Go Beyond Go For Launch!
Higher Orbits Happenings
Our relationship with students doesn't end when Go For Launch! does. From the International Science School to aerospace conferences, rocket launches to extended mentorship, we're committed to propelling our stellar students to even higher orbits.
The International Science School
International Science School
in Sydney, Australia
Higher Orbits selects five exceptional U.S. students to join hundreds of their peers from around the world for two weeks of cutting-edge science, unforgettable experiences, and friendships that cross continents.
Higher Orbits selects five exceptional U.S. students to join hundreds of their peers from around the world for two weeks of cutting-edge science, unforgettable experiences, and friendships that cross continents.
Since 2019, Higher Orbits has had the privilege of selecting five students to represent the United States at the Professor Harry Messel International Science School hosted by the University of Sydney.
For two intensive weeks each July, our students become part of something extraordinary. Students live on campus with peers from Australia and partner countries, including the United States. Their days are packed with lectures from Nobel Prize nominees, exploring cutting-edge research facilities that most high schoolers never get to see, conducting hands-on experiments that push them beyond their classroom curriculum, and discovering what science can be when you’re surrounded by people who love it as much as you do.
ISS At a Glance
~110 Participants
attend the International Science School each year.
5 Students
are chosen by Higher Orbits to represent the USA each year.
10 Countries
are represented at the International Science School, including Australia!
2 Weeks
to experience campus life while diving into STEM.
Two Weeks You'll Talk About For Years
From the moment our students arrive in Sydney, they're immersed in experiences that most people only dream about.
Here's what makes the International Science School so special:
Learn From the Best
Attend lectures from world-renowned researchers, Nobel Prize nominees, and inspiring young scientists at the top of their fields.
Past speakers have included theoretical physicists, entrepreneurs, medical innovators, and space scientists, all with incredible stories to tell and knowledge to share.
Meet the 2025 U.S. Representatives
Just this past summer, five incredible students represented the United States at the International Science School. They spent two weeks exploring Sydney, diving into advanced science, and making memories that will fuel their STEM journeys for years to come. We couldn't be prouder of this cosmic cohort!
Abigail Asinas
Cocoa Beach, FL
Abigail brought her passion for science and enthusiasm for learning all the way to Sydney. Her journey from Higher Orbits student to international scholar shows what dedication and curiosity can accomplish.
Raz Mille
Craftsbury, VT
Raz seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent the United States on an international stage. Two weeks in Sydney gave Raz unforgettable experiences and a global network of fellow science enthusiasts.
Raine Dickinson
Pittsburgh, PA
Raine's selection for the International Science School is a testament to her commitment to STEM excellence. She returned from Sydney with new perspectives, international friendships, and bigger dreams than ever.
Yuki Soda
Midland, Texas
Yuki's adventure in Sydney combined rigorous science with cultural exploration. From university labs to Sydney Harbor, Yuki embraced every moment of this extraordinary experience.
Evelyn Weber
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Evelyn traveled halfway around the world to learn from the best and collaborate with the brightest. The friendships formed and knowledge gained during those 2 weeks will shape Evelyn's STEM journey for years to come.
Powered by Partnership
We are out-of- this-world appreciative for the stellar support of Samsonite for our 2025 cosmic cohort. When five students are about to embark on a 7,500-mile journey to Sydney, Australia, having quality luggage is essential. Samsonite generously donated luggage to each of our students, ensuring they could pack everything they needed for their epic two-week adventure.
Thank you, Samsonite, for helping us send our students to Higher Orbits!!
U.S. ISS Representatives Through the Years
Since 2019, Higher Orbits has sent talented, passionate students to Sydney to represent the United States at this prestigious international program. Each cohort returns transformed—with broader perspectives, deeper knowledge, international friendships, and crystal-clear STEM goals.
Here's our journey:
2019 - The Inaugural Cohort
2019 - The Inaugural Cohort
2019 - The Inaugural Cohort
Dream of Representing the USA?
Conferences
Professional Development
Conferences That Launch Careers
The future aerospace workforce experiences the industry firsthand. We bring our stellar students to major aerospace conferences where they network with NASA engineers, present their research alongside Ph.D. scientists, and immerse themselves in the conversations shaping the future of space and STEM.
Our students participate at these conferences. They sit on panels with industry leaders. They present posters about their ISS experiments. They ask questions during keynote sessions with astronauts and aerospace executives. They exchange contact information with potential future employers and mentors. When they come home, they have a crystal-clear understanding of where they fit in the aerospace ecosystem and exactly how to get there.
Here are the conferences where you'll find Higher Orbits students making their mark:
Higher Orbits selects five exceptional U.S. students to join hundreds of their peers from around the world for two weeks of cutting-edge science, unforgettable experiences, and friendships that cross continents.
Space Industry Event
ASCEND
Building Humanity's Off-World Future
ASCEND is the premier space industry event that connects the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors. Powered by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), this conference brings together thousands of space industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and visionaries focused on one mission: accelerating humanity's progress toward a sustainable off-world future.
