JANUARY 2019 FEATURE EDUCATION DINING What to Watch STEM students Does Davio’s for in Irvine make history Northern Italian during 2019, from with the launch Steahouse rank in politics to parks of two satellites the IBC’s top three? page 5 page 9 page 7 WHAT REALLY MATTERS irvinecitynews.com IrvineCityNews Business City Opinion Education Life Sports Community Feature Clear progress CITY MANAGER JOHN RUSSO LEADS IRVINE TOWARD TRANSPARENCY FEATURE by Irvine City News staff rvine City Manager John Russo has made an im- mediate impact since taking his position in July 2018, perhaps most notably with a series of measures brought to pub- lic comment and city council Iaction that increase transpar- ency in city government. The city’s new Sunshine ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE MEGAN WAGNER AND MAYOR DON WAGNER Ordinance will expand the CIVIC CENTER CEREMONY time to review agendas for the WELCOMES MAYOR regular meetings of the city DON WAGNER AND council and planning com- COUNCILMEMBERS FARRAH mission from 5 to 12 days. “The 12-day window allows KHAN AND ANTHONY KUO WAGNER, KHAN AND every community member the time they need to review FEATURE agenda items thoroughly,” said City Manager John by Irvine City News staff Russo. “People and business he City Council KUO TAKE OFFICE owners who pay their taxes to Chamber had a run a good government ought standing room sworn in for a second term as the Mayor Wagner took the oath Councilmember Melissa Fox and to have the opportunity to crowd as the city of Irvine’s mayor, and newly of office for a 2-year term, while Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea in share information, ask ques- enthusiastic audi- elected Farrah Khan and Antho- Councilmembers Khan and leading Irvine forward. tions, and make their opin- ence gathered to ny Kuo sworn into office as the Kuo will both serve a 4-year After an invocation by Bishop ions known before City Hall Tsee Don Wagner city’s newest councilmembers. term of service. They join CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 >> CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 >> JANUARY 2019 irvinecitynews.com IrvineCityNews 9 program includes Irvine Uni- Beach-based Rocket Lab’s inno- planets and determine the point- progressive high school space fied School District students vative Electron rocket. Partnering ing accuracy of the satellite. programs in the country and a from Irvine, Northwood, Por- with the local company afforded NASA Spaceflight launched truly invaluable experience for tola, University and Woodbridge the students an opportunity to the second satellite, IRVINE02, all involved,” says Neda Eaton, Blast high schools, and Tustin Unified learn about the production of the on December 3 from Vandenberg President & CEO, Irvine Public School District students from Electron launch vehicle firsthand. Air Force base. It is the largest Schools Foundation. “Over the Beckman High School. “We have some of the most satellite ridesharing mission ever past two years, our students faced The program has been ongo- talented, dedicated and engaged launched from the U.S. with 64 many real world obstacles that off! ing since early 2016 with the students and teachers who have satellites from 34 organizations provided them with an even bet- goal to launch a full-functioning worked diligently on this incred- representing 17 countries. Irvine ter understanding of the aero- IRVINE STEM STUDENTS 30-pound nanosatellite (approxi- ible achievement, said IUSD CubeSat is one of only two high space industry. They met these MAKE HISTORY WITH mately the size of a milk carton Superintendent Terry Walker. schools chosen by NASA among challenges head on, and we are THE LAUNCH OF TWO SATELLITES cut in half) 350 miles high into “This is such a spectacular reflec- 34 teams selected to participate so proud of their hard work and orbit around the earth. Each tion of what’s possible when a in the prestigious program. Typi- dedication to this program.” EDUCATION high school’s team is responsible group of relentlessly commit- cally, a programs like CubeSat IPSF provided seed fund- for a different part of the satel- ted and passionate people come would be based at NASA, or at a ing to help start the multiyear by Irvine City News staff lite – avionics, communication, together to support our students. elite colleges and universities. STEM initiative. For the past propulsion, etc. – with each Congratulations to the Irvine Irvine02 is a more advanced three years, IPSF has continued ockets blasted into space group working after school and CubeSat team.” twin version of Irvine01, contain- its commitment to raise funds from launch sites in New with leading scientists in various Once launched, students ing electric thrusters and a high and administer the program Zealand and California, disciplines toward the goal. tracked the satellite’s orbital path power laser for rapid transmis- each year. Other corporate each carrying fully func- The first launch carried the and made radio contact with sion of data down to the Earth sponsors include the Arnold Rtioning satellites built by a team Mission IRVINE01 satellite. the CubeSat, confirming that it ground station. Once in lower and Mabel Beckman Founda- of Irvine high school students. It It blasted into orbit Novem- reached orbit and is functioning Earth orbit, the cube satellite will tion, Cisco, FivePoint, Google, was the first time in history that ber 11 from the world’s only as expected. Aboard Irvine01 is a take photos of stars and other Ingersoll-Rand/Trane, MEG- two student-built CubeSats were privately owned and operated low-resolution camera that will celestial objects. GiTT Defense Systems, Inc., launched into orbit in less than a orbital launch facility: Rocket take pictures of Venus, bright “What started as a crazy idea Microsemi, and Resilient. year—and the Irvine team did it Lab Launch Complex 1 in New stars and other celestial objects. to change the way that students “This is an important achieve- in less than a month. Zealand. It was the first com- Data from these images can be experience STEM education, ment for our students and the The Irvine CubeSat STEM mercial launch of Huntington used to calculate distances to has evolved into one of the most entire district,” says Terry Walker. “IUSD’s robust science education from grades K-12 incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards, which support educa- tion for all students in science and engineering to provide the foundational knowledge for those who will become the next scien- tists, engineers, technologists and technicians of the future. That fu- ture is now for some of our high school students,” he says. “We hope that all students will see this example and know it’s possible to build and launch a satellite into space as an IUSD student and that they too will be inspired to shoot for the stars themselves.” Irvine CubeSat STEM Pro- gram plans to build 10 more cube satellites all the way through to Irvine12. There will be opportu- nities for today’s elementary and middle school students to work on future satellites when they get to high school. There will also be opportunities for current high school students. To learn more, IUSD STUDENTS WORKING ON ONE OF THE CUBESAT SATELLITES NOW ORBITING THE EARTH. visit irvinecubesat.org. n.