Project Starshine
2001

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Space Shuttle Endeavor lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:19 PM EST on December 5, 2001, carrying the Project Starshine 2 satellite in its cargo bay. The satellite was launched into low Earth orbit during the Endeavor's mission. Sutter Creek Elementary School 5th and 6th graders produced one of the satellite's 845 aluminum mirrors that were polished by students in 660 schools in 26 countries. After polishing their mirror the students went on a field trip to Stanford's Hansen Experimental Lab to take a tour of their solar telescope and to the Clever Planetarium in Stockton.