The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Raytheon announced the recipients of the JFK Space Labs program on Tuesday to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch.
The JFK Space Labs presented by Raytheon was developed in cooperation with the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory to honor the inspirational heritage of President Kennedy, and celebrate the innovative technology that made America’s Apollo program possible and rekindles the power of space exploration to inspire and engage students.
The following middle and high school will receive a JFK Space Lab at the start of the 2019–2020 school year:
- John F. Kennedy Middle School (Woburn, Mass.)
- John F. Kennedy High School (Grenada Hills, Calif.)
- John F. Kennedy High School (Denver, Colo.)
- Kennedy Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
- John F. Kennedy Middle School (Grand Prairie, Texas)
“These five schools emerged as ideal candidates for JFK Space Labs because they demonstrated a commitment to advance STEM education throughout their school community, as well as to honor the legacy of their namesake,” said Steven Rothstein, executive director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
Each JFK Space Lab presented by Raytheon includes technology and materials for advanced experiments in Earth science, biology and computer science that will immerse and inspire students, helping to achieve a deeper understanding of scientific principles on Earth and space.
In the JFK Space Lab, students will grow plants with special cameras and sensors, perform DNA analysis with the same equipment used on the ISS, complete an online course that includes a simulated mission to the ISS, work with antennas and other software to attempt radio contact with the ISS and build an electronics kit to explore heat flows and then write code to operate the same experiment on the ISS.
The JFK Space Labs program is made possible by Raytheon’s $1.5 million sponsorship of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the technological leadership of the nation’s first moonshot.
About RaytheonÂ
Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries.
