California Space Institute

Established in 1992, the NSCORT in exobiology, as part of the California Space Institute, supports the research of the processes involved in the origin of life and prebiotic assessment.

KidSat is a collaborative, three-year project managed by the California Space Institute at UCSD and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and funded by NASA. The purpose of the project is to revitalize the K-12 public school curriculum by providing K-12 students an opportunity to participate in shuttle missions. From their classrooms, students are able to direct a camera onboard the shuttle through the use of computers linked to the Internet and to the Johnson Space Control Center in Houston, Tex. Use of the camera requires students to become familiar with navigational plotting, computer applications, and working with teams. As part of the project, a Mission Control Gateway has been established in the first floor of the Chemistry Research Building on Thurgood Marshall Campus.