Announcing Xploration Station's #StudentAstronaut Contest, Giving STEM Students the Chance to Train like an Astronaut
Philadelphia, PA, April 1, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Xploration Station, the country’s only E/I broadcast destination dedicated exclusively to STEM programming for teens and their families, announced the return of its #StudentAstronaut contest today. This will be the second iteration of the nationwide competition tied to the popular series Xploration Outer Space.
Xploration Station is partnering with Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) to launch a search for America’s most passionate STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) student. The winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to Sanford, FL to train like an astronaut, and take a ride on the world-renowned ZERO-G airplane, named G-FORCE ONE®, with Xploration Outer Space host, Emily Calandrelli. The incredible experience of feeling “weightless” (as astronauts do in microgravity) will be featured in a Season 3 episode of Xploration Outer Space.
“ZERO-G is a remarkable company making a real impact on the aerospace community, and we are thrilled to partner with them on our #StudentAstronaut contest this year”, SRP President Steve Rotfeld said, “This is a unique opportunity to engage students in a real world experience that makes science fun and exciting. With the support of great partners like our stations and ZERO-G, we believe that contests like this can inspire the next generation to pursue careers in science.”
To enter the #StudentAstronaut contest, eligible students will be asked to “Like” Xploration Station’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/xplorationstation/), and then they must:
- Create a video of no more than 3 minutes in length and upload it directly to the Xploration Station Facebook page with the hashtag: #StudentAstronaut (please note: submission by any other video platform (e.g.: YouTube, Vimeo etc. will not be accepted). The video must answer the following questions:
- Why do you think space exploration is important?
- Why do you think you should be selected to fly with ZERO-G and be featured on Xploration Outer Space?
- What fun demonstration would you do to illustrate the effects of a weightless environment? (Simplicity and creativity are key, e.g.: attempt to juggle)
- All equipment must be approved. The following restrictions apply: No glass, no power tools, no drones, no weapons or anything that could be perceived as a weapon, approved liquids must be properly contained, nothing that will make a mess on the airplane or damage the airplane in any way.
To participate, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be between the ages of 18-24 years of age on or before Friday, June 10th, 2016
- Be in good physical health
- Be a legal resident within the fifty United States
- Be enrolled in a learning institution
The contest, which opens today, will close at 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, May 15th, 2016. The winner will be announced on the Xploration Station Facebook page the week of May 16th, 2016. For more information, visit: www.studentastronaut.com or www.facebook.com/xplorationstation
Xploration Outer Space is a part of Xploration Station, a block of STEM-related E/I series airing primarily on FOX stations in over 100 million homes across the country. Xploration Station is produced by Steve Rotfeld Productions.
About SRP: Steve Rotfeld Productions has been producing and distributing shows for broadcast stations and cable networks for 25 years. In addition to Xploration Station, it also produces and distributes Wild About Animals, hosted by Mariette Hartley, Awesome Adventures, hosted by Nicole Dabeau; Whaddyado, Sports Gone Wild, and Greatest Sports Legends Presents. Its founder, Steve Rotfeld, Emmy Award winning writer/producer, has also produced cable hits, The Haney Project and Donald Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf for Golf Channel and Wild Weddings on TLC, among other series.
Public Relations Contact:
Stephanie Wolf
Steve Rotfeld Productions
610-520-0671
Stephanie@rotfeldproductions.com
About ZERO-G: Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) is a privately held company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of weightlessness accessible to everyone. Based in Arlington, Va., ZERO-G is the first and only FAA-approved provider of weightless flights to the general public; entertainment and film industries; corporate and incentive markets; non-profit organizations; research and education sectors; as well as foreign and domestic government agencies.
Founded in 1993 by X PRIZE Foundation Chairman Peter H. Diamandis, M.D.; former NASA Mission Specialist Byron K. Lichtenberg, Ph.D.; and former NASA engineer Ray Cronise. ZERO-G’s founders worked for over a decade to secure FAA approval for G-FORCE ONE®, a specially modified Boeing 727-200, to take passengers on commercial weightless flights.
Since launching the ZERO-G Experience® in October 2004, the company has conducted over 500 weightless flights and flown over 15,000 people from around the world. In January 2008, Space Adventures, Ltd. acquired ZERO-G as a wholly owned subsidiary. Space Adventures offers spaceflight opportunities to the global marketplace. Their clients have traveled over 36 million miles in space.
ZERO-G operates under the highest safety standards as set by the FAA (Part-121). For more information, visit www.GoZeroG.com.
Contact Information:
Zero Gravity Corporation
4601 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 1200
Arlington, Virginia 22203 USA
Phone: +1 (703) 894-2188; U.S. toll free: (888) 664-7284; Fax: +1 (702) 947-6373
E-mail: info@gozerog.com;
Web: www.GoZeroG.com
