Challenger Learning Centers offer immersive space mission simulations for students, where they take on roles like astronauts and engineers. Students are guided through missions by NASA to solve problems collaboratively. Teachers receive training and materials to prepare students for a hands-on experience at the Center. During the mission, students are divided into groups for Mission Control or a Space Station, addressing issues in areas like communications, life support, and navigation. Follow-up activities in the classroom extend the learning.

1. Challenger Learning Centers offer students the opportunity to be part of exciting
simulated space missions. Challenger Center missions take place in a realistic Mission
Control Room and an orbiting Space Station, produced with guidance from NASA.
Students are transformed into astronauts, scientists, engineers, researchers, journalists,
and artists as they work together to solve problems, make decisions and share in the
thrill of discovery.
PRE-VISIT PREPARATION
To prepare for launch day, teachers receive everything they need to make their class’ visit
to a Challenger Learning Center a true exploratory, interactive learning experience.
Prior to the visit, teachers receive professional development training along with a
variety of mission specific preparatory materials. The classroom activities emphasize the
importance of team work and communication, and help the students practice some of
the skills they will need to perform during the mission. The other materials will help the
students understand the theme of the mission and what their ultimate responsibility will
be during this day of adventure.
PERFORMING THE MISSION
When students arrive at a Challenger Learning Center, a short briefing is held during
which students are given an overview of the mission and their assignments. The class is
divided into two groups: one located in Mission Control and the other transported to the
Space Station. Within each group, students are assigned to one of eight mirrored teams:
Communications, Data, Isolation, Life Support, Medical, Navigation, Probe or Remote.
Halfway through the mission, teams exchange locations so that students can experience
learning in both environments.
POST-VISIT: THE LEARNING continues
Back at school, specific programs extend the Challenger Learning
Center experience. Students analyze and reflect on the data gathered
during the mission. They conduct post-flight briefings, news
conferences and other activities to transfer what they have learned
into the everyday world of their classroom and school.
Regardless of their background, every student has the
opportunity to succeed at a Challenger Learning Center.
Students leave with a renewed spirit of camaraderie,
boosted self-esteem, and a desire to explore and learn.
The Challenger Learning
Center Experience

2. Our Mission
Engage students and teachers in dynamic, hands-on exploration and
discovery opportunities that strengthen knowledge in science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM), inspire students to pursue careers in these
fields, and provide an outlet to learn and apply important life skills.
Our Vision
Build a scientifically literate public and shape our future leaders to help improve quality
of life across the globe – not just through pragmatic teaching, but by the power of vision,
inspiration and innovation.
Our History
In 1986, Challenger Center for Space Science Education (Challenger Center) was
established by the families of the seven crew members who were tragically lost in the
Challenger 51-L mission. Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, Challenger
Learning Centers were developed to spark youth interest and joy in science and
engineering and offer children, teachers, and citizens alike a place to explore science,
learn effective problem solving strategies, and gain valuable teamwork skills. In 1988,
the organization’s first Challenger Learning Center opened at the Houston Museum
of Natural History.
About Challenger Learning Centers
Today, there are more than 45 Challenger Learning Centers around the globe (U.S.,
Canada, United Kingdom and South Korea). The Centers are located in schools,
museums and science centers, on university and college campuses, or as stand-alone
facilities. Many Challenger Learning Center sites are in regions lacking education and
science resources.
Staffed by educators known as Flight Directors, the core of each Center is an interactive
computerized simulator with a Mission Control Room patterned after the NASA Johnson
Space Center and an orbiting Space Station ready for exploration. It is at Challenger
Learning Centers that students become astronauts and engineers, solving real-world
problems as they share the thrill of discovery on missions through the Solar System.
As a recognized leader in educational simulation, Challenger Center’s award-winning
classroom and teacher training programs use the excitement of space exploration
to create positive learning experiences designed to raise students’ expectations
of success and develop critical communication, decision-making, and
team-building skills.
Challenger Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
422 First Street SE, 3rd Fl. • Washington, DC 20003
202.827.1580 • www.challenger.org
facebook.com/challengerctr • twitter.com/challengerctr
challenger center for space science education

3. Challenger CenTer FOr
SpaCe SCienCe eDUCaTiOn
THE MISSIONS
Each Challenger Center mission is designed with the student and educator in mind. Through a combination of
STEM-related content that matches closely with today’s educational standards, complex computer technology,
real science data, and hands-on activities, students are immersed in a simulated environment. This unique
setting promotes cooperative learning, creative problem solving and decision making, while simultaneously
reinforcing and bringing relevance to concepts taught in their classroom. Mission availability varies by Center.
It is “mission accomplished” when the student crews leave a Challenger Learning Center having just
participated in a truly unique, hands-on learning opportunity. While teaching and applying important life skills
during each mission, students also experience a newfound excitement and passion for science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM). It is this impact, this experience, and this passion that inspires students, our
future leaders, to command their own destinies and pursue careers in these important STEM fields.
RETuRN TO THE MOON™
For the first time since 1972, a
crew of astronauts is launching
themselves into the future
by returning to the moon.
This time, they plan to stay.
The mission is to establish a
permanent base on the moon
to observe and explore, as well
as test the feasibility of off-
Earth settlements. Navigating
into lunar orbit, the team must
construct and launch a probe,
and analyze a variety of data
gathered from the lunar surface to select a site for
establishing the permanent moon base. Students
begin a new era in human planetary explorations
during their mission to Return to the Moon.
RENDEZVOuS WITH A cOMET™
A team of scientists and
engineers are on a daring
mission to take an up-close
look at a comet as it streaks
its way across the galaxy. The
goal is to plot a successful
course to Rendezvous with a
Comet and launch a probe to
collect scientific data on the
object. First, the team must
construct the space probe
and plot the correct intercept
course. What seems at first to
be a routine exploration is filled with challenges and
emergencies. Each obstacle that stands in the way
of a successful mission requires students to work
together as a team to find a solution.
ENcOuNTER EARTH™
In the summer of the
year 2137, a Low Earth
Orbiting satellite (LEO) has
malfunctioned and must be
replaced. The team has been
called on to construct a new
satellite, deploy the satellite,
and retrieve important
data about the Earth and
its environment. Students
collect data, avert disasters
on Earth, and learn about
the intricate relationships of
Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, ecosphere, and
geosphere as you Encounter Earth.
VOYAGE TO MARS™
In Earth years, it is 2076. A
now routine Voyage to Mars
has brought the latest human
crew into Martian orbit. Control
of the incoming flight has been
transferred from Houston’s
Mission Control to Mars Control
at Chryse Station. The crew,
arriving from Earth on the Mars
Transport Vehicle, is specially
trained to replace the existing
crew of astronauts, which
has manned Mars Control for
the past two years. After arriving on the Martian
surface, the students collect and analyze a number
of planetary samples and data. This information
is vital to scientists and explorers for a better
understanding of the red planet.
422 First Street SE, 3rd Fl. • Washington, DC 20003
202.827.1580 • www.challenger.org
facebook.com/challengerctr • twitter.com/challengerctr