Contact
Jerry Berg
Media Relations Department
(256) 544-0034
jerry.berg@msfc.nasa.gov

Release: 01-341

New generation of 'Rocket Boys' and 'Rocket Girls' find inspiration for learning by building, launching rockets

• Like a scene from the movie “October Sky” and the book that inspired it — “Rocket Boys” — young people involved in NASA program are turning their dreams into realities at a famous rocket site.

• High school and college students have designed and built rockets and science payloads; they’re launching them into the southern skies over Huntsville, Ala., home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and a historic site of U.S. rocketry work. 

• Students from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and three area high schools are participating in the Student Launch Initiative, with NASA engineers serving as mentors.

• The Initiative aims at motivating students to pursue careers in science, math, engineering — while giving them practical, hands-on aerospace experience.  Ultimate goal: strengthen future U.S. workforce in critical fields.

• Next milestone:  college division rocket launch, Dec. 1, 2000