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Mission Discovery

5 Day Space & Stem Student Program

LATITUDE GROUP TRAVEL PRESENTS ISSET’S MISSION DISCOVERY

TEAM UP WITH A NASA ASTRONAUT & NASA LEADERS
TO LAUNCH YOUR IDEAS INTO SPACE

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AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ORDINARY KIDS TO DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY

  • Learn from a NASA astronaut, NASA leaders and expert scientists to launch your ideas into space!
  • In teams, take on the role of research scientists and design an experiment to be conducted in space
  • The overall winning team’s experiment, as judged by the NASA panel, will be launched to the International Space Station and conducted by astronauts on board!
  • This is a full immersion in Space and STEAM – with plenty of hands-on activities
  • Develop leadership, teamwork and public speaking skills
  • Learn about a range of exciting Space and Science career paths
Mission Discovery FAQ's

EACH PROGRAM’S WINNING EXPERIMENT IS CONDUCTED ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

MELBOURNE

30 September – 4 October 2019
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Postponed

REGISTER INTEREST

2020
Let us know where you would like
to see Mission Discovery in 2020.

Pre-Register

HOST YOUR OWN MISSION DISCOVERY

Would you like to work with NASA astronauts and leaders by hosting
Mission Discovery at your school or university?

Learn More

5 DAY MISSION DISCOVERY ITINERARY

WORK WITH A NASA ASTRONAUT, NASA LEADERS AND SPACE SCIENTISTS

DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 1
  • NASA team building – NASA presentation
  • Mission Patch Team Challenge
  • The Journey to Mars – NASA presentation
  • Mars Lander Team Challenge
  • The Best Science Experiment – NASA presentation
DAY 2
  • Becoming an Astronaut and The Story of a Space Mission – NASA presentation
  • Headline Story Team Challenge
  • How to design a space experiment – NASA presentation
  • Presentation from a guest university professor or lecturer
DAY 3
  • Budgeting and Planning Skills – NASA presentation
  • The International Space Station Environment, Experiments and An Expedition
  • Work on experiments
  • Space Experiments – NASA presentation
DAY 4
  • Improve Your Presentation Skills – NASA presentation
  • Working on experiments and presentation
  • The Earth From Space – NASA presentation
DAY 5
  • Presentation preparation
  • First round presentations
  • Finalists selected
  • Final presentations
  • Winners announced

* Itinerary subject to change

In teams of six, take on the role of research scientists and design an experiment to be conducted in space

  • Science and Engineering university students will mentor the teams throughout the Program
  • The overall winning team, as judged by the NASA Panel, has their experiment built and carried out on the International Space Station
  • The program is open to current years 7 – 10 secondary school students. Programs can equally be developed for primary students

RATES FOR 5 DAY STEM TRAINING PROGRAM (Check your relevant location)

Prices are available for:

  • Individual student bookings
  • School groups with 20+ participants
  • School groups with 50+ participants
Teachers may attend as observers, at no cost, but it is not a requirement.
Program subsidies are available for eligible schools and students.
Terms & conditions apply.

Winning Experiments

EACH PROGRAM’S WINNING EXPERIMENT IS
CONDUCTED ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

With the help from mentors, students will finish the week by presenting their idea to the NASA judging panel and one experiment will be selected and launched to the International Space Station on a rocket.

Recent winning experiments around the world include:

  • The effectiveness of antibacterials produced by flies on E. Coli in Microgravity (Melbourne 2018 winning experiment)
  • Wax worms and their consumption of plastic in the hope to find a more efficient way to dispose of plastic on the International Space Station
  • The effectiveness of natural antibacterials in inhibiting the growth of Escherichia Coli (E.coli) DH5-Alpha in microgravity
  • Electric fields as a method of transporting polar liquids
  • Speeding up the process of germination in space
  • The effect of microgravity on the electricity produced by phytoplankton through photosynthesis

The Team

ASTRONAUTS

Dr Michael Foale

NASA Astronaut & ISS Commander

Dr Michael Foale

NASA Astronaut & ISS Commander

Mike was the first British-born NASA Astronaut and has been into space on 6 missions. His experience includes; being Commander of the International Space Station, bringing the Hubble Space Telescope back to life and having a major role in saving the Russian ‘Mir’ Space Station as it tumbled out of control around the Earth, following the only collision in outer-space. He has had a range of senior roles in NASA that include having been the Deputy Administrator at NASA HQ, Chief of the Astronaut Office Expedition Corps and Assistant Director of the Johnson Space Centre. Mike held the record for the number of days spent in space.

Steve Swanson

NASA Astronaut & ISS Commander

Steve Swanson

NASA Astronaut & ISS Commander

Steve Swanson is a NASA astronaut and an engineer. Steve has flown on two Space Shuttle flights, STS-117 and STS-119, and has been the Commander of the International Space Station, which involved launch and landing in the Russian Soyuz capsule. Steve has also served as a CAPCOM for ISS and Space Shuttle missions. He has logged over 6 months in space, travelled 83 million miles and completed 4 spacewalks. Steve has been awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal.

