NASA’s Exploration Design Challenge invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to learn more about space radiation — one of the biggest challenges in sending humans beyond low-Earth orbit.  Participants will learn about radiation and its effects on humans and hardware destined for asteroids, Mars, or other deep space locations.  NASA’s Orion vehicle for these space destinations will make its maiden test flight in 2014.

• Grades K-4 will complete NASA education activities related to radiation. Upon completion, a teacher or other adult may submit the students’ names to be flown on the 2014 Orion flight.
• Grades 5-8 will do the same and also will design and develop a radiation shield prototype using instructions provided.
• Grades 9-12 will form teams to design a radiation shield prototype that meets established criteria and constraints. The top five designs will be tested in a virtual radiation simulator, and the winning team will travel to Florida for Orion’s launch and have its design flown aboard.