students will prepare a presentation to assist them in
peer-tutoring
the
students who were unable to travel to the facility.
What are the benefits of the distance-learning format?The distance-learning format allows teams to complete their research of Mars and take a new image of Mars without ever leaving their school. Also, individual MSIP teams to have the opportunity to communicate with scientists and Mars Education staff at the Mars Space Flight Facility via internet, video or teleconferences.
Will
a school need special equipment to participate in the distance-learning
format?
To participate in teleconferences, you will need a speaker phone that can be muted and a way to display a PowerPoint presentation. For internet or video conferences, generally having computers connected to the internet is a minimum; however we would need to discuss your video conference capabilities prior to connecting for use of this and/or other technologies.
Can
you explain archived-data format?
The
archived-data format is one in which students will work much
more
independently with their teacher rather than directly with the
MSIP staff. Teams involved in this option work with previously taken images of the Martian surface to analyze, rather than propose to take a brand new THEMIS image of Mars. This format also allows teachers and their students to participate in nationwide teleconference.
Will
all the student teams be able to image a site on Mars?
The on-site and distance learning teams are able to propose to image a site on Mars and if their proposal is accepted, they will be able to use the THEMIS visible camera. These accepted teams are sent the software necessary to choose a site on Mars they would like to image that supports their research.
How
much does it cost to participate in MSIP?
There
is no cost for teams that participate in MSIP. Students who participate
in the on-site format will, however have to pay for their transportation,
food and lodging.
How
many students can be on a student team?
There
needs to be a minimum of 8 students but there is no maximum
number
of students that can be a part of any team. It is important,
however, to make sure that all students who are on the team
are committed
and dedicated members.
How
many students can participate in the on-site format?
There
should be between 8 and 25 student representatives (chosen
from
the team) who come on-site to ASU. A recommended effective number
of student representatives is 15.
How
can we be sure to submit a proposal that is written in a format
that the MSIP staff is looking for?
There is a Proposal Outline provided in the Teacher Procedures Manual that your teacher should encourage you to follow as you put together your proposal and conduct your research. You can see look at a great example of an MSIP team proposal on the MSIP homepage.
How
do we know what research to do for this project?
One
of the downloadable guides is a MSIP Resource Manual. This manual
will provide you with some starting background research. Also,
the MSIP Teacher’s Manual will also provide suggestions for
the adult facilitator to share with his/her team. Also, provided
on our website are links that give you many resources for your
research. One of the best resources to look at are images that are available on the THEMIS website Where
is the Mars Space Flight Facility?
The
Mars Space Flight Facility is located on the campus of Arizona
State University, Tempe, Arizona. This is the home
of scientist Dr. Phil Christensen, the Principal Investigator
(PI) of the THEMIS camera.
Are
student teams really going to be able to use the THEMIS camera to
image a site of their choice?
Yes. For student teams that submit acceptable proposals, they will be use the same targeting software that our science team uses to target their own image of Mars. We are able to put this software, called JMARS, on a CD-Rom. Students teams submit a target request and those commands are sent up to the Odyssey spacecraft and THEMIS camera.
Once
student teams receive their image, is the project over?
Not at all. Once student teams receive their image and begin to analyze it (and many other archived images of Mars) they will need to look at their original research question and use these images to gather data allowing them to answer their question. Once students have finished conducting their research they will need to submit a final report and an MSIP Team Results outline for consideration for publication on our MSIP Team Results website.
How
do the MSIP teams know what site on Mars to image using the THEMIS
camera?
Based
on the scientific question the student teams asks, they will
need
to find features on Mars that will enable them to gather evidence
that will assist them in answering their scientific question.
Approximately two weeks before students are involved in
the on-site or distance-learning portion of their project, they
will examine the orbital track of the spacecraft and will make
a final choice of what they would like to image on Mars.
What
is the THEMIS camera?
THEMIS
stands for Thermal Emission Imaging System. THEMIS is a visible
and infrared camera. Students involved in MSIP should focus on visible wavelength
images of Mars, as those focus on the morphology or landforms on the surface.
What
will the THEMIS image look like?
There are many examples of THEMIS visible images available at the THEMIS website.
How
will the student teams get their targeted THEMIS image?
On-site teams will acquire their image and download it from the spacecraft log when they are at the Mars Space Flight Facility. Distance-learning teams will be emailed their THEMIS image.
Is
MSIP only for Arizona schools?
No.
MSIP is a national program.
How
long will MSIP be available for student teams to participate?
MSIP
will continue as long as the spacecraft and THEMIS camera remain healthy.
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