Michael Fincke

NASA Astronaut

Michael Fincke

NASA Astronaut

Michael Fincke is an American astronaut who formerly held the American record for the most time in space (381.6 days). He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but considers its suburb Emsworth to be his hometown. He is a United States Air Force officer and a NASA astronaut, and served two tours aboard the International Space Station as a flight engineer and commander. He flew on one Space Shuttle mission, STS-134 as a Mission Specialist.

Steve Bowen

NASA Astronaut

Steve Bowen

NASA Astronaut

Steve Bowen is a NASA Astronaut with experience of carrying out 3 Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station. His space missions involve him travelling almost 17 million miles in space and having completed 638 orbits of the earth. In his space missions Steve carried out 7 space walks, NASA’s most hazardous mission activity. He is a US Navy Captain and former submariner. He has achieved BSc and MA in Engineering and received numerous awards from the US Navy and NASA.

Tony Antonelli

NASA Astronaut

Tony Antonelli

NASA Astronaut

Tony Antonelli has been the astronaut pilot of Space Shuttle mission STS-119 and STS-132 to the International Space Station. The space missions delivered power-generating solar arrays and the Russian Mini-Research Module 1 to the ISS. Tony is an engineer, Navy test pilot and is currently leading a team that is formulating the future benefits and operations of the International Space Station.
Scientists

Prof Steve Harridge, King’s College London

Professor of Human & Applied Physiology

Prof Steve Harridge, King’s College London

Professor of Human & Applied Physiology

Steve is Professor of Human & Applied Physiology and Director of the Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences, at King's College London. His research interest is human skeletal muscle function and plasticity, particularly with regard to ageing. Steve is also Director of the MSc in Human & Applied Physiology and Co-Director of the MSc in Aviation Medicine.

Dr Julie Keeble, King’s College London

Lecturer of Pharmacology

Dr Julie Keeble, King’s College London

Lecturer of Pharmacology

Julie is a lecturer in the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science at King’s and is a jointly affiliated with of the Centre for Human & Aerospace Physiological Sciences. Her research focuses on the role of sensory nerves, pain, inflammation and thermoregulation. Julie is also ISSET’s Chief Scientist and is responsible for ensuring that all winning Mission Discovery experiments are launched to the International Space Station.

Prof James Tour, Rice University

Award-Winning Nanotechnologist

Prof James Tour, Rice University

Award-Winning Nanotechnologist

Dr James M. Tour is a synthetic organic chemist, specializing in nanotechnology. Dr. Tour is the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, and Professor of Computer Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas, United States.

Dr James Clarke, King’s College London

Lecturer of Applied & Human Physiology

Dr James Clarke, King’s College London

Lecturer of Applied & Human Physiology

James holds a Lectureship in Applied & Human Physiology (Aerospace Physiology) at King's College London. He has worked in the Cardiovascular Division at King's College London and has been awarded a British Heart Foundation Research Fellowship to carry out work on cardio-protection. James is a member of the International Society for Heart Research(ISHR), The British Cardiac Society, The British Society for Cardiovascular Research and the Physiological Society.

Dr David Green, European Space Agency

Lecturer of Human & Aerospace Physiology

Dr David Green, European Space Agency

Lecturer of Human & Aerospace Physiology

David's a Lecturer of Human & Aero-space Physiology and is the coordinator of the Aero-space & Extreme Environment Adaptation Group within the Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences at King's College London. His work is in the physiological responses and adaptation that occur in times of change. A particular interest of his is in the adaptations seen during exposure to extreme and hostile environments.
Nasa Leaders

Sarah Murray

NASA’s Deputy of Orion Vehicle Systems Performance and Analysis

Sarah Murray

NASA’s Deputy of Orion Vehicle Systems Performance and Analysis

Sarah is in the Orion Vehicle Integration Office which is responsible for integrating all the vehicles: the Orion, the European Service Module being built in Germany, the abort system being built in Virginia which all sits on top of the rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) being built in Alabama. She has served on NASA’s Mission Support Council as well as Assistant Division Chief for EVA, Robotics and Crew Systems where she was responsible for the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Space Walking training facility. She has held roles in Astronaut Training and Mission Control. She has also been Deputy Chief of Space Flight Training Management where she was the Chair of the International Training Control Board, responsible for training astronauts and cosmonauts.

Monica Foley

Physicist/Russian Integrator at NASA

Monica Foley

Physicist/Russian Integrator at NASA

Monica Lee Foley has been passionately dedicated to contributing to the success of the International Space Station (ISS) mission, an outer space laboratory, which orbits the Earth every 1.5 hours, led by NASA and the United States in collaboration with 15 countries involving over 100, 00 people for nearly 20 years. Currently, she is the ISS Contracting Officer for Russian contracts and agreements. In this capacity, among other procurements, she is responsible for the negotiations and technical oversight of the Federal Government’s acquisition of the Russian Soyuz spaceship services. These services provide US astronauts launch access to and return from the International Space Station. Additionally, she is responsible for the development of international agreements, negotiations and the integration of contractual interfaces with the Russian Federal Space Agency and their contractors.

Jay Honeycutt

Former Director of Kennedy Space Centre

Jay Honeycutt

Former Director of Kennedy Space Centre

Jay is the former Director of NASA's Kennedy Space Centre and the former President of Lockheed Martin Space Operations. As an engineer Jay has had almost unrivalled senior level experience with NASA in the Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle Space missions.
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