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    • WORLD FIRST MARSLINK MISSION UPDATE - 2004

    by Dr. Dana M. Barry, C.P.C.

    Dr. Dana M. Barry's World First MarsLink team has made much progress. Dr. Barry (of Clarkson University - U.S.A. and President of Ansted University's Scientific Board - Malaysia) has an international team with members from the U.S.A. and Malaysia. Her Mission is supported by NASA and Space Explorers, Inc. and sponsored by the Northern New York Section of the American Chemical Society.

    Malaysia

    The MarsLink team members in Malaysia are students at Ansted University and St. Xavier's Institution. They belong to an Astronomy Club, which is advised by Dr. Chong Hon Yew ( Ansted University Advisory Council member and Professor of Physics at the University of the Sciences in Malaysia). Baron Sir Professor Dr. Roger Haw (Founding Member of Ansted University) is a coordinator and the main contact person for the MarsLink team members in Malaysia. He provides continuous support and encourages the team to actively participate in MarsLink activities and projects. He received an Outstanding Achievement Award for his excellent work and collaboration. (See photo.) Dr. Dana M. Barry presented the prestigious award to Dr. Roger Haw at a special Convocation Ceremony held in London, England. She presented the award on behalf of the NNY section of the American Chemical Society (Sponsor of the World First MarsLink Mission).
    In England Dr. Dana M. Barry presents an Outstanding Achievement Award to Dr. Roger Haw for his excellent work on the MarsLink Mission.

    During the past year (in which Mars has been relatively close to Earth), the Malaysian team members have participated in many Mars Gazing activities. They used telescopes to view Mars from the National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and from the shopping complex "Island Plaza" in Penang, Malaysia. This latter event, which was also open to the public, included over 500 people. In addition to the efforts of Dr. Haw and Dr. Yew, this exciting and very successful activity was co-organized and co-sponsored by organizations such as OSIM, USM Astronomy Club, Watch Shoppe, Gina's Beauty and Slimming Academy, and the management of the "Island Plaza" shopping complex.

    The team has continued to hold monthly planet / star - gazing sessions and other space-related activities. In addition, the members have participated in planetarium shows, space art painting contests, astrophotography, and rocket launching.

    U.S.A.

    The MarsLink team members at Norwood Norfolk Central School (in Norwood, New York) belong to a science club. They have continued to analyze incoming data from Mars and to carry out the activities available at the MarsLink website. The students record their results in notebooks and share them with others. Team advisers are the science teachers Mr. David Lennox and Mr. Darin Saiff.
    Students display joy and excitement as they prepare carbon dioxide gas, the main component of Mars atmosphere.
    Team participants from St. Mary's School (in Canton, New York) carried out MarsLink projects with assistance from Dr. Dana Barry. (See photos.) The School's team advisers are Ms. Mary Elizabeth Friot (a sixth grade teacher) and Ms. Cynthia Niles (Vice Principal and a fifth grade teacher). These students analyzed charts and incoming data from Mars and performed activities provided at the MarsLink website. Also their names are on a disk aboard the 2003 Mars Exploration Rover, which recently landed on the surface of Mars. The students are very happy and excited to have Certificates of Participation for this Mars Exploration Rover 2003 Mission. (Each certificate includes the signature of Dr. Edward Weiler, Associate Administrator in NASA's Office of Space Science.)
    Students very carefully and thoughtfully investigate and record the physical properties of carbon dioxide.
    Dr. Barry led class discussions about the planet Mars. She mentioned that the planet's atmosphere is about 95% carbon dioxide. The students prepared this gas and used balloons to study its physical properties. They also experimented with magic sand because the surface of Mars is dusty and resembles sand. Sand (silicon dioxide) actually contains the Martian soil elements silicon and oxygen. Silicon (about 18% - 25% of the Martian soil) is used in computer chips and oxygen (about 40% - 45% of the Martian soil) is used for breathing and for the synthesis of water. In addition, team members spent time Mars Gazing and sharing their observations with others.
    Students experiment with magic sand, which resembles the surface of Mars.

    MAJOR MARSLINK MISSION PRESENTATIONS

    "International MarsLink Mission" presented by Dr. Dana M. Barry at the International Online Conference (Global Learn Day VII), November 16, 2003. (Conference was sponsored in part by the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Global Education.)

    "Welcoming Speech" (with information about the World First MarsLink Mission) presented by Ansted University's Scientific Board President Dr. Dana M. Barry at Ansted University's Convocation Ceremony held at London Metropolitan University in England, September 6, 2003. (Representatives from over 40 different Countries were in attendance.)

    2003 Update

     
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