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Hello! I am a SBHS student. I used to attend the annual Santa Barbara kite festival until Covid hit. Recently, the science fair was eliminated from Santa Barbara junior high. So, I was thinking of creating and sponsoring a kite flying day that taught the physics behind kite making and flying. It would honor Jose Hernandez, the former NASA astronaut and UCSB alumnus. I wanted to get your thoughts or ideas about this? Thanks.
Question Date: 2021-10-26
Answer 1:

Who could object to a kite festival with a science twist?! Great idea.

You might be interested to know that UCSB has a second astronaut alumnus, Joseph M. Acaba.

Wishing you the best with your event, not excluding wind!

Best,

Answer 2:

I'll encourage you to work on your plan for a kite flying day. It will be a good learning experience - for learning about kite physics and kite making and for getting experience with what it's like to organize an event, or to try to organize one. I wonder if the UCSB or SBCC physics department would be interested in being involved.

This looks like a good link about kite physics.

Lift is generated by differences in air pressure, which are created by air in motion over the body of the kite. Kites are shaped and angled so that the air moving over the top moves faster than the air moving over the bottom. ... Thrust is the forward force that propels a kite in the direction of motion. Apr 26, 2012.



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