New Go For Launch! Event Manager

Go For Launch! Cygnus Series-Dulles

Mission Complete!

Help Higher Orbits continue to provide these GO FOR LAUNCH! events. Your donation ensures that our organization continues to excite and educate children about SPACE and STEM!


Cygnus Series

Open to students from anywhere in grades 8-12. 

Flyer graciously created & donated by: www.pro-cad.net

Presenting Team

Team may be subject to change due to schedules.

Michelle Lucas spent 10+ years working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. First as part of the International Space Station (ISS) Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP) and then in the Mission Operations Directorate as a Flight Controller in ISS Mission Control and as an Astronaut Instructor in the ISS Daily Operations Group. Additionally, she worked with each of the International Partners (European Space Agency – ESA, Japanese Space Agency – JAXA, and the Russian Space Agency) in the field of Daily Operations, Flight Controller, and Instructor Training. Michelle was part of the Core NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) team for 9 missions where astronauts would carry out analog space missions underwater in the Aquarius habitat. Along the way, Michelle found she has a passion for launching the next generation’s dreams and ambitions. Her passion for inspiring students led to extensive work with other organizations in STEM outreach so she founded the non-profit Higher Orbits to use space to excite and inspire students about STEM, Leadership, Teamwork, and Communication. Michelle is proud to be a Space Camp Alum, AIAA Associate Fellow, and member of the Space Camp Hall of Fame. She believes that collaboration in space and STEM is the key to the stars! Space Inspires!

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RICK MASTRACCHIO is an engineer and former astronaut who flew on 3 shuttle missions: STS-106, STS-118 and STS-131. He also served as the flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 38/39. He’s done a total of 9 spacewalks and spent more than 227 days in space. Today Mastracchio is the Senior Director of Operations for Commercial Resupply Services at Orbital ATK.

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Captain, US Navy (Retired) Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in May 1984, Culbertson completed basic astronaut training in June 1985. He became lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); lead of the First Emergency Egress Team; and lead spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control Center for seven missions. He flew as the Pilot for STS-38. Following his first flight, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Flight Crew Operations Space Station Support Office, as well as the lead astronaut for Space Station Safety. He was also a member of the team evaluating the hardware and procedures for the proposed mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. Culbertson then served as the Commander for STS-51. Following this flight, Culbertson was Chief of the Astronaut Office Mission Support Branch; then Chief of the Johnson Space Center Russian Projects Office. In 1994, Culbertson was named Deputy Program Manager, Phase 1 Shuttle-Mir, and in 1995 became Manager of the Shuttle-Mir Program. In 2001, Culbertson flew to ISS and served as the Commander of Expedition 3. Culbertson has logged over 146 days in space.

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Presented in Partnership with…

Supported by Sponsors:

Mars Rovers

Lunar Colonists

Intergalactic Voyagers

Solar System Explorers

Contact Details

45101 Warp Drive Building 1 AuditoriumDulles, VA, 20166

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