As a percussion student, it isn’t every day that one of your musical performances is described as literally “out of this world.” But for Cooper Middle School students, one special song caught the attention of NASA’s Artemis I mission.

The Artemis missions are a hugely collaborative effort from thousands of scientists, engineers, and other contributors from across the world and all 50 states. That includes FCPS’ very own Cooper Middle School, whose percussion students performed the intro music for a video that NASA played during its broadcast of the Artemis I rocket launch. The song, titled “The Artemis Generation: Exploration, Discovery and the Unknowns,” was written by Cooper Percussion Instructor Doug Wallace and performed by the Cooper Middle School Symphonic Band.

In recognition of the school’s role in the Artemis I mission outreach, special guests from NASA visited students on Tuesday, May 30. They included Mike Sarafin, NASA’s Artemis I Mission Manager (at right below), Sheela Logan, NASA’s Artemis Integration Manager (center), and retired NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson (left). Ferguson described his background and what it’s like to live in space. Artemis I, which launched on November 16, 2022, was the first in a series of three NASA missions that will culminate in astronauts landing on the moon for the first time since 1972. 

The Cooper alumni who performed the musical piece—along with current students in STEAM clubs—listened intently as the current and former NASA members delivered a fascinating overview of the Artemis mission and offered insight into the future of the space program. For students, as FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid explained in her opening remarks, it was an example of the critical connection between arts and science.

Students were given the opportunity to learn more about living in space during a Q&A session before the guests presented the school with a very special gift: a flag that flew on the Artemis mission (shown below)!