Leading STEM Education Provider Aims to Inspire and Educate Upwards of Four Million Students Annually to Support Long-Term U.S. Space Exploration Requirements
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Challenger Center for Space Science Education (Challenger Center) today announced its commitment to inspire and educate millions of students annually. The visionary program will continue to honor the educational legacy of the Space Shuttle program by helping to usher in the nation’s next-generation of space exploration and science. Working with NASA, private space industry leaders, its network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers, the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) community, and schools nationally, Challenger Center will increase the impact of its educational mission by ten-fold over the next five years.
To achieve this goal, Challenger Center, the nation’s premier provider of science education and STEM career inspiration, plans to adapt its widely-heralded education programs to the new directions, goals and technologies of space exploration. Currently, its Challenger Learning Centers network engages more than 400,000 students and 40,000 teachers in STEM teaching and learning activities each year though simulated missions to the Moon, Mars, Comet Halley, and the asteroids, as well as in space-themed learning experiences.
Challenger Center’s renewed commitment to space science education comes as NASA’s Space Shuttle program gives way to a new era of deep-space exploration with the launch of its 135th and final mission, STS-135, on July 8 for a 12-day trip to the International Space Station (ISS). Going forward, NASA will rely on America’s private sector for orbital launches and missions to the ISS as it focuses on the exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
“Challenger Center was created to continue and grow the educational mission of the Challenger Space Shuttle. With the flight of the last Space Shuttle, a new era of space exploration emerges, and we recommit to our bold and long-term educational mission” said Daniel Barstow, Challenger Center President. “Though we look back today, our focus must be on the future of our youth and on positioning the nation for future excellence in space. Our nation is on the verge of a dynamic new era of discovery and achievement, and as the space age evolves and its technologies advance, so too will Challenger Center.”
Supporting the Future of Spaceflight
“The nation must have a skilled workforce to meet its evolving aerospace needs,” said Scott Parazynski, chairman of Challenger Center’s board of directors and a former NASA astronaut. “We will require a new generation of young people with the right knowledge and vision to make future space travel a vibrant part of America’s economy and an ongoing hallmark of our spirit and capabilities. To support bold missions to Mars and the asteroids as well as the emergence of new industries, Challenger Center will introduce millions of children to these wondrous opportunities and guide them into the future.”
Since Challenger Center’s founding in 1986 to honor the seven fallen astronauts aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle, its Challenger Learning Centers have engaged over 4,000,000 students in space science exploration and education. Its simulated missions tap into learners’ imaginations and educational aspirations, and they have inspired many young people to successfully pursue STEM careers.
To grow its science education programs, Challenger Center will build upon its existing partnerships within the aerospace and technology industries and forge new ones. With private sector support, it will ensure its missions and learning activities continue to introduce students to state-of-the-art space science. It also will increase awareness of its services among students, teachers and parents, and bolster the capacities of its Challenger Learning Centers for engaging and exciting children about space flight.
“Challenger Center will play a vital, growing, and dynamic role in STEM education as our nation transitions to a new era of space exploration,” said June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Dick Scobee, commander of the Challenger Space Shuttle, and founding chair of Challenger Center’s board of directors. “We will honor the men and women who designed, built, and flew the Space Shuttles by helping to prepare the next-generation of scientists, engineers, and astronauts. We want to ensure that America continues to lead in space exploration and in leveraging its discoveries for new technologies, industries, and the betterment of all humankind.
About Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center for Space Science Education and its international network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea reach more than 400,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs, and engage over 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops and other programs. To learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education, visit www.challenger.org.
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Steve Kussmann
300 N. Lee St., Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
info@challenger.org
+1-800-969-5747
