Dream Big: STEPS to Space is giving Indiana students in grades 5-8 the chance to be part of a real satellite mission. Powered by NASA and NearSpace Education, Dream Big is a multi-year program that aims to remove barriers to STEM education and foster future aerospace innovators and problem solvers.
We are currently recruiting teams in Indianapolis, Evansville and surrounding areas from middle school classes and clubs, after-school programs, scout troops, civic organizations, etc.
To form a team, you will need:
- 20-30 students in grades 5-8
- A minimum of two adult mentors
- A commitment to attend mentor training, meetings and testing events during the 2026-27 program year
Each team receives:
- 31 Micro:Bit computer boards and accessories
- Mentor training, curriculum and materials
- High-altitude balloon test flight
- Satellite integration, testing, launch and communications services
- And much more
Teams will learn basic coding skills and design experiments design experiments that align with NASA space missions. They will program their experiments onto mini computer boards called Micro:Bits that will be tested on high-altitude balloons during test flight events at the Indiana State Museum and Angel Mounds. Ultimately, the teams’ refined experiments will loaded aboard a NearSpace Launch Spacecraft and sent into Low Earth Orbit aboard a future SpaceX mission.
If you’re interested in organizing a team, please complete the form below.
