Higher Orbits Galactic HQ – May 29, 2024 – To achieve its mission of helping students reach for the stars, Higher Orbits is kicking off a jam-packed summer as its Go For Launch! travels across the country. Beginning with a three day event in Cape Canaveral, FL, the Colorado-based non-profit hopes to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

On its cross-country tour, Go For Launch! will connect students with astronauts and other aerospace professionals to help them develop and hone skills necessary not only for STEM-focused careers but all professions. The Go For Launch! program aims to reach high school students in grades 8-12 and will make stops in Huntsville, AL; Midland, TX; Mars, PA; Sault Ste Marie, MI; and more.

Go For Launch! is the hands-on flagship program of Higher Orbits, a non-profit that aims to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While focusing on spaceflight, Go For Launch! students have the chance to work alongside a featured astronaut and industry professionals on teamwork, communication, research design, and leadership skills. Participating students will also have the opportunity to design a spaceflight experiment that could one day fly to the International Space Station.

"Higher Orbits is excited to once again take Go For Launch! across the country this summer," said Michelle Lucas, founder and chief executive of Higher Orbits. "We have a packed scheduled, returning to many previous cities, as well as a few new ones, where we hope to inspire even more students through the excitement and wonder of space exploration."

The Go For Launch! program will be held in the following cities this summer: 

Go For Launch! Space Coast
June 3-5, 2024

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex

Cape Canaveral, FL

June 11-12, 2024

Abell JH Library

Midland, TX

June 17-18, 2024

Redstone Federal Credit Union

Huntsville, AL

June 24-26, 2024

Mars, PA

July 11-12, 2024

Amazon Headquarters 2

Arlington, VA

July 23-25, 2024

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, MI

Additional events will be held in various locations this fall.

Go For Launch! events are open to U.S. students in grades 8-12 (including rising 8th graders and recently graduated seniors) from anywhere within the United States, with the exception of the Go For Launch! Midland event, which is only open to students in Midland, TX. Interested students may register online at www.GoForLaunch.space. Financial aid is available to students who need assistance to attend this event.

Go For Launch! is supported by various sponsors at the individual events. All Go For Launch! events are supported by IDEA Space Coalition Members Iridium, Burns & McDonnell, and Ridgeline International. We are grateful to these partners who are committed to inspiring the next generation of STEMists and Explorers and developing our future workforce.

Higher Orbits is always looking for new partners to join the many communities, companies, and individuals it currently works with to inspire the next generation of STEMists and explorers. If you would like to host a Go For Launch! event in your city, you can email michelle@higherorbits.org for more information.

Founded in 2015, Higher Orbits is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization creating an experiential learning lab for secondary school students across the United States, focused on the multi-faceted worlds of space exploration, research, and spaceflight in order to launch the next generation workforce our world desires. www.higherorbits.org

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies bringing together an unmatched team of more than 14,500 engineers, construction and craft professionals, architects, planners, technologists, and scientists to design and build our critical infrastructure. With an integrated construction and design mindset, we offer full-service capabilities. Founded in 1898 and working from 75 offices globally, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn how Burns & McDonnell designed to build.

Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations, and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2024, Iridium acquired Satellites and announced the Iridium Satellite Time and Location service. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services, and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tysons Corner, VA, Ridgeline provides proprietary intelligence and cyber technology solutions to control data, protect against technical surveillance, secure communications, and manage digital signatures for the IC and DoD. For more information, visit https://www.ridgelineintl.com/ and follow at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridgelineintl/.