Alexandria, VA – Challenger Center for Space Science Education is pleased to announce a new space robotics blog for students interested in science, technology and engineering. Madi Sengupta, a NASA Engineer from the Johnson Spaceflight Center Center in Houston, Texas is a former Challenger Learning Center student now working at NASA.

Ms. Sengupta, a self-proclaimed, NASA Gen-Y employee writes about her new job as an engineer working in NASA’s robotics branch at the Johnson Space Center and how interactive experiences including her flight at a Challenger Center space science simulator helped her decide to study engineering. To check out the student blog and leave a comment or question for Ms. Sengupta about what it is like to be an engineer and to work at NASA, please visit www.challenger.org.

Challenger Center’s on-line educational programs include blogs, weekly space and science podcasts, interactive webcasts with astronauts, scientists and engineers, science and engineering challenges, contests and opportunities for students, and hundreds of searchable lessons for teachers. Challenger Center’s network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers across the U.S. and in the UK, Canada and South Korea engage teachers and students in science, mathematics, engineering and technology through the use of spaceflight simulation and hands-on learning.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts of the space shuttle Challenger 51-L mission. It is dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission and impacts over 300,000 students and 25,000 teachers each year.

To locate a Challenger Learning Center near you, visit www.challenger.org.

For program information, please contact:

Shannon Rush, Development and Communications Associate Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Alexandria, VA 703-683-9740; srush@challenger.org