8-25-2016: Community Outreach: NASA and University of Toledo

Today, I went with Jane Ruvolo, a congressional staffer in the Toledo office, to Sandusky, Ohio. We took a private tour of some facilities at the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Plum Brook Station with staff and administration from the University of Toledo.

 

 NASA Plum Brook Station Front Building in Sandusky, Ohio

We had a chance to visit three of the facilities: the Electric Aircraft Testbed, the Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility (B-2), and the Space Power Facility (SPF). We had time to take a brief tour of the latter two facilities and learn what they have to offer.

Touring with representatives from the University of Toledo

B-2 houses the world’s largest thermal vacuum propulsion test facility. This is used for simulations for hydrogen powered rockets and other types of rockets.

A look into the chamber at B-2

SPF contains a different thermal vacuum facility that allows users to test rocket engines and launches for structural stability and safety of passengers onboard. Both facilities have tested many rockets of different types.

Thermal Vacuum Facility at SPF

Control Room at SPF

So why did we visit today? Both NASA and the University of Toledo have facilities located in the Ohio’s ninth congressional district, and these are not only important to Congresswoman Kaptur, but also to her constituents and the continued development and success of the district as a whole. Today, our goal was to learn about the facilities at NASA’s Plum Brook Station so we can be informed about current developments and new research. This is important as a congressional office so we can be aware of what’s going on in our district, and so that we can connect potential federal grant opportunities to NASA and the University of Toledo, in order to support their work, which indirectly benefits our district as a whole by creating investments and jobs.

We also learned that NASA is engaging with educational institutions and private companies in order to increase public relations and awareness. NASA partners with educational institutions (such as high schools and universities), and this helps both because educational institutions want to expand their programs and opportunities available to students, and NASA wants to improve its public relations and brand image. An example of this type of partnership is with the University of Toledo; this was the main reason for the visit today. NASA also partners with private companies because private companies need facilities to conduct tests with large equipment, and NASA would receive payment for use of the facilities. Again, these types of development benefit the district.

Me with Dave Stringer, Director of the NASA Plum Brook Station

In another sense, our visit is also interesting because we get to see where and how constituent tax dollars are being spent. But in regards to actually learning about the details and capabilities of the facilities, it was very difficult to understand what was being discussed! As most of the visitors were from the University of Toledo College of Engineering, they asked many specific questions about advanced, intricate technologies that I don’t know anything about. Nevertheless, the visit was worthwhile, as I got to explore something that I had not previously known about, meet staff and administrators from both the University of Toledo and NASA, and act as a representative of the Congresswoman and her office.