Kids to send their signatures to space through NASA shuttle

Washington, April 5 (ANI): This year, on Space Day, which is celebrated on the first Friday in May, NASA and Lockheed Martin's main program would involve signatures by students flown aboard a space shuttle mission.

Known as 'Student Signatures in Space', the program will be one of the highlighted projects during the Space Day.

The mission of Space Day is to use space-related activities to inspire and prepare young people for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Student Signatures in Space began in 1997 as a way to draw kids into space studies by giving them a personal connection to space.

Participating schools are sent large posters for students to sign on Space Day. NASA and Lockheed Martin, of Bethesda, Maryland, are currently accepting school names for participation.

The program is open to elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as science museums and regional Boy Scout and Girl Scout councils.

After schools return the posters to Lockheed Martin, the signatures are scanned onto a disk and flown aboard a space shuttle mission.

Schools also receive lesson plans and information about the mission their signed posters are flying on.

Upon completion of the shuttle flight, the posters are returned to the schools along with a photo of the astronaut crew that took the signatures to space and a NASA flight certification verifying that the signatures flew in space.

Schools are allowed to participate in the signatures program once every six years. (ANI)