Higher Orbits
Alice Carruth
(575) 639-1113
alice@higherorbits.org
Celebrate A Decade of Go For Launch! and Help Us Countdown To Our 100th Event
On June 29, 2016 the first Go For Launch! program lifted off in Deerfield, Illinois with Astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger. Ten years later we’re gearing up to mark the 10th anniversary of that first program and will host the 100th Go For Launch! event.
March 21, 2026, Higher Orbits Galactic HQ- National STEM organization Higher Orbits is celebrating a milestone year. The space education non-profit celebrated 10 years since it was established last summer, and on June 29, 2026, Higher Orbits will mark 10 years since the first Go For Launch! event was held.
Higher Orbits is a non-profit with the mission to inspire and engage high-school students through the use of spaceflight, in hands-on, project based learning experiences that are designed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and prepare them for future academic and career success by building confidence, perseverance, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Over the last decade, Higher Orbits has worked with thousands of students across 23 states, sent 24 student experiments to space, and has fi ve more manifested to launch this year and next.
Higher Orbits runs a multiday flagship program called Go For Launch! The program uses space exploration as a platform to launch student involvement in STEAM subjects, teamwork, communication, and leadership. Over the course of 20 hours, participants form teams, learn about microgravity research and its benefits, and develop proposals for research to be sent to space. Students learn about the benefits of living and working in space from former NASA astronauts. For the 10th anniversary event, Higher Orbits is coming full circle, returning to Deerfield, IL where the first Go For Launch! was held in 2016. This will be the 100th Go For Launch! program and will have Astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger joining the event. Dottie was also at the first Go For Launch!
Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger shared: “The challenges of the twenty-first century require an understanding of how to collect and evaluate data, how to use the scientific method, and how to apply the engineering process. Whether it is a career choice, being an engaged and informed citizen, or taking care of your own health, understanding STEM is important and relevant for everyone. As a retired NASA Astronaut and former high school science teacher, I enjoy and value Go For Launch! I enjoy being a part of student growth - witnessing the dedication and excitement that comes with accomplishment and teamwork. I still vividly remember the first Go For Launch! The top two teams were so determined. Their effort and presentations set the tone for the next 99!”
Higher Orbits is led by former NASA astronaut trainer Michelle Lucas. Michelle spent 10 years working at NASA primarily in International Space Station (ISS) Flight Control Operations Planning and as an Astronaut Instructor in the Daily Operations Group. Her passion for inspiring students led to extensive work with other organizations in STEM outreach. She then decided to form Higher Orbits to continue to work to inspire students about the wonders of STEM through spaceflight.
“I fell in love with space as a kid, but I didn’t get many opportunities to learn about space careers in my community,” said Michelle Lucas, CEO and Founder of Higher Orbits. “I started Higher Orbits because I wanted to bring space to the communities that don’t have a space ecosystem in their region. Space has inspired me through every step of my journey, and I am so grateful to be able to share my love of the industry, and the inspiration of space with students across the country. It is hard to believe we have been doing this for 10 years now! It’s been such a blast working in cosmic communities across so many states and I am excited to celebrate this milestone but also look forward to the next 10 years of connecting with stellar students and working to help them launch their dreams.”
Alongside the 100th Go For Launch! event, Higher Orbits is hosting the first alumni reunion in Chicago. Past participants from the last decade will gather for a 3.5-day symposium filled with networking, lightning talks, mentor sessions, and hands-on time with astronauts and STEM pros.
Higher Orbits, a nationally registered 501(c)(3) organization, is seeking 100 supporters to fuel our 100th Go For Launch! event. Your support adds scholarship seats, covers program materials and supplies, helps with travel support, and brings astronauts and STEM mentors to the room.
For more information visit https://higherorbits.org/10-year-anniversary-of-higher-orbits-go-for-launch/
###
About Higher Orbits
Founded in 2015, Higher Orbits is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization creating an experimental learning lab for secondary school students across the United States, focused on the multifaceted worlds of space exploration, research, and spaceflight in order to launch the next generation workforce our world desires. www.higherorbits.org/
