11/11/13-11/15/13

    This week I started heavy work on my rough draft. I also did some last minute research, like the ore density of asteroids, for my paper. I finished my intro, and started work on my first main body paragraph. I plan on finishing my first body paragraph on Friday during class, and finishing the majority of the paper over the weekend.

     Next week, I will be doing my annotated bibliography which will probably take the majority of my class time next week.

11/4/13-11/8/13

     This week, I talked to my mentor about my product. We have decided to attempt to amend the National Aeronautics and Space Act which is essentially the NASA constitution. I want to change the clause that states that any invention created by NASA or one of its employees or contractors can be given, license free, to another entity. I want to change it so that NASA would receive some sort of monetary compensation for the use of their invention. This would in effect, bring in more money for NASA, by NASA, without increasing the government's spending on NASA. This would require me to draft an amendment, which I will do using the assistance of lawyers in the family. I will then write a letter to my congressman asking him to bring this proposal to Congress.

    

10/28/13-11/1/13

     This week was relatively productive. I wrote and turned in my outline which is key for writing a successful paper. I sent it to my mentor and got his feedback on it and his opinion was generally positive. I also fixed gaps in my research concerning un-supported topics I am planning to write about. I currently have all of the research that I require unless something comes up.

     Next week, my primary goal will be working on my product proposal. I have to meet with my mentor so we can discuss a viable and meaningful product. I am thinking of either an internet petition or maybe a symbolic fundraiser, i.e., I as a student can not raise the money necessary to start intensive research on the topics I am discussing, but it can be seen as inspiration for future fundraising.

     Some sources I found this week are various essays discussing some award-winning NASA Spinoff technologies like "Hearing is Believing" which is about the creation of the cochlear implant by a NASA engineer. This particular technology is meaningful to me because by brother is deaf and has a cochlear implant and it has made a large impact on his life.

10/21/13-10/25/13

     This week, we finished our three to five minute presentations for the class. I also met with my mentor concerning my research so far. We discussed my outline and my thesis and the progress I have yet to make.
     Next week I want to get into heavy spinoff research, and other products that are economically beneficial.
     My mentor sent me a book called Societal Impact of Spaceflight which is a compilation of various articles written by several different authors concerning social impact or economic impact of space.

10/14/13-10/18/13

     This week we presented our projects and what we had done so far with them. I presented on Thursday. I also met with my mentor on Thursday and we discussed what I had done so far, my thesis, and my plans for the paper in the future.
     Next week, I need to have another meeting with my mentor before the 25th and I scheduled that with my mentor. Next week, I plan on digging through history.nasa.gov now that it is back up.

10/7/13-10/11/13

     This week, I thought about the three main points that I wanted to talk about in my research paper:
the emotional impact that NASA has on the US such as public support, inspiration to study STEM related topics, or general fascination with the research that NASA is doing; economic impact such as satellite technology and what a boom that was, platinum-group metals with high value that come from mining asteroids, cost reduction for space flight such as using Lagrange points to station "gas stations" or re-usable materials; and the philanthropic value of NASA such as discoveries by them or similar groups affect our lives such as asteroid impact projections, or solar flares that are large and deadly, or the fact that NASA has an educational program that teach students scientific literacy or project them on a path of becoming researchers.
     I researched satellite history this week and the economic trickle-down that comes from each one. http://www.esoa.net/Economics_of_satellites.htm states that for every pound that goes into the creation of a satellite, forty-seven go back into the economy through jobs or use of the satellite.
     I also went through the index of Space Chronicles to find relevant topics, and have been reading the 2009 Presidential Report that my mentor sent me.

9/30/12-10/4/12

     This week was the government shutdown. NASA was one of the programs that was hit hard with this shutdown with 97% of their employees on furlough, and all websites with nasa.gov in the URL are down. This poses a problem with my research, as now I have to search more thoroughly for possible sources. It also somewhat helps with my project as now I can point out that NASA really does need funding, otherwise they will be a very minimalistic government program.
     I found a PDF stating the business plan of Prometheus Enterprises Inc. which is a company with the plan of exploiting the high mineral and water content of asteroids. It is called "Mining the Sky" and was inspired by the book of the same title by Dr. John S. Lewis. This would help me point out the potential revenue sources that NASA could exploit in the future.
     Dr. Steven Dick also sent me the NASA Presidential Reports of the fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011 which state how much money goes into NASA and where the money goes.
     I plan on researching satellites, one of NASA's first inventions and how everyday they are now. I also want one more important technology, either past or future that has been important either financially or philanthropically.