For release: 05/15/03
Release #: 03-078

'All systems go' as high school students in NASA's rocketry program count down following weather delay

Following a postponement due to inclement weather, students from four Huntsville, Ala., area high schools get their chance to prove they have the "right stuff" Saturday. That's when the rockets designed and built by student teams during the school year lift off as part of NASA's high-flying Student Launch Initiative.

What: Following a postponement due to inclement weather, students from four Huntsville area high schools are set to launch rockets they have designed and built during the school year as part of NASA's high-flying Student Launch Initiative.

The Initiative is an educational program to motivate students toward careers in science, math, and engineering. It lets high school students, as teams, experience hands-on, practical aerospace and engineering activities.

Each team, under guidance of Marshall Space Flight Center engineers, will launch a reusable rocket, aiming for an altitude of one mile and carrying a science payload. Marshall engineers evaluate the students on their rocket design, including propulsion, materials, payload and safety features.

Who: Teams from the four high schools — Johnson and New Century Technology from the Huntsville City system, Sparkman from the Madison County system, and Bob Jones from the Madison City system - will participate. Marshall Center Director Art Stephenson will take part in the activities.

When: Saturday, May 17
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT
Launches are scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Redstone Arsenal's Technical Test Stand Area 1

To attend: News media interested in covering the event should contact Jerry Berg in the Marshall Media Relations Department at (256) 544-0034 no later than Friday, May 16, so that arrangements can be made for access to Redstone Arsenal. Vehicles are subject to security search at the gate. News media will need two photo identifications and proof of car insurance.

For supporting materials for this news release — such as photographs, fact sheets, video and audio files and more — please visit the NASA Marshall Center Newsroom Web site at:

http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news

For more information about NASA's Student Launch Initiative, please visit the Web site at:

http://education.msfc.nasa.gov/sli

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