BRUNSWICK

Once in a while, the Brunswick

Junior High computer lab becomes a temporary mission control as students snap photos of Earth from the International Space Station as part of the Sally Ride EarthKAM program.

In Brunswick, retired BJHS science teacher Diane Bowen heads up the group of mostly eighth graders and some who have hung on into high school and beyond.

“EarthKAM allows students from all over the world to operate a camera — at first, mounted on the space shuttle but eventually on the International Space Station,” Bowen said, regarding the program founded by astronaut Ride in 1995.

The program’s name is an acronym for Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students.

Students interact in real time with astronauts on the ISS as well as mission control in Huntsville, Alabama. The junior high team is one of about 3,000 teams worldwide.

Brunswick boasts the longest running team in the world, now on their 52nd mission.

Students get “mission” times during which they search the ISS flight path and decide on where to have pictures taken. Photo requests are then sent back to the ISS with a code word. Bowen said the surprisingly ordinary camera is mounted in the window of the Destiny Module and snaps pictures as the ISS flies by at 17,500 mph.

“As it goes, it clicks photos and those photos are downloaded to the jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California, and then they put them on the net,” Bowen said.

Bowen said one former member was working as a nanny in London when she caught word there was going to be a “mission.” She requested about 10 code words and took pictures from London.

“We’ve actually got one of the orbits going over London, and it’s a miracle that it’s actually clear,” Bowen said, explaining London shots are tricky due to the often inclement weather. It’s something you have to keep in mind, shooting from between 230 and 280 miles up.

The group enjoys pretty unlimited access. However, Bowen said there was a time during the first Gulf War when they were not allowed to photo Iraq, possibly for fear of potentially giving away troop locations.

“Right now we’re getting ready for Space Day, which is May 6, and we’ve got the astronaut that may be the first human to set foot on Mars, Jessica Meir,” Bowen said, referencing the Caribou native.

Bowen used to use the photos in her classroom. Now kids print them out and put them around the school and as a group try to identify features and cities.

Eighth grader Julianna Gamage said she likes looking at the Earth from space and that it brings a new understanding of what the planet looks like as opposed to our earthbound perspective.

“You would be surprised by how many areas look like they’re deserts but when you zoom in they’re actually green,” Gamage said.

Gamage and her friend, Lilly Felkay, worked to take 30 pictures on Tuesday. The class goal for the mission is to take 200 and as of Tuesday morning, the class was already up to 156.

Eighth grade Mission Director Grace Casey said she helps draw the team together while remaining an active member. She said it’s cool when they know the ISS is going over a major city and they have the chance to photograph it.

For Casey, this is more than a fun hobby — she wants to pursue becoming a pilot and astronaut when she finishes school.

“I like it. I like the whole control system on the website and finding places and occasionally photos do come out very well,” said student Eli Carney.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com