Space STEM Training
Training & Space Camps
Ready to train like an astronaut? Explore real space camps, online learning programs, and STEM competitions designed for kids who want to go beyond the classroom. Programs range from beginner-friendly online activities to in-person astronaut training simulations.
In-Person Space Camps
6 programsHands-on programs where you visit a real facility, work in teams, and experience what it feels like to train for space. Many offer week-long residential programs with simulated missions and rocket building.
Space Camp
Ages 9–18
The original and most famous space camp, held at the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Kids train like real astronauts with simulated missions, rocket building, and EVA training.
Advanced Space Academy
Ages 15–18
An intense multi-day program at the US Space & Rocket Center for older students. Includes advanced mission simulations, spacewalk training, and teamwork challenges.
Challenger Learning Center
Ages 8–18
Over 40 Challenger Learning Centers across the US and Canada offer realistic space-mission simulations for students. Teams work together as mission control and astronauts to complete science challenges.
Kennedy Space Center STEM Programs
Ages 7–17
NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers STEM summer camps and programs at an active launch facility in Florida. Students learn from real NASA experts and tour launch pads.
Space Foundation Discovery Center
Ages 5–18
Located in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation Discovery Center offers hands-on space science programs, educator workshops, and student camps that bring the space economy to life.
iD Tech Space & STEM Camps
Ages 7–18
iD Tech runs summer technology and STEM camps at university campuses across the US and UK, including space-themed tracks covering rocketry, coding, and engineering design.
Online Learning Resources
9 resourcesFree and low-cost online programs from NASA, ESA, and leading educators. Learn astronomy, rocketry, and space engineering from home at your own pace.
NASA Kids Club
Ages 5–12
An official NASA website just for kids with games, videos, and learning activities about space exploration, the solar system, and what it is like to be an astronaut.
NASA STEM Engagement
All ages
NASA's dedicated STEM learning hub for students and educators. Includes lesson plans, activities, internship opportunities, and live events to connect with NASA missions.
ESA Space for Kids
Ages 6–14
The European Space Agency's kid-friendly learning site. Explore the solar system, learn about ESA missions, and find space experiments you can try at home.
JPL Education (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Ages 8–18
Hands-on activities and lessons from NASA engineers and scientists at JPL. Includes projects for building rovers, studying Mars, understanding gravity, and more.
Khan Academy — Cosmology & Astronomy
Ages 10+
Free, self-paced video lessons covering the solar system, stars, galaxies, black holes, the Big Bang, and more. Great for building a foundation in space science.
Coursera — Space Science Courses
Ages 14+
University-level space science courses available online, many for free to audit. Topics include astrobiology, the science of the solar system, and space exploration.
SpaceX STEM Resources
Ages 8–18
SpaceX provides free educational resources including lesson plans, rocket science guides, and classroom activities tied to real missions like Falcon 9 and Starship.
CrunchLabs — Mark Rober Build Kits
Ages 8–14
CrunchLabs is Mark Rober's monthly STEM subscription box. Each kit is a fun engineering challenge — kids build real working gadgets while learning physics, mechanics, and creative problem-solving. Mark Rober is a former NASA engineer and YouTube science creator known for making science approachable and exciting.
Mark Rober — YouTube Science Channel
All ages
Mark Rober's free YouTube channel features engineering experiments, science explainers, and inventions that show how STEM concepts work in the real world. Videos cover physics, space, robotics, and more in a way that is fun and easy to follow.
STEM Competitions
3 competitionsChallenge yourself with real engineering and science competitions. These programs let students design, build, and present real solutions to space problems — and compete with teams from around the world.
FIRST Robotics Competition
Ages 6–18
FIRST runs robotics challenges each year, often with space-themed seasons. Teams of students design, build, and compete with robots while learning engineering and teamwork.
NASA Student Launch Initiative
Ages 13–22
A research-based, hands-on rocketry challenge where student teams design and launch a high-powered rocket to a target altitude of one mile. Open to middle school through university teams.
Conrad Challenge
Ages 13–18
A multi-phase innovation competition for students inspired by astronaut Pete Conrad. Teams solve real-world problems including space technology, sustainability, and aerospace innovation.
For Teachers & Schools
Many of the programs listed here offer group rates, educator guides, and curriculum tie-ins. The NASA STEM and JPL Education sites include ready-to-use classroom activities aligned to national science standards.
See classroom resources