Space inspires awe-inspiring wonder in people of all ages. A new generation of Americans has the opportunity to witness the awe-inspiring power and joy of a moon landing thanks to NASA’s progress toward its first lunar missions in more than 50 years. It can also motivate people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue careers in space-related STEM fields, such as astronauts, engineers, physicists, and technicians.

We have witnessed significant diversity milestones in space exploration in recent years. The first all-female spacewalk and NASA’s diverse international crew of astronauts for the Artemis II lunar mission, which will see the first woman and first person of color step foot on the moon, are two examples of these achievements. Even though these accomplishments point to a significant shift in the sector, women still only make up 20% of the space workforce. Professionals of African and Hispanic ancestry continue to be underrepresented in STEM fields. A total of 24% of the STEM workforce are members of underrepresented minority groups. One of the fundamental tenets of the Microsoft-NASA partnership, which aims to address these inequalities head-on, is to continue expanding access to STEM education and the study of space, as demonstrated by these statistics.

The innovative partnership between Microsoft and NASA It is essential to the more than two decades of partnership between Microsoft and NASA to invest in the next generation by promoting STEM education in all communities. Microsoft is proud to work with NASA on our first Space Education Day, which will be held on June 20 at Microsoft’s Arlington, Virginia, office and will feature students and educators from across Washington, D.C.

Space Education Day is a day of innovative learning and technology demonstrations that gives local students the chance to connect with members of NASA and Microsoft. We are thrilled to welcome students from the greater Washington, D.C. area, which has a diverse population from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. With the assistance of students who learned to program in the Minecraft Education portal, an immersive learning platform inspired by NASA’s Artemis Missions, there will be live demonstrations. Students will now be able to practice these skills in real time thanks to Microsoft’s Minecraft Education partnership with NASA and the Challenge Center to prepare them for the next era of space exploration.

“Our up and coming age of trailblazers need valuable open doors and assets that draw in the Artemis Age to go after the moon and then some,” said Mike Kincaid, partner manager for NASA’s Office of STEM Commitment. ” Today’s investment in our students from all backgrounds will produce a diverse workforce that will eventually lead to space breakthroughs.

Space Education Day’s featured sessions include:

Microsoft Space Camps – Minecraft Artemis: In a fun and immersive Minecraft environment, students will explore the lunar surface and learn about NASA’s Artemis program.
In the Azure Space Hackathon, college students will demonstrate their expertise and technology in locating offshore windfarms around the world by utilizing NASA satellite imagery, Microsoft’s AI capabilities, and the Planetary Computer.
Partners from NASA MSI Space Accelerators will talk about how the NASA Space Accelerator program connects minority-serving institutions to mentorship and funding opportunities from Microsoft and NASA.
Space Education Day builds on Microsoft and NASA’s efforts to create high-impact STEM education programs and resources for all students. Students from two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) gathered in Washington, D.C., in May, to participate in a student hackathon called Coding for the Cosmos, which was organized by Azure Space and NASA. The goal of the event was to develop new technologies, including sending code to the International Space Station.

Microsoft will continue to look for new opportunities to keep everyone reaching for the stars because technology and space can be used to inspire, prepare, and engage people of all ages and backgrounds.

Steve Kitay, Senior Director of Azure Space, stated, “Our collaboration with NASA allows us to provide new and exciting opportunities for students of all backgrounds to explore the space industry and related technologies.” Introducing the next generation to new technologies like space and cloud computing, particularly to those who might not otherwise have access, is one of Azure Space’s primary goals.

Our objective is to empower our future workforce to explore the inexhaustible reaches of space and to broaden the STEM ecosystem by continuing to integrate Microsoft technologies with NASA missions, data, and expertise.