On anniversary of Kennedy's 'Moon Speech', NASA invites students for interactive programme

NASA, in a bid to encourage the current generation to develop an interest in the space and interstellar research, has invited high school students to be a part of an online interactive programme. The online course High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) is based on NASA activities, related to space exploration, Earth science, technology, mathematics and aeronautics.

NASA made the announcement of the course while celebrating the 58th anniversary of former US President John F Kennedy's speech of September 12, 1962, where he spoke about the famous Apollo mission, which went on to achieve the magnanimous feat of landing man on Moon on July 20, 1969. Read President Kennedy's full speech here.

Students who apply for the program would be tasked to complete design challenges including 3D drawings, science quizzes, discussion posts, technology writings and monthly webinars with NASA scientists and engineers. The students who topped the course would be invited to NASA for a six-day residential summer experience and the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The highest achieving students will get an opportunity to participate in team projects and briefings directed by NASA engineers and scientists, hands-on design challenge and engineering activities planning an Artemis-themed mission, and tours of NASA facilities. Students will also get an opportunity to work with NASA experts on designing a mission to Mars. The duration of the course is said to be one year. Check the course details here.

READ | NASA To Buy Moon Resources Mined By Private Companies; Transfer Of Ownership Before 2024

READ | 5 Asteroids Are Heading Towards Earth; NASA Reveals How Closely They Will Pass Us

NASA invites private partners to bid for lunar payload

NASA has issued another request to its 14 Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) partners to bid for the opportunity to launch a future payload to the 'Moon'. This announcement came after the latest advancement of its Artemis lunar efforts. In this request, NASA has asked its private space partners to fly 10 NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to a non-polar region of the Moon in 2022. 

These 14 CLPS private space agencies are owned by NASA which are used for various missions. The reason behind using these companies is that NASA can launch its missions quickly without having to develop technology and systems itself. All NASA has to do is pay a private company that already has the technology and system the space agency requires for its mission.

READ | China's Satellite Launcher Fails On First Flight; Beijing Tight-lipped On 4th 2020 Debacle