What is StellarXplorers?
This program inspires and attracts high school students to pursue studies and careers in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through a challenging, space system design competition
involving all aspects of system development and operation with a spacecraft/payload focus.
Who Can Participate?
Teams can come from any high school (including home schools), JROTC, CAP, School Clubs, Boy/Girl Scouts,
Boys & Girls Clubs, or any organized youth organization. Teams consist of an adult Team Director (usually a
teacher) and two to six students. Team Mentors with space experience are available in person or online.
Participation is free until after teams have had the opportunity to compete for the first qualifying round. A nominal $200 registration fee for the team is payable in December, with waivers available to Title I schools
upon request.
How Does It Work?
The Program supplies a self contained academic/education component accessed online as a curriculum
supplement, as well as specific training in the use of system simulation software, Systems Tool Kit (STK). The
competition leading up to the finals will be accomplished from the team’s home location on any Windows
-based personal computer. Teams will be asked for their solutions to a typical space design problem, such as
orbit determination, satellite component selection, and launch vehicle planning, as outlined in a scenario
describing the system’s mission and constraints. Practice Rounds will precede three Qualification/Prestige
Rounds in November, December, and February that will determine teams advancing to Semi-Finals in March
to continue the full learning experience. The top teams from the Semi-Finals will receive an all-expense-paid trip the Finals in Colorado in early April.
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through a challenging, space system design competition
involving all aspects of system development and operation with a spacecraft/payload focus.
Who Can Participate?
Teams can come from any high school (including home schools), JROTC, CAP, School Clubs, Boy/Girl Scouts,
Boys & Girls Clubs, or any organized youth organization. Teams consist of an adult Team Director (usually a
teacher) and two to six students. Team Mentors with space experience are available in person or online.
Participation is free until after teams have had the opportunity to compete for the first qualifying round. A nominal $200 registration fee for the team is payable in December, with waivers available to Title I schools
upon request.
How Does It Work?
The Program supplies a self contained academic/education component accessed online as a curriculum
supplement, as well as specific training in the use of system simulation software, Systems Tool Kit (STK). The
competition leading up to the finals will be accomplished from the team’s home location on any Windows
-based personal computer. Teams will be asked for their solutions to a typical space design problem, such as
orbit determination, satellite component selection, and launch vehicle planning, as outlined in a scenario
describing the system’s mission and constraints. Practice Rounds will precede three Qualification/Prestige
Rounds in November, December, and February that will determine teams advancing to Semi-Finals in March
to continue the full learning experience. The top teams from the Semi-Finals will receive an all-expense-paid trip the Finals in Colorado in early April.
OK-071 StellarXplorers
Our StellarXplorer Team at Muskogee High School is in it's first year of operation and has already made it into the quarter-finals! Our team captain is C/Captain Jacine Crosby, a Junior and AFJROTC Cadet along with C/SrA Shaugn Ostroski, a Freshman and AFJROTC Cadet, both are students at Muskogee High School.
2018-19 StellarXplorers Team
(Left: C/SrA Shaugn Ostroski - Right: C/Capt Jacine Crosby)
(Left: C/SrA Shaugn Ostroski - Right: C/Capt Jacine Crosby)
