Tinora Middle School’s 5th graders took a giant leap into the world of space exploration while staying right here in Defiance. Students gathered inside the Tinora Performing Arts Center for a live virtual session with Dr. Evan Bray, an optical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington, D.C.
Dr. Bray’s work focuses on designing and testing the optical components used in space telescopes, including mirrors, lenses, prisms, and filters. After earning his degree in Physics from Purdue University and completing his Ph.D. in Astrophysics at Penn State, he now helps build instruments that allow scientists to study distant galaxies and mysteries of the universe. Outside of NASA, he enjoys rock climbing, science fiction, and encouraging young people to think more about space.
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Roman Space Telescope
During the presentation, students received a virtual tour of the tools and technology being used to build the Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s next major observatory.
Dr. Bray showed the 5th graders several of the vacuum chambers used to test telescope parts in extreme conditions. Some chambers were small enough to fit a motorcycle, while one towered three stories tall and could replicate the frigid temperatures and near-zero pressure of outer space.
Next, students got to see NASA’s giant centrifuge, a massive machine that spins equipment to simulate the intense G-forces a spacecraft experiences during launch. Dr. Bray explained how engineers must ensure every piece of the telescope can survive the powerful vibrations and forces of liftoff.
From there, he took students to NASA’s observatory deck overlooking the enormous clean room where the Roman Space Telescope is currently being assembled. Students viewed scale models, replica lenses, filters, and other tools used in the telescope’s construction. They even saw two real components of the telescope being worked on by engineers in real time.
Curious Minds, Big Questions
After the tour, Dr. Bray found a quiet space to answer questions from Tinora’s 5th graders. Hands shot into the air as students asked about:
challenges NASA has faced
how supernovas work
what we know about the mysterious Atlas comet
and questions about aliens
Dr. Bray answered each one thoughtfully and encouraged students to keep exploring, imagining, and asking questions about our universe.
Inspiring the Next Generation
This unique experience brought real NASA technology and real NASA science to Tinora students in a way that textbooks cannot. The Tinora Performing Arts Center once again proved to be a powerful learning space by connecting students to experts and experiences far beyond the walls of the classroom.
For many 5th graders, this was not just a lesson in science. It was a glimpse into a future they can be part of.
