ISS-Above

The ISS-Above is a small, inexpensive hardware device that connects students with the International Space Station by instantly and reliably providing current information, location alerts, and live HD video streaming from space!

The device, which is built around a Raspberry Pi computer, is easy to connect to power and Wi-Fi. It has a built-in set of LEDs that flash in bright colors whenever the ISS is passing overhead. Students and educators are amazed to learn how often the Space Station flies over their school: 5-8 times every 24 hours, and sometimes three times during a single school day!

When connected to a TV, monitor, or projector, the ISS-Above shows a rotating series of displays with up-to-the-minute information about the Station’s location, crew, activities, and upcoming passes. It also shows the current view of Earth by accessing live streams from HD video cameras mounted on the Space Station’s exterior. All information is automatically updated over Wi-Fi without requiring any subscription or fees. Display details can be controlled with a smartphone app.

The ISS-Above makes it easy to check in with the Space Station every day in your home or classroom. Through deployment in hundreds of classrooms, it has been proven to stimulate insightful questions and analytical thinking from students. Curricular support materials and activities are being developed to enhance the utility of the ISS-Above for engaging students and enhancing STEM learning.

 

Activity Guide

Learn at home:   track the ISS and watch it fly over, using web site and activity guide

These activities help students learn about the ISS, how to track it, and how to monitor the work done by the crew of astronauts. You can use the by itself, or in affiliation with the ISS Above Device. All activities have been field tested, and are available in English and Spanish

The lessons are:

Unit 1 – Orbits
Orbital Tracks
Orbit Calculations

Unit 2 – ISS Passes
Active Passes of the ISS

Unit 3 – Scale of the Universe
Scale of the Earth, Moon and ISS orbit
Scale of the Solar System

Unit 4 – Changing locations
Changing location of your ISS-Above

Unit 5 – Scratch coding
Scratch coding to calculate distance to ISS

Unit 6 – Surviving in Space
Set a table for the ISS crew
Food, exercise and Sleep on the ISS
Whose onboard – ISS crew, current and past

It also includes 8 activities:
Brightness of astronomical objects
Other satellites
Journey to the ISS
Student experiments on the ISS
What do astronauts do all day
The one-year mission
Design your space bedroom
Views of the Earth and the ISS