And a whopping 42 NASA University Student Launch Initiative Teams!
Alabama A&M University –  Normal, AL  (returning)
California State Polytechnic University – Pomona, CA (new)
Clark College – Vancouver, WA (new)
Fisk University – Nashville, TN (returning)
Florida A&M University – Tallahassee, FL (returning)
Florida State University – Tallahassee, FL (new)
Georgia Institute of Technology – Atlanta, GA (returning)
Harvey Mudd College – Claremont, CA (new)
Haskell Indian Nations University – Lawrence, KS (new)
Iowa State University – Ames, IA (returning)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, MA (returning)
Mississippi State University – Starkville, MS (returning)
Missouri University of Science & Technology – Rolla, MO (returning)
New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, NM (new)
North Carolina State University – Raleigh, NC (returning)
Northwest Indian College – Bellingham, WA (returning)
Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA (returning)
Purdue University – Lafayette, IN (returning)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Troy, NY (new)
Saint Louis University – St. Louis, MO (new)
Santa Fe College – Gainesville, FL (new)
Tuskegee University – Tuskegee, AL (returning)
University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, AL  (returning)
University of Alabama in Huntsville – Huntsville, AL  (returning)
University of Alaska – Fairbanks, AK (new)
University of Central Florida – Orlando, FL (returning)
University of Colorado – Boulder, CO (new)
University of Evansville – Evansville, IN (returning)
University of Florida – Gainesville, FL (returning)
University of Louisville – Louisville, KY (new)
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI (returning)
University of Minnesota – Minneapolis, MN (new)
University of Nebraska – Lincoln, NE (new)
University of North Carolina – Charlotte, NC (new)
University of North Dakota – Grand Forks, ND (returning)
University of Notre Dame – South Bend, IN (new)
University of South Alabama – Mobile, AL (returning)
University of Washington – Seattle, WA (returning)
Utah State University – Logan, UT (returning)
Vanderbilt University – Nashville, TN (returning)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University – Blacksburg, VA (new)
Windward Community College – Kaneohe, HI (returning)

That gives us a combined total of 52 teams (representing 29 states!)
planning to launch rockets next spring in North Alabama!
Congratulations to all our teams — and we can’t wait for the smoke
and thunder!!

Capitol Auditorium

Alabama Lt. Governor Kay Ivey’s office partnering with AMSTEC to sponsor

Real World Design Challenge in Alabama High Schools

Real World Design Challenge is an annual aviation design competition for teams of 3-7 high school students — public, private, home schools, informal education groups, etc.  The Challenge is FREE for students and teachers.  And each teacher that signs up a team will receive $1 million in professional engineering software as well as access to mentors from industry, government, and academia.  This year a new ground transportation challenge will be added to the competition as an alternative challenge.

The Real World Design Challenge will create many opportunities for Alabama students.  Every state champion team receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC.  Students have earned paid internships through their participation.  And last year’s National Champions got to present their work to President Obama at the White House.

The 2011 challenges will be announced in Washington DC on October 11^th.

Sign up today!  You can sign up as many teams as you want, and if you are not sure which students will participate, don’t worry you can change the team members between now and the beginning of the competition.  Deadline for registration is November 18^th but don’t wait to register.

Online professional development as well as an opportunity for graduate credit for PD available now!

View clip from last year’s winners.

Please forward to other high school teachers that might be interested.

Questions?  Contact Brenda Terry

National Sponsors include:  NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, EADS, Aerospace States Association (ASA), FAA, National Governor’s Association

Dates to Remember:

The deadline for the next application opportunity will be on or about October 15, 2011. We are working to activate the online application as soon as possible. In the meantime, interested applicants can prepare their application package in anticipation of the application going live. Application materials include:

Curriculum vitae
Transcript
Meeting abstract (or brief research summary if the meeting is far enough in the future that abstract submission has yet to occur)
Essay (1000 words or less) describing the applicant’s interest in space science and engineering and the benefit of conference attendance to the applicant
Letter of support from the applicant’s advisor

You may contact the Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund for the Advancement of Space Science Education regarding Travel Grants at travelgrant@nasa-academy.org.

http://nasa-academy.org/soffen/travelgrant

Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent JPL as volunteer Solar System Ambassadors to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning January 1, 2012

For more information about the program, contact Kay Ferrari, SSA Coordinator

NASA Third Annual

Lunabotics Mining Competition

May 21-26, 2012

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center, Florida

More information about the Lunabotics Mining Competition and the application link and on Lunabotics Facebook page 

While learning how to design and build your own fully functional orbital spacecraft, you will work with a team of space professionals and engineers…