About NCCN
NASA Community College Network
The SETI Institute’s NASA Community College Network (NCCN) is a major initiative to bring NASA Subject Matter Experts (SME), research findings, and science resources into the nation’s community college system. NCCN is a constituent team of the Science Activation program, part of NASA’s Science Mission Directive (SMD).
Guided by needs assessments of both community college instructors (CCIs) and SMEs to engage in outreach, NCCN will consist of three key engagement deliverables:
- To broker direct partnerships between NASA science subject matter experts and community college instructors teaching astronomy, space science and related courses.
- To provide a set of high-quality, curated, audience-appropriate NASA resources created with or by NASA scientists to support their outreach and engagement and implemented by the community college instructor.
- To provide professional development and training for both groups: Community college instructors: to support or extend their knowledge of NASA science or research topics and help them communicate new or more engaging concepts to their students
NASA subject matter experts: to help them engage effectively with the instructors and students at community colleges. For scientists new to outreach, NCCN will help them understand community college audiences and how best to work with them.
NCCN is funded by NASA SMD Cooperative Agreement 80NSSC21M0009
News
Tue, Mar 15, 2022
JWST: Webb's optics and NIRCam Alignment Milestone Achieved
On March 11, the Webb team completed the stage of alignment known as “fine phasing.” At this key stage in the commissioning of Webb’s Optical Telescope Element, every optical parameter that has been checked and tested is performing at, or above, expectations. The team also found no critical issues and no measurable contamination or blockages to Webb’s optical path. The observatory is able to successfully gather light from distant objects and deliver it to its instruments without issue.
Mon, Mar 14, 2022
Artemis 1: Going back to the moon
The rollout for NASA's Artemis 1 mission is right on track for this Thursday (March 17), agency officials said today (March 14).
In just a few days, NASA's immense Crawler-Transporter 2 vehicle will carry the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket and Orion spacecraft on a 4-mile (6.4 kilometers) journey to Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This rollout will deliver the rocket and Orion to the pad where they will prepare to launch on a moonbound mission, currently set for no earlier than May of this year.
Wed, Nov 10, 2021
Celebrate National STEM Day with NASA
National STEM Day recognizes the ways science, technology, engineering, and math benefit humanity on Earth and in space.
NASA’s greatest accomplishments and most ambitious plans are made possible by the explorers, engineers, scientists, and leaders who harness the STEM expertise of our top-notch workforce. In order to return humans to the Moon with the Artemis missions, venture to Mars and beyond, continue to improve our understanding of our changing planet, and more, it’s more important than ever to inspire and encourage today’s students – the Artemis generation – to join in the fun of STEM activities and begin to chart their own career journeys
Mon, Nov 08, 2021
NCCN at ASP and AAS!
The team is very excited to be attending the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the American Astronomical Society’s annual meetings to talk about NCCN and recruit for year 2 of the program.
Tue, Oct 19, 2021
James Webb Space Telescope preparing to launch.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope successfully arrived in French Guiana Tuesday, after a 16-day journey at sea. The 5,800-mile voyage took Webb from California through the Panama Canal to Port de Pariacabo on the Kourou River in French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America.
Launch is scheduled for December 18th, 2021.
Mon, Oct 18, 2021
NASA & SETI set to launch NCCN Program for Community Colleges
The SETI Institute’s NASA Community College Network (NCCN) is a major initiative to bring NASA Subject Matter Experts (SME), research findings, and science resources into the nation’s community college system. NCCN is a constituent team of the Science Activation program, part of NASA’s Science Mission Directive (SMD).
Guided by needs assessments of both community college instructors (CCIs) and SMEs to engage in outreach, NCCN will consist of three key engagement deliverables.
Tue, Oct 12, 2021
NASA’s Lucy Mission Prepares for Launch to Trojan Asteroids
NASA has tested the functions of Lucy, the agency’s first spacecraft to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, filled it with fuel, and is preparing to pack it into a capsule for launch Saturday, Oct. 16.
