POOLE schoolchildren have linked up with their American counterparts for an interactive lesson on NASA’s future mission to Mars. The Hamworthy Park Junior School pupils enjoyed a session led by expert David Alexander via the internet from NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations facility in California.

This lesson was also linked online to a group of young students from Discovery Elementary School, Virginia, USA.

Mr Alexander spoke about NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), which has been designed to enable exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.

It is hoped this system will launch the manned Orion shuttle, initially on missions to asteroids but ultimately to the red planet Mars.

The youngsters got involved after new software, to deliver lessons via the internet, was introduced into the classroom.

Teacher Dan Morris set the ball rolling after raising the subject of approaching NASA to another Hamworthy teacher, Susan Rickard, who happened to have contacts in the United States.

Mr Morris said: “The whole experience has been really motivating for all of the children and staff and provided an experience which a lot of other children probably won’t have the chance of doing.”

The youngsters were set a task by Mr Alexander – to build a small, replica model of the Orion shuttle for testing.

Using everyday materials, the Hamworthy children will build their shuttles before linking up again with Discovery Elementary School for an interactive lesson to test their prototypes.

Each model must be able to travel at one metre per second and have its own parachute system.

Hamworthy Park Junior School deputy head teacher James Lumber said: “It has been amazing to link and share this experience with a school from across the Atlantic and it has really motivated everyone.”