DOE Launches ‘Mission H2’ for Olympics

You are the commander of a mission prepared to launch into space at any minute—but you don’t know enough about hydrogen, the very fuel that powers the spacecraft. With only 10 seconds left until take-off, mission control informs you that you must take a brief training course before proceeding into space. As you travel through a futuristic world where everything is powered with hydrogen energy, you will become an expert on hydrogen. After you have passed the course, you will assume your title of Commander and launch Mission H2 into space.
Good luck and enjoy your journey!

The futuristic premise above is the greeting for children and adults as they are introduced to Mission H2: A Knowledge Journey, a new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) product introduced in July, 1996. Mission H2 is an interactive educational tool designed to teach middle school students about the benefits of hydrogen energy as a clean, renewable energy carrier. It is set in a futuristic world where you can visit an airport, tour an industrial park, or travel through a city and suburban area.

The project, a part of DOE’s Hydrogen Outreach Program, is being led by R.K. Sen & Associates, Inc., (Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A.) with contributions from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Booz-Allen & Hamilton, and a team of technical and educational consultants. The program contains four educational modules that demonstrate an array of hydrogen technologies in the areas of production, storage, and transport, with a heavy emphasis on application.

Mission H2 is slated for completion by the end of the year. The final product will be tested in coordination with NREL’s educational and outreach programs, then distributed on a large scale throughout the public school system.

A “sneak preview” of Mission H2 is being displayed during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., at the Southface Energy Institute. It will complement the Genesis hydrogen vehicle display. If you are not planning on attending the festivities in Atlanta and would like more information on the project, please contact Mission H2 producer Debbie Surek at R.K. Sen & Associates, phone: +1.301.654.7224, fax: +1.301.654.7832.


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