“From Stem to the Stars,” a 2-day event taking place this weekend in Oak Bluffs’ Waban Park, offers students and members of the public an opportunity to experience a taste of space.
Brought to the Island in collaboration with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), NASA, Blue Origin, and Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, the event aims to improve access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (STEM), particularly for Black students.
The panel features former and current NASA astronauts who are committed to advancing STEM education opportunities for black students, including current NASA astronaut Victor Glover and former NASA astronauts Dr. Bernard Harris, Leland Melvin, Joan Higginbotham and Robert Satcher.
Panel topics will include “The Need for Black Educators in the STEM Education System,” “The Astronaut Experience,” and “The New Space Economy with Blue Origin.”
As a fixture of the event, attendees will be able to explore a replica of Blue Origin’s 6-person autonomous vehicle, the New Shepard Crew Capsule. The real capsule has successfully made the 11 minute journey to the nearest reaches of space and back, 22 times.
According to Blue Origin, the New Shepard, named after the first American astronaut Alan Shepard, is a reusable launch vehicle that provides suborbital flights to astronauts.
To learn more about the New Shepard check out Blue Origin’s page about the New Shepard https://www.blueorigin.com/new-shepard/fly
From Stem to the Stars takes place August 4th & 5th from 11-4pm at Waban Park, 29 Tuckernuck Avenue, Oak Bluffs
Visit the website for the full schedule. https://landing.nms.org/from-stem-to-the-stars
