Apr 1, 2019   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

National High School Space Challenge Finals in Colorado Springs, CO


     
     What:            Media Opportunity at StellarXplorers
                          National Finals





     
     When:            Competition: Thursday, April 11, 2019


                         Judged Team Out-briefings, Friday,
                          April 12, 2019 (morning)


                         Awards Dinner: Friday, April 12, 2019




        Where:                      Competition: Space Foundation Discovery
                                     Center



                         4425 Arrowswest Dr, Colorado Springs, CO
                          80907




                                    Out-briefs & Awards Dinner: Great Wolf
                                     Lodge



                         9494 Federal Drive, Colorado Springs, CO
                          80921




        Media Contact: 
     Bridget Dongu


                       
     
              bdongu@afa.org


                       
     703-247-5818

StellarXplorers, an education initiative established by AFA, is a space system engineering competition designed to inspire students toward futures in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Beginning in 2015 as a proof of concept with only five teams from Colorado, the fifth StellarXplorers competition season began in October 2018 with 216 teams registered from 35 states and two overseas locations, marking a 20 percent increase from the previous year. Each team consists of two to six students. Under-represented minorities constituted almost half of the participants, and 34% were female.

At this year's National Finals Competition, teams will compete by defining orbits, spacecraft components, and launch vehicles to meet a set of mission requirements. The teams will also brief an expert panel on their work as a part of their overall score.

StellarXplorers is making strides unlike any other youth competition to teach American youth the importance of STEM education, and instill in them confidence in their analytical skills, teamwork, and leadership.

The Director of StellarXplorers will be available on April 11 during the competition for interviews. Media are welcome to attend the competition phases and Awards Banquet. For all media inquiries, please contact Bridget Dongu at bdongu@afa.org or 703-247-5818.

Program sponsors include the Harris Foundation, U.S. Air Force STEM Program, United Launch Alliance, Aerojet Rocketdyne, DynCorp International, and Space Exploration Technologies, with additional support from the Educational Alliance of Analytical Graphics, Inc, The Space Foundation, and Coyote Enterprises.

/PRNewswire/ -- April 1, 2019/

SOURCE Air Force Association