NASA 'Rocks' Mars With Launch of Innovative Educational Tour

Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Washington        December 1, 2003
(Phone: 202/358-0836)

RELEASE: 03-384

NASA "ROCKS" MARS WITH LAUNCH OF INNOVATIVE 
EDUCATIONAL TOUR 

     NASA and other collaborators launch 
Marsapalooza Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. EST at the 
American Museum of Natural History, Rose Center for 
Earth and Space, New York.

Marsapalooza, an innovative, national education 
outreach tour of youthful NASA Mars mission 
scientists and engineers, kicks off with a dynamic, 
multimedia event. The tour features the Marsapalooza 
Team (M-Team), six accomplished young scientists and 
engineers, who will encourage young people to pursue 
careers in science, technology, engineering and 
mathematics. 

The M-Team will visit five major cities during a 
fast-paced week of events. They will reach out as 
role models to students in under-served communities 
for the purpose of inspiring the next generation of 
explorers, to inform young people about Mars 
education program opportunities, and to raise public 
literacy about NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers' 
mission.

Marsapalooza is the product of a unique partnership 
funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation, 
produced by Passport to Knowledge, and hosted by 
several museums, planetariums, science centers, and 
schools across the country. The Mars Exploration 
Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, are scheduled to 
arrive at Mars in January. They will examine rocks 
and soils for clues about whether the sites once had 
environments hospitable to life.

"We at NASA are thrilled to work with our esteemed 
partners on such an innovative initiative," said 
James Stofan, the agency's director for informal 
education. "It is critical to capture the attention 
of the nation's young people in order to educate 
them and inspire them into action. We hope to shine 
a spotlight on the educational value of the Mars 
mission, the exciting careers that all play a role 
in making an historic mission like this possible, 
and the challenges inherent in one of the greatest 
endeavors in recent space exploration," he said. 

Marsapalooza touches down in New York, Washington, 
Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles December 2 - 8, 
complete with animated video footage, its own 
musical soundtrack, and the message to young people 
that science and mathematics are cool. 

The M-Team, Dr. Jim Rice, Dr. Deborah Bass, Zoe 
Learner, Kobie Boykins, Dr. Adam Steltzner, and 
Shonte Wright, a diverse group of scientists and 
engineers, are representing the Mars Exploration 
Rovers' mission on the tour. Organizers expect the 
tour to directly reach more than 10,000 students and 
educators and tens of thousands of others through 
closed circuit TV, NASA TV video clips and online 
streaming video of kick-off event highlights. Tour 
events will also provide students from kindergarten 
through high school the opportunity to participate 
in hands-on activities and educational 
demonstrations related to the science of the Mars 
Exploration Rover mission. 

"We are delighted to be the launch pad for the 
Marsapalooza tour," said Myles Gordon, director for 
education programs at the American Museum of Natural 
History. "The objective of Marsapalooza mirrors 
important aspects of the Museum's mission, to share 
with the public and young people in particular, the 
excitement, importance, and relevance of discovery," 
he said.

The NASA Mars Exploration Rover mission and 
Marsapalooza tour are highlighted through NASA's 
Mars 2004 ("M2K4") Web campaign, scheduled for 
launch on December 2.
 
For a listing of Marsapalooza events and information 
about NASA on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

For information about other NASA Education programs 
on the Internet, visit:

http://education.nasa.gov

For more information about the National Science 
Foundation, visit:

http://www.nsf.gov

For more information about Passport to Knowledge, 
visit:

http://passporttoknowledge.com


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