STEM Programs & Summer Camps
The Aerospace STEM Ecosystem
NASA, the FAA, the Department of Defense, and the Air Force run STEM programs for K-12 students — and two national competitions (SSEP and StellarXplorers) give students hands-on experience with real space missions. This page covers 7 government programs and 2 residential summer camps.
The result is an extraordinary ecosystem of free and low-cost programs: NASA puts student-built hardware on the ISS. The DoD brings 5th graders onto military bases for a week of hands-on STEM. The FAA runs summer academies at airports. SSEP sends student experiments to the International Space Station. StellarXplorers teaches satellite mission design.
The programs range from a single weekend (NASA Space Apps) to year-long mentorships. Some are competitive (SSEP, StellarXplorers), others are open to anyone who shows up (DoD STARBASE). Government programs cost nothing, while residential summer camps like Space Camp and Embry-Riddle run $1,200-1,700 per week.
Most of these programs are free. Every government program (NASA, FAA, DoD, DAF) is completely free. The paid options (Space Camp, Embry-Riddle) have significant scholarship programs. Cost should never be the reason a student doesn't participate. For corporate-funded STEM programs, see our Corporate & Foundation STEM Programs guide.
Program Directory
Government Programs
| Program | Sponsor | Ages/Grades | Cost | What It Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASA HUNCH | NASA | Grades 9-12 | Free | Design and build hardware NASA actually uses on the ISS. Six tracks: hardware, softgoods, culinary, biomedical, video, prototyping. 23 years running. |
| NASA STEM Engagement | NASA | K-12 | Free | Umbrella for all NASA K-12 programs: TechRise (suborbital experiments), High School Aerospace Scholars, Rover Challenge, App Development Challenge. 700,000+ students/year. |
| FAA STEM AVSED | FAA | K-12 | Free | ACE Academy summer programs at airports, Adopt-a-School classroom visits, Smart Skies simulations, Airport Design Challenge. 100,000 students/year since 1961. |
| DoD STARBASE | DoD | Primarily 5th grade | Free | 25 hours of hands-on STEM on military bases. 90 locations in 32 states. 1.3 million alumni. Targets Title I schools. CAD, rocketry, robotics. |
| DAF Wright Scholar | Air Force | HS juniors/seniors | Paid stipend | 8-week paid research assistant at AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB. 3.5+ GPA, US citizen. Real aerospace research with scientist mentors. |
| SSEP | NCESSE | Grades 5-16 | Free* | Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — communities design microgravity experiments that launch to the ISS. 200+ communities, 170,000+ students. Real flight hardware, real mission protocols. (*School/district covers community participation fee.) |
| StellarXplorers | Air & Space Forces Assoc. | Grades 9-12 | Free | National satellite design competition. Teams use Systems Tool Kit (STK) to design satellite missions. Sponsored by the Air & Space Forces Association. Teaches orbital mechanics, mission planning, and systems engineering. Growing to 500+ teams. |
Summer Camps
| Program | Location | Ages | Cost | What It Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Camp | Huntsville, AL | 9-18 | ~$1,200-1,500/week | The original. 1M+ alumni since 1982. Astronaut training simulators, rocket building, mission simulations. Aviation Challenge track for fighter pilot experience. Scholarships available. |
| Embry-Riddle Summer | Daytona Beach, FL / Prescott, AZ | 14+ | ~$1,700/week | 20+ programs at the world's largest aerospace university. Real wind tunnels, ATC labs, flight training. SunFlight program leads toward private pilot certificate. Many fill months ahead. |
Where to Start
With 9 programs listed (7 government + 2 summer camps), here's how to narrow it down:
If you're in elementary school (grades K-5):
- DoD STARBASE — ask your school if it participates. 90 locations on military bases, completely free, specifically designed for 5th graders
- SSEP — if your school or district participates, you can design a microgravity experiment that actually flies to the ISS
If you're in middle school (grades 6-8):
- Space Camp — the gold standard. $1,200-1,500/week but scholarships cover full tuition for many students
- NASA TechRise — design an experiment that flies on a suborbital rocket. Winners get $1,500 and mentorship
- FAA ACE Academy — free summer program at airports with actual FAA professionals
If you're in high school (grades 9-12):
- NASA HUNCH — if your school has a shop or makerspace, you can build hardware for the ISS. This is the most impressive thing a high schooler can put on a resume
- StellarXplorers — national satellite design competition. Great for students interested in space operations and systems engineering
- DAF Wright Scholar — paid research at Air Force Research Laboratory. One of the only federal research programs for high schoolers
- Embry-Riddle Summer — if you can afford it (or find a scholarship), this is the closest thing to a college audition at the #1 aerospace university
Looking for corporate-funded programs? See our Corporate & Foundation STEM Programs guide for programs from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Airbus, Blue Origin, and more.
Don't choose between these — stack them. A student who does STARBASE in 5th grade, Space Camp in 7th, NASA HUNCH in 10th, and StellarXplorers in 11th has built a four-year aerospace resume before college applications open. The programs are designed to complement each other.