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NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars

Students participating in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) activity can expect to advance their capabilities in STEM, helping to prepare them for better representation and service in STEM fields. NCAS has three missions designed to challenge and build student knowledge and skills by focusing on NASA’s mission goals, collaboration, and career pathways.

Mission 1: Discover

A 5-week, online course.

This orientation to NASA sets a baseline for all students wishing to pursue subsequent NCAS missions. Students will gain a broad knowledge of what NASA has in its current plan and how they can play a role. STEM based activities embedded in the online course include live and recorded subject matter expert lectures, interactive multimedia on NASA content, interactions with fellow aerospace scholars, knowledge assessments including a final project, and guidance and support from trained professional educators.

Continue to Mission 2 about
Twenty students – along with their parents, teachers, and classmates – met virtually with Mars rover team members

Mission 2: Explore

Allows students to participate in an educational simulation experience.

Exploration simulation is a gamified mission to the Moon or Mars where students develop a design solution that integrates multiple systems. This simulation highlights the acts of prioritizing and making trade-offs to remain within constraints while simulating NASA’s workplace roles, structure, and culture. Participants will also learn about NASA’s internship opportunities.

Continue to Mission 3 about

Prerequisite

Must have successfully completed the most recent NCAS Mission 1: Discover

Mission 3: Innovate

An Engineering Design Challenge.

Students will participate in a 3-week hybrid (online/onsite) capstone project. Two weeks of online preparation is followed with one week at a NASA Field Center. STEM based activities for all students will include an engineering design challenge as well as facility tours, live subject matter expert presentations, a resume workshop, a networking event, a job shadowing opportunity, and a 4-year college campus visit. Students will participate in a capstone problem based on current challenges faced by NASA mission directorates. Thus, this engagement begins with online activities two weeks prior to the actual onsite event to brief students on the emerging and relevant details of the problem. Leading up to and during the 5-day onsite event, students develop possible solutions to the capstone problem and report them to a panel of NASA guests.

Continue to Eligibility about
NCAS Mission 3: Innovate, NCAS student Monica Michael takes her turn flying the X-59 simulator.

Prerequisite

Must have successfully completed the most recent NCAS Mission 1: Discover and NCAS Mission 2: Explore

Get Started

Eligibility

Mission 1: Discover

  • U.S. Citizenship
  • High school graduate or equivalent
  • At least 18 years of age by beginning of Mission 1: Discover.
  • Currently attend a U.S. community college
  • Completion or concurrent enrollment of 9+ college credits of STEM coursework
  • Able to commit to a 5-week online session
  • Internet access
  • Have not previously participated in NCAS

Mission 2: Explore – Successful completion of previous Mission 1: Discover

Mission 3: Innovate – Successful completion of previous Mission 1: Discover and Mission 2: Explore

How to Apply

Applications open September 16 – November 25, 2024 for next Mission 1 opportunity.

To complete the NCAS application:

  1. Sign up or Log in to the NASA STEM Gateway.
  2. Explore Opportunities for College STEM Experiences. Use search tool and enter NCAS.
  3. Apply for FY25 NCAS Mission 1: Discover B.

You will need to provide:

  • Contact information.
  • Community college transcripts (official or unofficial) must include the following:
    • Your name.
    • Your school’s name.
    • 9 credits of college STEM courses, either completed or in-progress.
    • Proof of current enrollment.
  • 300-word (max) explanation of why you want to participate in NCAS.

Application Resources:

Information Sessions:

Attend an online information session or office hours to learn more about NCAS.

  • Tuesday, October 1, 2024 | 3:30 p.m. CDT
  • Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 5 p.m. CDT
  • Wednesday, November 6, 2027 | 3:30 p.m. CST
  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 4 p.m. CST

Office Hours: Beginning September 18, 2024, NCAS will also hold office hours every Wednesday at 4:00 pm CT while the application is open.

Join the meeting – Link is for both information sessions and office hours.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the application, please email NASA STEM Gateway at hq-nasa-stem-gateway@mail.nasa.gov.

NCAS Timeframe

  • Recruiting: September – November
  • Applicant Selection and Notification: December
  • Mission 1: Discover: January -February
  • Mission 2: Explore: March – April
  • Mission 3: June – July

Learn more about NCAS

Two students competing in a robotic engineering design challenge

What is NCAS?

Watch "What is NCAS?" on YouTube

A student from Sinte Gleska University works to build a model rover for a NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) Rover

NCAS Experience

Watch "NCAS Experience" on YouTube

NASA Contact

For more information about the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program, please email questions to JSC-NCAS@mail.nasa.gov.

Get in Touch
Images from the Third day of the Summer 2023 NCAS Mission #3 Capstone event.
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