What Makes It Special
ASCEND isn't just about where we've been, it's about where we're going! This conference tackles the biggest questions facing the space industry: How do we make space sustainable? How do we build cislunar infrastructure? How do we commercialize space while keeping it accessible to all? Our students get front-row seats to these debates and contribute their own perspectives.
Higher Orbits Students at ASCEND
Our students have participated in panel discussions, networked on the expo floor, attended technical sessions on everything from space sustainability to lunar exploration, and connected with professionals who are making the off-world future a reality. Some have even been featured in conference materials highlighting the next generation of space leaders!
Walking into ASCEND and seeing thousands of people building their entire careers around space made it real for me. This is an actual industry with real jobs, and I can be part of it. I met someone from Blue Origin who told me exactly what skills I should focus on in college. That conversation changed my trajectory.
Higher Orbits STudent
Aerospace R&D
AIAA SciTech Forum
The World's Largest Aerospace R&D Event
The AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition is where aerospace research, development, and technology converge. It's the premier event of the year for aerospace R&D, bringing together academic researchers, government scientists, and industry engineers to share cutting-edge findings, debate emerging technologies, and set the pace for innovation across the entire aerospace field.
What Makes It Special
This is where the future of aerospace gets written. From artificial intelligence and quantum computing to hypersonic propulsion and space sustainability, SciTech covers every discipline advancing aerospace. It's highly technical, deeply collaborative, and absolutely inspiring for students who want to understand what's possible at the bleeding edge of aerospace engineering and science.
Higher Orbits Students At SciTech
Our students have presented research, participated in panel discussions, and attended the Career Accelerator Program, a program designed specifically for students. They network in the dedicated Student Lounge (sponsored by Lockheed Martin) and meet potential employers at the "Meet the Employers" speed networking sessions.
They've asked astronauts questions, debated with Ph.D. researchers, and learned from sessions covering everything from lunar landers to Formula 1 aerodynamics. The breadth of topics shows them how aerospace thinking applies across industries.
Featured Activities Our Students Experience
Speed Mentoring Sessions
Focused conversations with industry professionals about career paths
Technical Presentations
Research talks spanning 70+ aerospace disciplines
Rising Leaders Programming
Panels and workshops designed by and for young professionals
The Rising Star Connection
Several of our students have been named AIAA Rising Stars in Aerospace at SciTech, a prestigious recognition of emerging leaders in the field. This award is an industry recognition that these students are the future of aerospace, and they're already making an impact.
Being named an AIAA Rising Star felt like confirmation that I'm on the right path. But honestly, the best part was sitting in sessions and understanding what the presenters were talking about, realizing that all the work I've been doing has prepared me for this.
Higher Orbits STudent
Global Space Event
International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
Where the World's Space Community Gathers
The IAC is the one place and time each year where the entire global space community comes together. Organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), this prestigious conference rotates to a different country every year, giving our students the chance to experience space exploration from a truly international perspective.
What Makes It Special
IAC is as much about culture and global collaboration as it is about technology. Our students don't just learn about spacecrafts, they learn about how different nations approach space exploration, what drives international partnerships, and how to work across cultures and languages. They might attend a session led by European Space Agency scientists in the morning, have lunch with students from Japan and India, then spend the afternoon learning about China's lunar program or India's Mars mission.
Higher Orbits Students At IAC
Our students have walked among astronauts from multiple nations, attended sessions in massive exhibition halls filled with spacecraft and satellites, presented their own research in the Student Programme, and made friendships with aspiring space professionals from every continent. They've seen firsthand that space exploration is a global endeavor, and they have a role to play.
IAC showed me that space belongs to all of humanity. I met students from India passionate about Mars exploration, engineers from Europe working on lunar habitats, and astronauts from multiple countries who share the same dream. It reminded me that we're all in this together.
Higher Orbits STudent
ROCKET CITY USA
Von Braun Space Exploration Symposium
Honoring Legacy, Building Tomorrow
The Von Braun Symposium takes place every October in Huntsville, Alabama, famously known as Rocket City USA. The symposium brings together leaders from government, industry, policy, and academia to discuss the current state of space exploration and chart the path forward.
Organized by the American Astronautical Society in collaboration with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, this symposium turns vision into reality. The conversations here directly influence how America explores space.
What Makes It Special
The symposium happens in the heart of American rocket history. Huntsville is where Wernher von Braun and his team developed the Saturn V rocket that took humans to the Moon. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is still here, currently developing the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for our return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.
Our students walk the same halls as rocket pioneers. They tour facilities where real spaceflight hardware is designed and tested. The connection between past, present, and future becomes tangible.
Higher Orbits Students at the Von Braun Space Exploration Symposium
Our students have attended panels on nuclear propulsion, lunar exploration, and the development of space technology. They've met NASA Marshall engineers and leadership, participated in student poster competitions, and heard from former NASA administrators about the future of American space exploration.
