ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion stand in line to receive an autograph from NASA astronauts Mike Foreman, left, and Leland Melvin at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. Foreman and Melvin are both veterans of two space shuttle missions. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion were photographed and then their faces were put into a NASA "Legends and Trailblazers" poster at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team checks his firearm as the team prepares for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team break through a barricade during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team talks looks through the scope of his rifle as he prepares for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- During the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion, NASA astronaut Leland Melvin talks to attendees at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. Panel members, sitting from left, are Christine Darden, Lew Braxton, Robyn Gordon, Jim Jennings, and space activist and actress Nichelle Nichols. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check the scopes on their rifles to prepare for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Representatives from NASA’s Glenn Research Center, located in Cleveland, provide information on their center’s programs and projects to participants in NASA’s Project Management Challenge 2012. PM Challenge 2012 was held at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on February 22-23, to provide a forum for all stakeholders in the project management community to meet and share stories, lessons learned and new uses of technology in the industry. The PM Challenge is sponsored by NASA's Office of the Chief Engineer. For additional information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/pmchallenge/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team take aim at targets during the sharpshooter tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team compete in the citizen rescue tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Under a rain-filled sky, Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, gets ready to release a rescued white pelican. At right is Kat Royer, also with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who has fixed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. In the background is Christine Wise who is involved with rescue and rehabilitation of Florida wild animals. Wise brought the pelican to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge for its release. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. The pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by its rescuers, is being let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team waits for the signal from the judge and then takes aim to shoot at a target with a handgun during one of the tactical challenges at the 35th Annual SWAT Round-up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion stand in line to receive an autograph from NASA astronaut Leland Melvin at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
Timber Creek High Shcool Teach-In
The young sons of one of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team members prepare to watch their father compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, and featured five different competition categories. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with 60 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
KENNEDY SPACE STATION, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour hurtles into a clear blue sky from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-100. On the horizon is the Atlantic Ocean. Liftoff of the ninth flight to the International Space Station occurred at 2:40:42 p.m. EDT. The 11-day mission will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet/Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator System and the UHF Antenna. The mission includes two planned spacewalks for installation of the SSRMS on the Station. Also onboard is the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply/return stowage platforms. <i>(Photo by Red Huber, Orlando Sentinel)</i
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team scales over a wall during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
The family of one of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team members prepare to watch the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, and featured five different competition categories. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with 60 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion use astronaut gloves to perform a task at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
Timber Creek High Shcool Teach-In
The family of one of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team members watches the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. Kennedy’s ERT members are working their way along a rope. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, and featured five different competition categories. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with 60 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team shoot at targets using handguns during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A rescued white pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by his rescuers, takes a tentative step and stretches its wings after being let go at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Looking on is Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who had held the bird while Kat Royer, also with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, placed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. The pelican was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. It is being released to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team works his way along a rope above water during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms as they prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team compete in the citizen rescue tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Robots built and operated by teams of high school students compete in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Representatives from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, located in Virginia, provide information on their center’s programs and projects to participants in NASA’s Project Management Challenge 2012. PM Challenge 2012 was held at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on February 22-23, to provide a forum for all stakeholders in the project management community to meet and share stories, lessons learned and new uses of technology in the industry. The PM Challenge is sponsored by NASA's Office of the Chief Engineer. For additional information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/pmchallenge/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Pink Team cheers as their robot competes in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team compete in the citizen rescue tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Teams prepare for the "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. About 60 high school teams took part in hopes of advancing to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
Timber Creek High Shcool Teach-In
Timber Creek High Shcool Teach-In
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms as they prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team break through a barricade and run through to the other side during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. SWAT Roundup judges review procedures with Kennedy ERT members. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, discusses technological advances with teams of high school students taking part in the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional in the University of Central Florida Arena. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team talks with his wife during a break between tactical challenges during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – About 60 high school teams take part in the "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team works his way along a rope above water during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Timber Creek High Shcool Teach-In
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team switches position as he works his way along a rope above water during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. His ERT teammate cheers him on. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. –The Bionic Tigers robot participates in the regional FIRST robotics competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The team is made up of students from Cocoa High School and Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy along the Space Coast in Florida. NASA's Launch Services Program based at Kennedy is a sponsor of the team. The Bionic Tigers finished seventh in the competition called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, among about 60 high school teams hoping to advance to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms before competing in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team switches position as he works his way along a rope above water during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- During the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion, space activist and actress Nichelle Nichols talks to attendees at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. In the 1960s, Nichols played communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in the Star Trek television series. Other panel members included NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, Christine Darden, Lew Braxton, Robyn Gordon and Jim Jennings. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team run during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team takes aim at a target during the sharpshooter tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Team 3149 participates in the regional FIRST robotics competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The team is made up of students from McKeel Academy of Technology in Lakeland, Fla. NASA is a sponsor of the team. Team 3149 finished eighth in the competition called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, among about 60 high school teams hoping to advance to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
