Texas Space Commission Awards Grant to Aldrin Family Foundation of Texas
Austin, TX - The Texas Space Commission (TSC) announced a Space Exploration & Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) grant of up to $4,707,457 has been awarded to the Aldrin Family Foundation of Texas to expand its Student Satellites in Space (S-Cubed) program, which focuses on inspiring and preparing America’s future STEM workforce.
The S-Cubed program upgrades STEM education experiences for high school students by providing hands-on tools, teacher training, and curriculum support that spark interest in space and technology careers. Through a proven model of targeting self-efficacy, this program aims to significantly increase the number of Texas students pursuing STEM education pathways and careers in aerospace, engineering, or high-tech industries.
The project timeline is five years. The objectives included with this grant agreement are:
• Align curriculum to Texas standards and set-up partnerships: September 2025 – August 2028;
• Recruit and select teachers: September 2025 – May 2027;
• Teacher training and professional development: March 2026 – May 2029;
• Implement the S-Cubed program: March 2026 – November 2029; and
• Collect implementation data and program dissemination: September 2025 – August 2030.
These milestones will enable the Aldrin Family Foundation of Texas to equip more students and teachers across the Lone Star State with the skills required to work for a space company. The SEARF grant will reimburse Aldrin Family Foundation of Texas for eligible expenditures, such as, teacher training, curriculum development, and other direct costs associated with implementing this program.
###
About The Aldrin Family Foundation
AFF is a nonprofit organization run by the family of Apollo 11 Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, who founded the organization in the late 1990s. Their leadership excels in bringing together experts in space and education. Through these unions, they uniquely uncover what resources teachers and educators need to excite their students, meet curricula requirements, and drive toward national standards. Learn more.
About the Texas Space Commission
Established by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 3447, authored by Rep. Greg Bonnen, M.D., the Texas Space Commission advances innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace to strengthen the state’s proven leadership across civil, commercial, and military domains. To date, the total appropriation made by the Legislature for the SEARF Trust is $450 million. Learn more.
Contact
To submit a media inquiry to the Texas Space Commission, please send an email to TSCPressInquiries@space.texas.gov.