Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS)

Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS), formerly High School Aerospace Scholars, is a free NASA STEM program based at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for Texas high school juniors and seniors. It has a year-long Junior Experience and a six-month Senior Experience. Juniors take Launch Pad, an online engineering course with four mission-inspired modules and engineering design challenges; in 2026-27 it runs September 28, 2026 to March 6, 2027. High achievers join Moonshot, a five-day virtual summer challenge planning an Artemis-themed mission, and top teams attend Base Camp, a residential experience at Johnson Space Center, set for July 25 to 30, 2027. Seniors take an online course on aerospace manufacturing, then may advance to a virtual challenge and a residential experience at the center building prototypes. Juniors can receive documentation for up to one science elective credit, at their school's discretion.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, Texas residents and enrolled as juniors (Junior Experience) or seniors (Senior Experience) in a Texas-based high school, including homeschool, online and charter schools, and able to access the internet. Applicants apply through the NASA STEM Gateway with a Texas high school transcript and an Expression of Interest essay, which is shared with state legislators. The 2026-27 junior application ran July 1 to September 16, 2026; senior application dates had not been set.