Some have toured NASA facilities where actual hardware is being built and tested. Seeing the hardware that will fly to the Moon makes the future feel immediate and achievable.
Standing in Huntsville, where the Saturn V was built, and hearing current NASA engineers talk about returning to the Moon with SLS... it connected past, present, and future. I could see the lineage: Apollo → Shuttle → Artemis. And I could see where I might fit into that story.
Higher Orbits STudent
ROCKET CITY USA
ASGSR Annual Meeting
Honoring Legacy, Building Tomorrow
The American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) annual meeting brings together the biological and physical space sciences community. Founded in 1984, ASGSR provides a forum for scientists and engineers studying how living organisms and physical systems respond to variable gravity conditions.
This is exactly the kind of research our students conduct when their experiments fly to the International Space Station. ASGSR is their scientific community.
What Makes It Special (Especially for ISS Experiment Teams!)
ASGSR is the home for students whose experiments have flown to the ISS. The space biology and physical sciences research community gathers here. Students whose experiments studied crystal growth in microgravity, plant responses in space, or material behavior in low gravity can present their findings to scientists who actually understand and care about their work.
They transition from being students to being contributing researchers in an active scientific field. That shift in identity is powerful.
Higher Orbits Students At ASGSR
Our students have presented posters on their ISS experiments, attended technical sessions on space biology and physical sciences, and participated in student fireside chats and networking events. They connect with researchers who can mentor them as they pursue STEM careers.
For many, ASGSR is where they realize their passion for space science can become a lifelong career. They meet people who get paid to ask the same questions that excite them.
Presenting our ISS experiment poster at ASGSR was surreal. A NASA scientist stopped by and spent 20 minutes asking us questions about our methodology and results. Not because he had to, but because he was genuinely interested in what we found. He treated us like colleagues. That's when I knew we had done real science, and I wanted to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
Higher Orbits STudent
Stars in Orbit
Stars in Orbit
Extended Mentorship for Shining STEM Students
For nine years, we've had the privilege of working with stellar students across the country. Some have shown exceptional commitment to their STEM journey, continuing to engage with Higher Orbits long after their Go For Launch! experience. Stars in Orbit is our extended mentorship program designed to help these dedicated students reach even higher orbits.
Stars in Orbit is an invitation-only program for students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to STEM education, continued engagement with Higher Orbits, leadership potential in the aerospace industry, and The Right Stuff.
For nine years, we've had the privilege of working with stellar students across the country. Some have shown exceptional commitment to their STEM journey, continuing to engage with Higher Orbits long after their Go For Launch! experience. Stars in Orbit is our extended mentorship program designed to help these dedicated students reach even higher orbits.
Stars in Orbit is an invitation-only program for students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to STEM education, continued engagement with Higher Orbits, leadership potential in the aerospace industry, and The Right Stuff.
Program Benefits Include:
Ongoing Mentorship
Receive guidance from aerospace professionals.
Priority Conference Access
Be the first in line for conference opportunities.
Career Guidance
Industry connections and professional development
Scholarship Opportunities
Access opportunities for STEM programs and experiences
Professional Development
Workshops and skill-building sessions
Lifelong Community
Space-passionate peers who become colleagues
launches
Launch Day
When Dreams Literally Take Flight
There's nothing quite like watching your experiment launch into space. When our students' experiments are selected to launch to the International Space Station, they're invited to witness the launch firsthand. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that cements their place in the space community and fuels their dreams for years to come.
Watching Your Experiment Fly to Space
The Countdown Experience
You're standing at Kennedy Space Center or another launch site, surrounded by your teammates and Higher Orbits mentors. The countdown begins. The engines ignite. The rocket carrying YOUR experiment roars toward space.
Your Science is on Board
Every launch represents countless hours of teamwork, scientific thinking, and perseverance. But more than that, it represents proof that high school students CAN contribute real science to space exploration.
Memories That Last Forever
It's out-of-this-world inspirational and a memory these students carry forever. This experience cements their identity as people who don't just dream about space, they're part of it.
Our Launch Legacy
Students have attended cargo resupply launches of their experiment to the International Space Station, including SpaceX Dragon launches and Northrop Grumman Cygnus launches. Each launch is a celebration of student achievement and scientific curiosity.
The sound hits you first, like this deep rumble you feel in your chest.
Then you see the light, brighter than anything you've ever seen. And in that moment, you realize: that's MY experiment. MY team's work. Going to SPACE. I'll never forget it as long as I live.
~ Higher Orbits Student
Ready to Reach Higher Orbits?
These opportunities don't end with a single event. Instead, they're part of a lifelong journey in STEM and aerospace.
Whether you're a student who participated in Go For Launch!, an educator who wants to bring these opportunities to your students, or an industry professional who wants to mentor the next generation, there's a place for you in the Higher Orbits family.