Suborbital Flight Experiment Workshop

AERO Institute, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Palmdale, CA

August 1-5, 2011

US companies are developing and testing the next generation of space vehicles: suborbital The Suborbital Flight Experiment Workshop
reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) that will bring about a revolution in low-cost access to and Excelsior STEM flight opportunity are
space. offered at no charge to participating
teachers. Subsidized housing will be
Low-cost, frequent access to space will provide new opportunities for scientific research,
available for $14 per night (shared rooms).
and space scientists are responding to those opportunities. The Southwest Research
Meals are not provided, but a limited
Institute has announced a one-million dollar initiative to fly microgravity and astronomy
number of stipends will be available to
payloads on suborbital RLVs. The Suborbital Application Researchers Group is training
defray the cost of meals and transportation.
scientists to fly as payload specialists. NASA, meanwhile, has created Commercial
If you require a travel stipend, you are urged
ReUsable Suborbital Research (CRUSR) program to fly scientific and educational payloads
to apply early.
on the new vehicles.
The deadline for workshop applications is
In the summer of 2011, Teachers in Space will offer secondary-level STEM teachers a
April 15, but selection may close early
unique chance to get in on the ground floor of this cutting-edge research. The Excelsior
based on the number and quality of
STEM mission will be the first suborbital RLV mission dedicated entirely to K-12 education.
applications received. Only 25 spaces are
The Excelsior STEM flight will take place in conjunction with a one-week Suborbital Flight available in this workshop, so apply today.
Experiment Workshop. At this hands-on workshop, participating teachers will learn to
For application forms and additional
assemble space experiments from kits developed by Teachers in Space in cooperation with
information, visit:
NASA and other partners. Teachers will have the chance to witness the flight, then retrieve
the data and experiment hardware. In the fall, they will return to the classroom with actual
flight data and the knowledge of how they can build and fly similar experiments with their
own students on future flights sponsored by CRUSR or other programs.