BOCES students make part for NASA to send into space

Posted 2 February 2017 at 9:18 pm

Provided photo: Precision Machine Technology students meet with Amanda Phelps, center, of NASA. The students include, from left: Craig Heitzenrater (Barker), Nate Holloway (Medina), Nick Albone (Lyndonville) and Mason Buchholz (Lyndonville).

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – The students in Bill Rakonczay’s Precision Machine Technology Program at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center recently got some exciting news.

Through their partnership with the NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) Program, a part they made for space stowage lockers will be part of the 15 single stowage lockers that will be launched and delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) on Feb. 15.

The HUNCH Program allows students to design and fabricate valued products for the International Space Station. The partnership with schools allows NASA to receive cost-effective hardware and soft-goods, while students receive real-world, hands-on experiences. They will replenish the program’s depleted locker inventory.

Amanda Phelps, NASA Engineer and Support Machinist, has been working with the students.

“I was very excited when I was told that the latch that we made would be used to assemble the lockers. I could not wait to tell Mr. Rakonczay or the students.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to have actual parts that were made by students in my class to be sent up to space and used on the International Space Station,” says Mr. Rakonczay.  “This is a wonderful opportunity for local high school students that will only enhance anything they plan to do after graduation. How many high school students can say they made parts for the ISS? I sure wish I had that chance when I was in school.”

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