Auditorium Program
Starlab Planetarium
A U.S. Space & Rocket Center educator will set up the inflatable Starlab Planetarium in your school gymnasium or auditorium. Students may visit in groups of 30 for an introduction to the constellations of the night sky and basic principles of astronomy. It's a treat they will always remember! $49 per session + logistics
Classroom Programs
Partial, Full, or Multiple Day Options.
100 Years of von Braun
One of the greatest engineers of all time was German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. His ideas took man into space and eventually to the moon. Students will learn about his in- fluence on modern rocketry and will experience basic scientific principles that von Braun used in his designs. 2012 marks his 100th birthday. Celebrate his legacy! $29 per session + logistics
Astronauts on the Job
This lively interactive presentation lets students try their hand at astronaut training. "Astronauts on the Job:" is a riveting basic introduction to who, why and how of human spaceflight. At least eight students will participate onstage. $29 per session + logistics
Expedition Living
The most exciting parts of being an astronaut are the little everyday things, like eating, sleeping, and yes - going to the bathroom. This is a great way to wrap up your school's Space Week! $29 per session + logistics
Impact Craters
Students learn about the formation and structure of craters on the Moon. Students experiment with different-sized impactors to create their own craters on a dusty surface. Math extensions include measurement in metric, averaging, and graphing. $29 per session + logistics
Leonardo DaVinci's Dream
The great Leonardo DaVinci, painter, was also a brilliant inventor and designer of machines. His daydreams and notebook doodles reflected all the key scientific principles of flight, and foreshadowed flying machines hundreds of years into the future. Students will learn the principles of flight and build a working glider. $29 per session + logistics
Newton in the Pilot's Seat
A brief introduction to Newton's Three Laws of Motion, followed by the opportunity for students to build and launch straw rockets or larger paper rockets in groups. $29 per session + logistics
Space Suits
Space Suits are SPORTy- it's a special acronym to help remember why astronauts should never forget their suits for space-walking. Students will learn about temperature, oxygen, and radiation, and how their bodies are perfectly suited to the comfortable atmosphere of Earth. $29 per session + logistics
Solar System Adventures Planets and comets and moons...oh, my!
Students learn the basics about the eight planets (and Pluto's new category), and they will also explore common misunderstandings about our solar system and learn just how it is that scientists can draw "conclusions about faraway places." $29 per session + logistics
Touchdown
This activity focuses on engineering and teamwork. After a brief introduction about historical Moon landings, students will design and develop a shock absorbing system for a lunar lander. Teamwork is crucial, as various ideas come together in one design that requires testing and evaluation for success. $29 per session + logistics
Thermal Design Challenge
Students will compete in an engineering competition, where two teams design a heat shield that must defy extreme temperatures, as a capsule entering Earth's atmosphere would during reentry. Students will present their design to the class and a panel of judges. This is a high school level activity that requires three hours per session. 9-12 grade only. $99 per session + logistics
Week Long Program Build-A-Shuttle
We will transform an ordinary school into a NASA training center in just one week. Students build a space shuttle, a mission control and a space station module; by Friday they become astronauts and NASA personnel for a dramatic stage performance of a Shuttle mission, complete with costumes, music and video. For many students, the "Build-A-Shuttle" week delivers new confidence, along with an entire year's "A-ha" moments for science and math concepts. This activity includes classroom sessions. $2499 + logistics
