STEM programme electrifies student interest in earth & space

STAR will soon launch the Enterprise Spaceport, a state-of-art mobile space camp that will tour the country and visit communities to excite and engage elementary to college students in interactive science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities involving space and earth sciences. Enterprise Spaceport is a novel approach to STEM educational technology to work with parents and teachers to inspire minds from cradle to career. The mobile unit offers an interactive knowledge-based system that provides the latest in technology and will employ an array of engineering-based project tools and displays along with astronaut flight crew training simulators.

STAR will leverage ANSYS 3D visualisation software in its 3D printing and additive manufacturing education labs. Students will also use ANSYS simulation software to understand how physics-based simulation plays a role in the development of products related to space travel, such as simulating flow over aerodynamic bodies during launch and the thermal stress of re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere.

“From day one, our goal has been to empower young minds and spark an eagerness and fascination about STEM and the world around them,” said Shahinaz Millar, President and CEO, STAR. “It is very exciting to partner with a leading company like ANSYS that values STEM education as we do. Through this collaboration, we will strengthen our ability to incorporate a strong and exciting STEM core curriculum into the astronaut training programme, where we will immerse our students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and how it relates to a career in a STEM-related field of interest.”

The Enterprise Spaceport will feature space flight simulators from the Mars and Lunar Mission, a STEM Learning Center, land, sea and air robotics classroom, as well as a mock International Space Station (ISS) with a full-size operational Orion capsule. In it, astronaut students physically board and 'launch' the capsule then dock with the fully operational ISS while in communications with the operations team. 

“As part of our ongoing commitment to STEM education, we are thrilled to partner with STAR on this cutting-edge educational initiative,” said Paul Lethbridge, Lead Academic Programme Manager, ANSYS. “There is a growing need to develop a stronger workforce of experts in STEM-related disciplines within the United States. At ANSYS, we believe that investing in STEM education is critical to nurturing innovation to drive our future technology revelation and in turn will positively impact our economy and quality of life.”