The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) is overseen by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE). in the U.S., and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education internationally. SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with Nanoracks LLC, which is working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory. NCESSE, the Clarke Institute, and Nanoracks are designated SSEP Strategic Partners.
National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) has a 25 year heritage of creating and overseeing national programs addressing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, with a focus on earth and space. Programs are designed to provide an authentic window on science as a human endeavor, and to inspire … then educate.
The Voyage scale model Solar System exhibition in front of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. The Center is making replicas available for permanent installation in communities world-wide. Visit: http://voyagesolarsystem.org CLICK IMAGE TO ZOOM
A remarkable array of programs for schools, families, and the public; professional development workshops and institutes for grade K-12 educators; world-class exhibitions for museums, science centers, and universities; and online and Web 2.0 experiences, embrace the notion that science education should be about conceptual understanding at an emotional level, and that scientists and engineers can and should be heroes and role models to the next generation.
A central objective of the Center’s programs is to help continue America’s legacy as a leader on the frontiers of science and technology well into the 21st century by helping to ensure a scientifically literate public and a next generation of scientists and engineers—both of which are of national importance in an age of high technology. NCESSE is a division of Tides Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to social change.
Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education
The Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education is dedicated to delivering education programs world-wide that address our planet, its health, and our ability to venture beyond Earth and understand our place in a greater cosmos.
The Clarke Institute for Space Education is the international arm of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education in the USA. The Center has long recognized that the depth and breadth of exploration conducted in the Earth and space sciences – and the education programs that capture those experiences – should be shared beyond the U.S. It is a recognition that all humanity is on a journey aboard spaceship Earth, that the story of our existence knows no national borders, and it should be the birthright for all our children to understand that the explorer lives within them.
The Center’s desire to expand its programming internationally led to a partnership with the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation. The Foundation is charged with promoting the remarkable legacy of Arthur C. Clarke, recognized world-wide as a visionary whose works speak to one world shared by the human race, all of us on a common journey of discovery.
Arthur C. Clarke’s legacy bridges the worlds of the arts and the sciences, with his works ranging from scientific discovery to science fiction, from technical application to entertainment. As an engineer, as a futurist, and as a humanist, Clarke has influenced numerous artists, scientists, and engineers working today, and through his broad body of work, he continues to inspire future generations around the world. We invite you to visit the following pages dedicated to Arthur C. Clarke on the Institute website: biography, quotes, testimonials by others, and bibliography.
The Foundation and Center agreed to work toward the establishment of the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, which would serve as the Center’s international arm.
Just before his death in 2008, Sir Arthur C. Clarke signed an agreement to establish the Institute. It is with profound honor and a deep sense of purpose that we help continue Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s legacy through education programs that align with his vision to inspire the future.
Nanoracks, LLC
Nanoracks is proudly democratizing the utilization of the low-earth orbit region of space. We are an entrepreneurial company that was the first to market its own hardware and services onboard the International Space Station. By providing a commercial pathway to using the Space Station, we have helped usher in a new chapter of the space frontier: making space just another place to do business.
Nanoracks was created to provide affordable access to the International Space Station (ISS) for small experiments. Nanoracks gained access to the ISS as well as launch vehicles available to NASA for servicing and supplying the ISS through a Space Act Agreement signed with NASA in September 2009.
Our vision is to bring together three concepts as our driving force: low-cost, standardization of hardware, and understanding the customer. We like to believe that in space, small is the new big.
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Organization Roles and Responsibilities
Student Spaceflight Experiments Program Heritage
Key Individuals