Bradford students ‘over the moon’ after stellar USA trip

A group of 30 lucky Bradford College students returned to Earth with a bump after a trip of a lifetime to study science and engineering in the USA.

The Level 2 and 3 Science and Computing students spent 13 days working at prestigious organisations, including NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and The Kennedy Space Centre in Orlando, and even watched the history-making Artemis II shuttle launch.

Organised by specialist educational tour firm, Visions in Education, the trip started with a flight from London Heathrow to Houston, Texas. After a night settling in, the students visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center and got to work as teams building two-stage rockets, heat shields, and cryogenic-resistant environments.

The following day, the teams launched their rockets, visited the control room used for the Apollo missions, and saw the Saturn V rocket. In the afternoon, the group had a fascinating talk with Andrejez Stewart, who spent a year living in a simulated Mars habitat to research and inform future Mars missions. Student teams then designed their own Mars habitat, with the winning design displayed publicly.

On day four, the group enjoyed a hands-on robotics session, programming a space rover using Scratch to follow a specific course, before testing their heat shields and cryogenic habitats with liquid nitrogen. Andrew Ridley-Ellis, Bradford College Head of Science & Academic Support for Science & Digital, said:

“This brilliant group of young people had experiences that will stay with them for a lifetime. From meeting real astronauts who were testing spacesuits and training in zero-gravity, to seeing scientists working on the commercial space station that will follow the ISS, this trip was truly transformational.

“My goal has always been to ensure that all students get the same opportunities, regardless of background or circumstances. Some of these students come from areas with the highest levels of deprivation in the UK, and seven even had to apply for their first-ever passport! A trip like this would be impossible for many of them, so being able to offer this opportunity has been an absolute delight. 

“Thanks to the hard work of Gail Holmes at Bradford College, we were able to secure generous funding from the Turing Scheme. Boosted by a wonderful Bradford College contribution, costs were covered for this life-changing trip. All our students embraced this incredible opportunity, and I was so proud of them all. Everyone we met told us what a credit they were to Bradford College.”

One of the many highlights from the study trip was scuba diving in a specially designed pool to experience weightlessness. The intrepid group undertook underwater robotic surveys simulating the surface of the moon and experienced firsthand the challenges of performing even the simplest tasks in altered gravity. The final day at NASA included a Starship Gallery tour, a talk from real astronaut Commander Ken Cameron, and presentations and a team medal ceremony.

Andrew continued:

“One of the greatest things to come from this trip was students realising the crossover and links between all STEM subjects. Although curriculum needs to be taught separately in college, organisations like NASA need multidisciplinary specialists, from materials scientists working on rocket design to nutritionists supporting astronauts. The students were amazing at going outside their comfort zone and trying their hand at coding to chemistry experiments, regardless of their subject.”

On the last day in Houston, the students took a trip to Armand Bayou Nature Center for creek netting, alligator handling, and a Bayou safari trip through the Everglades, before transferring to Orlando the next day to start the second leg of the incredible adventure.

Two days were then spent at Universal Studios Florida undertaking a specialist STEM education programme, including ‘Jurassic World VelociCoaster: Breaking Down the DNA’ and ‘Kongtrol Panel!’ – designing a rollercoaster and programming an automated car ride.

As a result of the trip to the United States, student Rahees said, “I learned how to properly communicate ideas with my team clearly and effectively while also learning how to collaborate with them and branch myself out socially, which I would not have done if I did not go.”

The culmination of the study programme was an inspiring trip to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Here, students visited the Space Shuttle Atlantis®, undertook a shuttle launch experience, visited the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, and had an IMAX cinema and astronaut encounter.

The visit to Orlando was also timed to coincide with the launch of Artemis II. The lucky group took a short trip 9 miles away from the launch site, where students and staff got an eye-opening view of the phenomenal rocket take-off. The following day, students saw the actual Artemis II launch site,  launch pad 39, and saw the transporter and gantry that held the rocket in place the day before.

Student Ali said, “When I left to go to USA, it helped me experience a once-in-a-life opportunity and gave me chance to see Artemis II. It also helped me explore different opportunities, if I want to go into that side of work, and experience the differences in other culture and lifestyles.”

Andrew concluded:

“Given these students aged from 16 to 21, we spent months prepping the group for the trip, learning about laws and culture, as well as thinking about the activities we would undertake. The students were from different courses, so bonding was essential. We even celebrated five birthdays while we were away!

“Seeing these students blossom over the two weeks was so rewarding, changing from shy young people who didn’t like new situations to confident individuals who embraced new experiences, used real problem-proving skills, and worked as a team and presented their ideas in front of science experts on stage. This experience has set them up for life with vital soft skills and a newfound confidence.

“Trips like these are usually only accessible to children who are privately educated or from wealthier families, so it was amazing to give these young people a potentially life-altering opportunity. The students had their eyes opened to a wealth of exciting career possibilities, and to be there in person at the Artemis II launch and see history in the making was truly inspirational for everyone.”

 Find out more about Bradford College science and computing and digital courses.