Resources for education

Moon to Mars Explorer Programme

For schools

For community outreach

For schools

For community outreach

We are a registered charitable trust promoting astrobiology in New Zealand.

Our school and community programmes are created by New Zealand astrobiologists and space science communicators.

We offer school and community visits, talks, and astronomy and space resources so that you can immerse yourself in learning about space.

What is

We created a brand new programme:
the Moon to Mars Explorer, so that your students can learn about space and astrobiology from real space scientists.

New Zealand has a budding space industry, that is growing. It needs engineers, scientists, astrobiologists, rocket scientists but also many other fields that support space exploration.

The Moon to Mars Programme aims to get young students interested in STEM so that they can pursue a career in space.

We bring this programme to you by coming to your school, organising field trips with scientists, online learning programmes and providing meaningful space educational resources.

The Moon is the next step in our space exploration.

Mars is a planet where we might be able to live one day.

Educational programmes for schools

Our current school programmes

Seeds in Space

Grow plants like an astronaut!

In 2021, basil seeds have been flown to the International Space Station to grow in microgravity. 105 schools in New Zealand (see map on the left) have received seeds from the same lot of plants that went the ISS to perform the ground experiments with seeds from the same batch and compare results.

we visit schools

We bring the Universe to you with the Astrobiology Dome.

Book a planetarium visit

Learn about space and astronomy, with the Astrobiology Dome portable planetarium.

Learn astronomy online

with SLOOH.

you and your students use telescopes from Chile and the Canary Islands to learn about the night sky, our solar system and the Universe.

Access a wealth of astronomy lessons, quizzes and an amazing community.

How would you like to take a photo like this? Now you can with SLOOH.

ASTROREALITY RESOURCES

Your students learn about the Solar System using augmented reality 3D printed models of planets.

In 2007, 14 countries released a document called The Global Exploration Strategy: The Framework for Coordination, which discusses a global, strategic, coordinated and comprehensive approach to space exploration. They have decided that

The Moon, Mars and the Asteroids are destinations
where humans can live and work in the future.

They will launch rockets, design science missions, decide on planetary policies and even defend Earth from asteroids and continue the outreach and education work that we do today.

The technological advances necessary to explore and live on the Moon and on Mars will help support and improve life on Earth, extend life, create a better world and protect the future of our species. If we learn to terraform Mars, the technology necessary to do so will be also used to protect and save Earth.

The next generation of space explorers are born now. They are the leaders of tomorrow. Each of us can contribute to make Earth a better place and make the difference in the world.

Astrobiology brings the perspective of who we are in the grand scheme of the Universe by asking the questions:

What is life?

Where else in the Universe can we find it?

What is the future of humankind?

Our Moon-Mars Explorer Programme takes these big questions to the class room. When astronauts go to space they see Earth as a blue marble from where borders are not visible. They come back from space transformed, aware of the fragility and uniqueness of our planet.

Our Moon to Mars Explorer programme is designed to bring the cosmic perspective to the world we live in, and show what knowledge we need for a future in which humankind will thrive rather than just survive.