UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center

Born in Karnal, India, Kalpana Chawla looked at the night sky and saw a future built on mathematics and wings. She did not just wonder about the stars; she earned her pilot license and a doctorate in aerospace engineering to reach them. Her journey took her from classroom desks to the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Columbia, where she conducted experiments that changed our understanding of microgravity. 🚀

Her dedication to science remains a guiding light for every student visiting the UTC Challenger Center. When you step into our simulators, you are walking in the footsteps of pioneers who turned physics into a career. We want the next generation of aerospace engineers to look at the Tennessee River and imagine their own trajectories launching into the orbit above our city. 🔭

If you support STEM access in the Tennessee Valley, share this post with your Chattanooga crew. Let us show our local students that their ambitions can soar as high as a shuttle mission.



Source Name: UTC Challenger Center: https://www.utc.edu/challenger

Did you know that everyday objects are hiding secret stores of power? Mechanical engineering is all about harnessing energy to do work, and elastic potential energy is one of the most exciting ways to do it. When you stretch a rubber band, you are essentially saving up energy, like a battery waiting to be used. As soon as you let go, that stored potential energy instantly transforms into kinetic energy—the energy of motion! 🚀

Think of this like a NASA rocket launch. Just as a rocket requires a massive burst of energy to overcome gravity and push a payload into orbit, your mini-catapult uses the snap of a rubber band to send a small object flying. It is all about precision, force, and physics in action.

Ready to engineer your own mission? Here is how to build a mini-catapult at home:

1. Stack 7 popsicle sticks together and secure both ends tightly with rubber bands.

2. Stack 2 more sticks together and secure only one end with a rubber band.

3. Pull the two sticks apart slightly and slide the stack of 7 in between them to create a V-shape.

4. Use a rubber band to attach a plastic spoon to the top stick, then use an extra band to secure the junction where the sticks meet.

5. Place a pom-pom in the spoon, pull back, and launch!

We love seeing our future engineers in action here in the Scenic City. Try this experiment and let us know how far your payload traveled! For more hands-on challenges, check out our upcoming programs at the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center.