Smithsonian Student Travel | Student Journey | Washington, D.C. & Houston
Delve into the world of aerospace engineering and space exploration on this high school summer program as you travel from Washington, D.C., to Houston, Texas, home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Take an overnight trip to Shenandoah National Park, construct and launch your own rockets, and study the night sky away from city lights. In Houston, talk to aeronautic specialists, NASA experts, astronomers, and engineers to learn about the experiments being conducted on the International Space Station. Learn about potential future missions to Mars and debate the ethics of deep space exploration and the colonization of other planets. Immerse yourself in the cutting-edge technologies being used and developed today as you consider the implications of space travel and the challenges and benefits of exploring even further.
Highlights
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Learn about aerodynamics, then build and launch your own rocket
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Debate the merits and challenges of privatized space exploration
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Visit the Johnson Space Center, home of the ISS’s Mission Control
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Meet NASA scientists who are at the forefront of space exploration
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our plan for the program. However, we may implement changes if we identify opportunities to improve the experience, to take advantage of unexpected events, or to accommodate local schedule changes.
Washington, D.C. • 6 days • Begin your journey in Washington, D.C. Meet with industry pioneers, interview local experts, discuss pertinent topics regarding women in the profession, and deepen your understanding about what motivates humans to venture into outer space. Learn about the history of flight and the evolution from airplanes to spacecraft at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, located right on the National Mall. Visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, and see groundbreaking aircraft up close including the Enola Gay, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the space shuttle Discovery. Meet with a scientist at the National Museum of Natural History to learn about asteroids and meteorites, and view specimens from the National Meteorite Collection up close. Engage with the past, present, and future of the politics surrounding space exploration in discussions with legislators and historians. Visit monuments in Washington, D.C., and explore the diverse foods and flavors of the city’s restaurant scene.
Shenandoah National Park • 2 days • Take a crash course on the basics of aerodynamics, build your own model rockets, and launch them from the valley floor on a road trip to Shenandoah National Park. Hike and explore Shenandoah’s unique ecology with a local guide, stargaze away from the city lights, and embark on a guided astronomical journey through the lens of a telescope with a NASA Solar System Ambassador.
Houston • 5 days • Fly to Houston and meet with scientists on the cutting edge of space exploration at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Have lunch with an engineer and hear about experiences in zero-gravity orbit and reflections gained from orbiting the Earth. Next, go behind the scenes to visit NASA’s high-tech training facilities. Learn how Mission Control communicates with the International Space Station, speak with local experts and brainstorm what it would really take to colonize Mars, and taste-test food that astronauts take on missions. Take a lesson on the physics of flight and aircraft design and maintenance, then try your hand at drawing up a flight plan. See if you have what it takes to pilot an aircraft during a flight simulation at the Lone Star Flight Museum, then try a thrilling ride of a different kind as you test the limits of modern engineering and experience near-zero-gravity at the Kemah Boardwalk. Enjoy freshly caught Gulf seafood and cool off at a local swimming hole.
As the program concludes, wrap up your independent project to share with your group and celebrate your time together.
Return • Travel Day • Fly from Houston to your final destination.
Smithsonian Student Travel Expert – Coming Soon!
What to Expect
Accommodations • Accommodations at each of our stops are comfortable hotels or hostels. Leaders reside with students throughout the program.
Climate • Summers in Washington, D.C., are warm and humid with highs in the mid-80s °F and lows in the 50s. Houston is similarly warm and humid, with highs in the 80s and 90s, and lows in the 60s.
Meals • We enjoy meals at local restaurants and cafes, and sometimes take picnic lunches to local parks.
Sign up for two programs & save $500!
$300 tuition discount + no application fee