StellarXplorers: More than a Space Design Competition 

StellarXplorers isn’t just about orbital mechanics, satellite design, or launch vehicle operations. The Air & Space Forces Association’s StellarXplorers Space STEM Program inspires high school and middle school students to pursue careers in aerospace, aviation, and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to the nation’s future.   

For one teacher, that mission translates into a chance to give students a level of empowerment she says they rarely get in the classroom. 

“Ultimately that’s the goal — when they leave our school, I want them to do anything they want to do and not set a bar on their own knowledge and what they can achieve,” said Melissa Pore, a science teacher at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Va . 

“It’s a really cool space-systems challenge, and if kids can work through this, their problem-solving skills all over the place will definitely improve,” said Pore, a life-long space enthusiast who has served as Bishop O’Connell’s StellarXplorers team director for the last five years. 

She said bringing students into the program and watching them take on these challenges is “very special.” 

For the students on her two teams, StellarXplorers offers something different from what they experience in the classroom. Sophia Andrade Osinaga, a junior and first-year competitor, said she joined because the program offers “an experience that [she] would love to be a part of that will give [her] all these skills that [she] didn’t have before.” 

“Space has been thrown around in my ideas for careers in the future for as long as I realized I wanted to be in STEM,” she said. “So, I think this is a really unique opportunity to explore that.” 

Other students said they appreciate the teamwork required throughout the competition. They described working through difficult scenarios, communicating clearly, and learning to adapt as a group.  

When asked why he likes StellarXplorers, Bryce Custodio, a junior at Bishop O’Connell, said, “It gives me time to bond with teammates that I possibly wouldn’t have bonded with before. We get to talk about different scenarios, and they almost feel real.” 

Several students said the experience has helped them learn more about themselves and their interests, including Bryce, who described how his participation in the last three seasons of StellarXplorers has changed his perspective on STEM.   

“I’ve learned a lot about my love of STEM and engineering through StellarXplorers,” he said. “In my freshman year, I really only joined the engineering club because I was obligated to do one serious club by my dad, but I was given the opportunity to do StellarXplorers and I thought, ‘You know what, this might be interesting.’ And it really helped spark my interest in STEM and in engineering in general.” 

That same sense of discovery is shared by students new to the competition, including seniors Matthew Bredbenner and Antonio Fernandez-Ribas, who joined StellarXplorers for the first time this year. Even though they’ve only been participating for a couple of months, both said the experience has already been worth it. 

Matthew, who is considering a future in aerospace, said the program aligns with his goals. “I want to be an aerospace engineer later, so [StellarXplorers] seems like a good place to start.” 

Antonio joined as a senior and is the Systems Tool Kit software expert for his team. “This is my first year of doing this,” he said. “My favorite thing … is actually hanging out with a friend. It’s bringing us closer together … we’re actually sitting next to each other working through problems.” 

Pore said watching students immerse themselves in real aerospace problems is part of what makes the program meaningful. “They’re putting what they learn at school every day into action in a high-level space systems contest,” she said. “So, to bring kids to this is very special.”  

For the students who choose to participate, regardless of prior experience, StellarXplorers offers a chance to discover new interests, build confidence, and see how far their curiosity and teamwork can take them. 

For more information about StellarXplorers, visit www.stellarxplorers.org. If you would like to register as a volunteer technical mentor, visit www.stellarxplorers.org/mentor-registration.