Autistic Students Launch Rockets with NASA’s Neurodiversity Network

The NASA Science Activation project team, NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (N3), led by Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, CA, recently partnered with four high schools that focus on neurodivergent learners. During Summer, 2022, students and teachers at these schools engaged in a rocket and payload building activity that was originally designed for community college students. After an exhaustive search around the San Francisco Bay Area, the N3 team finally found an ideal location to launch the rockets at Petaluma's Prince Park. The launch event included educators, students, and their families and was organized by N3 rocketry expert, Tony Alcocer, with additional support provided by the N3 team and volunteers from the Aeropac rocketry club. These experts helped high school students from Orion Academy (Concord, CA) and Stanbridge Academy (San Mateo, CA) launch approximately 20 rockets, half of which included experimental payloads. All payloads and rockets were recovered successfully, and it was a great experience for all!

NASA’s Neurodiversity Network is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC21M0004 and is part of NASA's Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about the N3 Project Team’s rocketry resource redevelopment program and view the assembly and launch video on the N3 website.