NASA EXPRESS -- Your STEM Connection for June 11, 2026

Check out NASA's latest STEM opportunities and learning resources.

NASA STEM Engagement Kick Off Summer With Soccer and STEM Join the World Cup excitement with a STEM twist! Check out the resources and activities below to explore the science behind the sport. NASA Knows: What Is Mass Distribution? Mass distribution affects everything from galaxy shapes to aircraft design to planetary rotation. It’s used to map stars in our universe, figure out what planets are made of, and even to determine how luggage is loaded onto an airplane. Mass distribution can be a tricky thing to understand. So, let’s explore it using an everyday example: a soccer ball. NASA's Cosmic Pitch Whether it’s a ball rocketing toward the net or a star shooting across the cosmos, both soccer and space are full of motion, energy, and force. This digital toolkit features multiwavelength imagery from NASA's Chandra, Webb, Hubble, and other missions alongside hands-on activities, 3D printable models, and data sonifications – perfect for libraries, schools, and community hubs looking to connect the world’s most popular sport to the universal language of physics. GLOBE Cup Challenge If you play soccer, cheer from the sidelines, coach a team, or simply live near a field, you can help investigate the environment where soccer is played in your community.   During the World Cup, GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) invites you to join participants around the world to take observations of air temperature, surface temperature, and/or land cover at your local soccer field, park, schoolyard, or anywhere people play soccer. Your observations can help us explore how playing environments differ across regions, climates, and field surfaces. Visit the GLOBE Cup Challenge website to learn more and join the team in your region. Meet the Artemis III Crew Next year, NASA's Artemis III mission will launch from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a mission to low-Earth orbit to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings. Click here to learn more about the mission and meet the four astronauts who will embark on one of the most complex human spaceflight missions in recent history. Higher Education Opportunity NASA EarthRISE Developers Academy Application Deadline: Friday, June 26 Contact: NASA-DL-ERDA@mail.nasa.gov   The NASA EarthRISE Developers Academy is a workforce development program that builds the next generation of science and technology leaders by immersing students and early career professionals in projects using NASA Earth observation data to address real-world challenges. Working in teams and with the support of project coordinators, science advisors, and subject matter experts, participants build research and science communication skills that help them succeed in the workforce.   The NASA EarthRISE Developers Academy offers both in-person and virtual opportunities depending on the project. Click here to learn more. More to Explore Help Identify Distant Star-Forming Regions With Galaxy Zoo’s Clump Scout II Project   Galaxies often contain “clumps,” bright spots where stars are forming fastest. Observatories like the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope are capturing ever-more detailed images of galaxies and these areas of interest.   The Galaxy Zoo: Clump Scout II project lets you help scientists train a machine learning model to better identify and mark these clumps. Using just your computer or smartphone, you can view images that have been marked by the machine learning model and help refine the areas selected to improve the algorithm.   Click here to learn more and get started. Partner Opportunities Celebrate National Ocean Month With Resources From NOAA Now Through Tuesday, June 30 Second Lady’s 2026 Summer Reading Challenge Now Through Friday, Sept. 4 Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker Impact Cratering Award Application Deadline: Friday, Sept. 4 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 nasa.gov/learning-resources/  Follow Us on Social Media 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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