Space University - Houston

Space University from Frontiers Education is a five day intensive programme of learning and discovery, and a once in a lifetime opportunity for students to visit NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Students participating in this programme will spend five days at Space Center Houston, the official visitor’s Complex of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The Space University programme at Space Center Houston will bring to life the concept of science and maths that students have studied in their textbooks. 

As part of this programme students will participate in the following activities/sessions.

  • work on innovative projects involving robotics and rocketry
  • train like astronauts in a pool using scuba diving equipment
  • meet a NASA astronaut and scientists who will share their experiences
  • take exclusive tours of the facilities at NASA's Johnson Space Center
  • watch space shows and space movies
  • make presentations to NASA educators

Presentation By Astronauts And Scientists
During the course of the program, astronauts, senior scientists and engineers who are currently working on the space programme will come and visit students to share their knowledge and expertise.

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Projects
The Space University programme at Space Center Houston will place students in the shoes of NASA scientists and engineers. Under the guidance of Space Center instructors, students will work on projects that replicate the activities that scientists and engineers perform on a typical NASA mission. These projects could involve robotics, rocketry monitoring of a habitat, experiments with high pressure and temperature and experiments to understand how things work in a micro-gravity environment.

NASA Tours
Students get a rare opportunity to tour the Johnson Space Center and visit the training facilities of NASA astronauts. These include the Astronaut Training Facility and the Neutral Buoyancy Lab or NBL in short. The Astronaut Training Facility contains detailed and life size mock up of the Space Shuttle and International Space Station components. The NBL is the world’s largest indoor pool and has a replica of the International Space Station at the bottom of the pool. This lab is used to train astronauts in a simulated micro-gravity environment before they launch into space. Students will also visit the Historic Mission Control and the rocket garden to see the famed Saturn V moon rocket.

Students will get an opportunity to participate in various interactive shows that are conducted at Space Center Houston. These include the “Living in Space” Show and the “Blast Off Theater”. These shows teach students about how astronauts cope with the difficulties of living in space and about NASA’s current missions.

Student Presentations
With the objective of inculcating a spirit of teamwork and improving their communication skills, student teams are required to make presentations on space related topics to the Space University instructors and their peers. Each presentation is grade based on the content, delivery style and timing.

Scuba Diving Activity
Working with an expert NASA diver who trains astronauts at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, students will receive training and participate in a scuba diving activity conducted at a pool to replicate the experience of working in a micro gravity environment.

Graduation Ceremony
Each participant in the Space University programme will receive a certificate from Space Center Houston and the best team will win trophies.

Optional: Trip to Orlando
After conclusion of the program at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, students have the option of visiting the exciting city of Orlando. Orlando is home to some of the best theme parks in the United States. The list of theme parks that the students can choose to visit include Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure and Sea World. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is also a short drive from Orlando. For more details click here.

Optional:  New York City, Washington DC, Niagara Falls and Boston
Students also have the option of visiting some of the most famous cities on the East Coast of USA. These include New York City, Washington DC, Niagara Falls and Boston. For more details about the add on tours click here.