Spiders in Space

Due to my involvement in the "SPIDERS IN SPACE" experiment while I was teaching at Glen Waverley Secondary College, I created a Spider collection based on the Garden Orb Weaver Spider to try and raise some money for the experiment.

"Why did we have to raise money you ask?"

Because the Victorian Government, in their unfathomable wisdom, took our funding away for a project that we had been given by them as a prize! Their answer when asked "Why?" was, that they wanted closure, it was taking too long, and they had spent our money elsewhere. You do not want to know my answer to that piece of "crap". But it was something like, "When I start something with my students they are expected to finish it!" and the same should go for governments. What are we teaching our kids if we teach them that it is OK to just let things go if it gets too hard, or it takes too long....where would we be today if Isaac Newton thought it was too hard??

The funny thing is that we got some amazing results from the Shuttle experiment. Spiders do spin webs in space, quite well infact.... but the DSE does not want to know about it...so if anyone out there would like 4 years of documented scientific teaching and learning....just ask me.....it will cost you about $175,000 and I will send the cheque to SPACEHAB in USA who did have the kindness and the belief in our experiment to fund it for us.

I must now also thank the many people who purchased our Mission patches, and donated money to get our "Spider Gang" over to the USA for the launch. Dawson Pest Control made sure we got to the Mission Simulation in Boulder Colorado and a very special thanks must go to Cadbury Schweppes for their generosity and belief in our experiment.

These eight legged creatures are not everyones "cup of tea" but they were part of my life for about 4 years, and the friends and contacts I made because of the experiment I will treasure forever. Go out into the backyard during summer and you will see one spinning its orb web ready to catch its dinner.

I worked with some amazing teachers and professionals during the experiment. The listing of their names is not an example of the order of their expertise or of the wonderful commitment that they personally made to the Spider Program, it is just alphabetical. Without these wonderful, talented people the Spider Students could not have achieved what they did.

Cees Bill, Shanna Rudov-Clarke, Peter Francis, Patrick Honan, Kevin and Jenni Manning, Caroline Need, Alan Payne, and Lachlan Thompson.

I am also very, very lucky to have known, worked and travelled with 26 wonderful students who made up the "Spider" class.

I will never forget our USA experience with Astrotech and Spacehab in Florida. I also treasure the lasting friendships that I have made and I know that my wonderful "Spider Kids" will also never forget the amazing experience of it all!!!

Greg Carstairs, William Chang, Zien-Bing Chia, Paul Christiansz, Marina Demyanenko, Cameron French, Jessica Foong, Amanda Gray, Ben Hall, Sarah Higgins, Daniel Hillier, John Hodgkinson, Wendy Huang, Adamina Ivcovici, Kathryn Killeen, Michelle Lam, Lauren Longano, Ryan Miller, Vyshali Nadimpalli, Robert Parsons, Jordan Pratt, Dhanusya Sivananthan, Yee Meng Tang, Angus Waldron, Eelaine Wong, Kathryn Wong.

Spiders with Baroque Pearls

Spider Ring

Spider Pendant

Spiders in Space Mission Patch

STS 107 Launched January 16th. 2003

The last flight of the Columbia Space Shuttle

The Seven brave astronauts that flew on her will always be remembered by us.

Spider Gang in the Astrotech Laboratory in Titusville USA.

January 15th.2003

(Standing L-R) Lachlan, Jordan, Paul, Patrick, William, Ben, Eelaine, Robert, Dhanusya, Alan, Peter

(Front) Cameron,Greg, Lauren, Adamina, and Bronwyn

STS 107 Mission Patch