NASA EXPRESS -- Your STEM Connection for March 6, 2025

Check out NASA's latest STEM opportunities and resources.

NASA STEM Engagement Make a STEM Connection: SPHEREx and PUNCH Tomorrow night, a pair of NASA missions will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Central California on a quest to help us better understand the Universe. The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) mission will survey the sky in optical and near-infrared light. The observatory will gather data on more than 450 million galaxies to create a map of the entire sky and search for water and organic molecules in those galaxies – essentials for life. The Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission, a constellation of four small satellites in low Earth orbit, will make global, 3D observations of the entire inner heliosphere to learn how the Sun’s corona becomes the solar wind that creates space weather effects on Earth and throughout the solar system. More to Explore About SPHEREx SPHEREx Mission Updates Infrared Waves and Astronomy The Electromagnetic Spectrum NASA’s Ask an Astrobiologist  More to Explore About PUNCH PUNCH Mission Updates What Is the Solar Wind? What Is an Aurora? How Does the Sun Behave? (For K-4) (For 5-8)  Visit the NASA STEM Search to find more space science activities and resources. Coming Up Later This Month Mark your calendar to make timely STEM connections to these upcoming events! Thursday, March 13, and Wednesday, March 26: Watch astronauts on the International Space Station answer student questions during live in-flight downlinks. Thursday, March 13: Watch the Moon pass through Earth's shadow during a total lunar eclipse. Thursday, March 20: Learn about Earth's tilt and seasons as we welcome Spring in the Northern Hemisphere on the Vernal Equinox. Saturday, March 22: Dive into World Water Day and learn how much water is on Earth. Are You Up for a Challenge? 2025 Kibo Robot Programming Challenge – Call for U.S. Teams Registration Deadline: May 12 Contact: jsc-kiborpc@mail.nasa.gov   The Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC) – hosted by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) – invites teams of students to create programs to move free-flying robots known as Astrobees on the International Space Station. The competition presents tasks/obstacles for high school and college students to solve using the space station’s Kibo module as a game space.   Preliminary rounds will be held in multiple countries using ground-based simulations. Registration for the U.S. Preliminary Round, conducted by NASA, is open now.   Click here to review eligibility requirements, find details for an information session on Tuesday, March 11, and register for this opportunity. NASA Space Waste Revolution Challenge Application Deadline: May 16 Contact: sarah.douglas@nasa.gov   As we venture farther into space and establish a long-term presence, managing waste becomes critical. Current methods of discarding or burning waste upon re-entry are not sustainable for lunar missions.   NASA is seeking contributors for a groundbreaking research initiative focused on recycling polymer waste in space environments. Selected participants, working individually or in teams, will research cutting-edge recycling technologies, analyze market landscapes, and develop recommendations for NASA’s space sustainability initiatives.   Click here for full challenge details. Partner Opportunities Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Interstellar Animation: Stop Motion With Students Event Date: Tuesday, March 18 United States Patent and Trademark Office: National Summer Teacher Institute Application Deadline: Monday, March 31 Building Insights Through Observation (BIO) – Teaching with Data Visualizations in Middle School Science Event Date: Wednesday, April 9 Want to subscribe to get this message delivered to your inbox each Thursday? Sign up for the NASA EXPRESS newsletter at https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-express. Are you looking for NASA STEM materials? Search hundreds of resources at https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/search. Check out the ‘Science for Everyone’ website! Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Visit https://science.nasa.gov/for-everyone. To view the site in Spanish, visit https://ciencia.nasa.gov. Are you looking for more NASA prizes, challenges, and crowdsourcing opportunities? Visit https://www.nasa.gov/get-involved/ to find ways to contribute to NASA’s work. Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email NASA Office of STEM Engagement We are engaging students in NASA’s exciting missions, broad range of careers, and unique opportunities. Visit stem.nasa.gov  Follow NASA STEM The National Aeronautics and Space Administration As explorers, pioneers, and innovators, we boldly expand frontiers in air and space to inspire and serve America and to benefit the quality of life on Earth. Visit nasa.gov Follow NASA

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