10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Take off for NASA HUNCH kits.
The Kat Kouture students and fashion design teacher Darlene Parsons are working on items that are literally out of this world. They have been spending time making NASA HUNCH hygiene kits to head to the International Space Station.
“We are making twenty pockets as part of the U.S. Hygiene Kit,” Parsons said. “I have a goal of January 22nd. NASA has a date further out as the items we are making won’t be shipped to the International Space Station in June of 2024.”
According to the NASA HUNCH project website, the program’s mission is “to empower and inspire students through a Project Based Learning program where high school students learn 21st century skills and have the opportunity to launch their careers through the participation in the design and fabrication of real world valued products for NASA.”
Parson’s began partnering with NASA while teaching at another district in 2010.
“NASA was looking for a class of students to sew training products for them,” Parson said. “I said yes, and 13 years later, I am still partnering with them, but mostly my students sew flight projects now. When I let NASA know that I would be leaving for another district in the spring of this year, they said they would move with me. So with Mr. Utecht’s support, NASA moved over four industrial sewing machines plus all the needed supplies to WHS-CTE.”
It may be a simple process, but it took a lot of time and effort. These pouches help the astronauts keep all of their products together and in good condition. Because just like us down on planet Earth they need the same necessities.
“The purpose of the hygiene pouch is to keep toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner together from free-floating around in the spacecraft,” junior Grace McNeil said. “The process is very simple. So far we have measured our blueprints onto the fabric, so we have the exact measurements needed. Then we cut the four pieces of velcro out. Now we are onto sewing the ‘plastic’ onto the fabric.”
Being selected to do this project and help support people who do the impossible makes these students feel like a helping hand in the astronaut’s mission.
“I am very sure there will be more opportunities in WHS’s future,” Parsons said. “I have found that our fashion students have enjoyed, while excelling in sewing, following very detailed instructions, reading CAD drawings, meeting with NASA representatives in the class plus in virtual visits. It opens the doors for our kiddos. I have had students work for summer internship programs and two former students are currently sewing space items under different contractors of NASA.”
The opportunity to see skills learned in class make it all the way to space is an amazing accomplishment. The students involved see the possibilities of the impact of the project.
“This project is important because it’s seeing our work used for a program that inspires millions of people,” said McNeil. “It helps inspire the next generation of fashion designers but also astronauts. Incredibly, we have been selected to do this project.”
