Jan. 13, 2009

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander{at}nasa.gov

Rita Karl
Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Alexandria, Va.
703-535-1345
rkarl{at}challenger.org

RELEASE: 09-007

NASA AND CHALLENGER CENTER ANNOUNCE NAME OF ANTARCTIC HABITAT

WASHINGTON -- NASA and the Challenger Center for Space Science
Education have selected the winner of the Antarctic habitat naming
contest. The name "Resolution" took top honors in the "Name that
Habitat" competition. The winning name was submitted by 9th grade
students at Holy Cross High School in Delran, N.J.

The exploration vessel Resolution was the first ship to cross the
Antarctic Circle in January 1773 and was under the command of Captain
James Cook. Holy Cross students said the new habitat represents an
advance in technology, much as Cook's ship did. The students also
pointed out that the word "resolution" aptly describes America's
intent to explore space.

The contest, which began in the fall of 2008, gave students in the
sixth through tenth grades the opportunity to submit entries to name
an inflatable habitat designed to serve as a trailblazer for new
construction methods on Earth and other worlds. NASA unveiled the
inflatable habitat in November 2007. It is scheduled to be
disassembled and returned to the United States later this month.

The development and deployment of the habitat was funded through
NASA's Innovative Partnership Program's Seed Fund initiative, with
in-kind resource contributions by the National Science Foundation and
ILC Dover of Frederica, Del., the manufacturer of the structure.

The "Name that Habitat" contest was conducted through a Space Act
Agreement between NASA and the Challenger Center for Space Science
Education. It continues NASA's tradition of investing in the nation's
education programs and is directly tied to the agency's education
goal of engaging Americans in NASA's mission. NASA is committed to
building strategic partnerships and links between science,
technology, engineering and mathematics education providers. Through
hands-on, interactive educational activities, NASA is engaging
students, educators, families, the public and agency stakeholders to
increase Americans' science and technology literacy.

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education is an
international,
nonprofit educational organization founded in 1986 by the families of
the astronauts lost during the final flight of the space shuttle
Challenger. The goal of the organization is to foster student
interest in careers in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics.

For information about NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program, visit:

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov


For information about the Challenger Center for Space Science
Education, visit:

http://www.challenger.org

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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