Media Invited to Interview NASA Johnson Space Center Experts at Houston Community College Houston Rockets Science Launch Day

Experts from NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) will join the Houston Rockets, Houston Community College (HCC), Space Center Houston and Houston-area middle school students and educators for a “Rockets Science” Launch Day starting at 10 a.m. April 28 at the HCC Northeast Campus.

Media are invited to attend the event where students, with Houston Rockets team members in attendance, will build and launch rockets as the finale of a series of on-line classes. During the past month, the students have studied the fundamentals of rocketry. Media planning to cover the event should contact Sarah Joseph, Houston Rockets community relations director, at 281-701-3646 or sarahj@rocketball.com.

“JSC is proud to help with these efforts by the Houston Rockets, HCC and Space Center Houston to strengthen the involvement of middle school students in the exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related careers,” said Misti Moore, manager of Johnson’s Minority University and Research Education Program. “These opportunities help promote a strong pipeline of students to the community college to meet future workforce needs.”

The Rockets Science program kicked off in early January, introducing nearly 400 Houston-area middle school students to the basics of rocketry. The program provided the “Rockets Science” curriculum to local students and educators in four weekly after-school webinars. During the program, NASA scientists and engineers helped teach the mechanics of rocketry and how to safely construct and launch a rocket.

Participating Houston-area schools include: Attucks Middle School, Young Women’s Preparatory Academy, Marshall Middle School, Forest Brook Middle School, Edison Middle School, Jackson Middle School, Fondren Middle School, O’Donnell Middle School and Albright Middle School.

NASA is committed to promoting STEM education and serving the Greater Houston area. Helping with collaborations such as these provide an opportunity to support underrepresented student communities and inspire the nation’s future workforce.

For more information about partnering with NASA, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/partnerships

For information about NASA’s education programs, visit: ww.nasa.gov/education

To follow social media updates, visit: http://twitter.com/nasaedu  http://twitter.com/nasa_johnson http://www.facebook.com/jsceducation

For more information about the Rockets Science program, visit: http://www.nba.com/rockets/hccrocketsscience