Mark Epstein, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, holds a white pelican that will be released under a rain-filled sky at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Center in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. After Kat Royer, who is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fits the bird with a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory, the pelican will be let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team take a break between tactical challenges during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team compete in the citizen rescue tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
The young sons of one of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team members prepare to watch their father compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, and featured five different competition categories. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with 60 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, speaks during a luncheon for the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional in the University of Central Florida Arena. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team work their way along a rope above water during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The 30th Annual SWAT Round-Up International took place at the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando, Florida. The competition pits special operations squads from law enforcement agencies around the world in races against time through obstacle courses and shooting ranges. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
ORLANDO, Fla. – A team nears the finish line of an event during the 30th Annual SWAT Round-Up International in Orlando, Florida. The competition pits special operations squads from law enforcement agencies around the world in races against time through obstacle courses and shooting ranges. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms before competing in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Teams of high school students prepare robots for competition in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms before competing in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare to break through a barricade during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team run during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare to break through a barricade during one of the tactical challenges at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion talk with NASA astronaut Mike Foreman at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Team 3149 robot participates in the regional FIRST robotics competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The team is made up of students from McKeel Academy of Technology in Lakeland, Fla. NASA is a sponsor of the team. Team 3149 finished eighth in the competition called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, among about 60 high school teams hoping to advance to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
ORLANDO, Fla. – Teams prepare for the "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. About 60 high school teams took part in hopes of advancing to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
ORLANDO, Fla. – Ed Mango, program manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, discusses technological advances with teams of high school students taking part in the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional in the University of Central Florida Arena. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The S.S. Marinerds team participates in the regional FIRST robotics competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The team is made up of students from Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Fla. NASA is a sponsor of the team. About 60 high school teams took part in the competition called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, in hopes of advancing to the national robotics championship. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
ORLANDO, Fla. – About 60 high school teams take part in the "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," or FIRST, competition at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. FIRST, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue academic opportunities. The robotics competition challenges teams of high school students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules. Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team compete in the citizen rescue tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- During the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion, space activist and actress Nichelle Nichols talks to attendees at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. Other panel members included NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, Christine Darden, Lew Braxton, Robyn Gordon and Jim Jennings. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
A white pelican named "Fisheater" by its rescuers, beats its wings as it flies to freedom at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The pelican was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. It is being released today to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. Before its release, however, Kat Royer, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, placed on it a leg band issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bird Banding Laboratory. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check their firearms before competing in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Under a rain-filled sky, Mark Epstein holds a rescued white pelican while Kat Royer fixes a leg band on it before releasing it at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Epstein and Royer are with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bird was found covered in crude oil from a contaminated ditch in northern Indiana in November, and was rescued by a local Police Department, treated, and flown to the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge in Orlando, Fla. for care and rest. The pelican, dubbed "Fisheater" by its rescuers, will be let go to join a flock of about 30 other white pelicans that are wintering on the refuge. White pelicans inhabit marshy lakes and along the Pacific and Texas coasts. They winter from Florida and southern California south to Panama, chiefly in coastal lagoons. They are frequently seen flying in long lines, flapping and sailing in unison, but also ride rising air currents to soar gracefully in circles. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 92,000 acres that are a habitat for more than 331 species of birds, 31 mammals, 117 fishes, and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds, as well as a variety of insects
ORLANDO, Fla. – Teams of high school students prepare robots for competition in the Pit Area set up in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepares to compete in the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Attendees of the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion learn about packing food for space from NASA education specialist Chris Hartenstine at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team gather to prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Teams of high school students prepare robots for competition in the Pit Area set up in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The student-built robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
ORLANDO, Fla. – Robots built and operated by teams of high school students compete in the University of Central Florida Arena as part of the FIRST Robotics Competition's 2013 Orlando Regional. The robots were required to throw discs into boxes or make climbs to score points. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team is with his daughter at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check the scopes on their rifles to prepare for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team prepare for the next tactical challenge at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- NASA representatives provide information on the agency’s Technical Standards Program to participants in NASA’s Project Management Challenge 2012. PM Challenge 2012 was held at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on February 22-23, to provide a forum for all stakeholders in the project management community to meet and share stories, lessons learned and new uses of technology in the industry. The PM Challenge is sponsored by NASA's Office of the Chief Engineer. For additional information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/pmchallenge/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
ORLANDO, Fla. -- At NASA's exhibit inside the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., visitors to the NBA All-Star Jam Session participate in hands-on educational activities to learn more about how science plays into sports. One of the events leading up to the NBA All-Star game being held in Orlando on Feb. 26, the NBA All-Star Jam Session is a basketball experience intended for all ages, allowing fans to compete against their friends in skills challenges and collect autographs from players and legends. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin
A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team is with his wife and children at the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, and featured five different competition categories. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with 60 teams from the U.S. and around the world.
ORLANDO, Fla. -- During the 2010 Tom Joyner Family Reunion, Jim Jennings talks to attendees at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. To encourage student attendees to focus on pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), NASA featured some of its greatest legends and trailblazers during a panel discussion at the reunion event. Other panel members included NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, Christine Darden, Lew Braxton, Robyn Gordon, Jim Jennings, and space activist and actress Nichelle Nichols. NASA's Education Office sponsored the panel discussion and educational activities as part of the agency's "Summer of Innovation" initiative and the federal "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun talks about technology and innovation to attendees at the AARP "Orlando @50+" Conference in Orlando, Fl., Oct. 1, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
2010 FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION - DAY 1
2010 FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION - DAY 1