Arizona Tribune - Uplift Aerospace & Salt Lake City School District Expand Starborn Academy with Astrolab and Dr. Sian Proctor to Launch Student Projects to the Moon

This spring, Starborn Academy is being implemented across Utah, Colorado, and California, with community programs also reaching students in Florida and Washington, D.C. The program empowers youth to explore space science, engage in creative expression, and connect personally with the future through messages destined for the Moon.

A centerpiece of the initiative will take place on May 5, 2025, at the Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD) Moon Mission Symposium. Held in collaboration with Uplift Aerospace, this event will showcase Moon Mission projects from every middle school in the district. Top student projects will be selected at the symposium, and winning students and teachers will be invited to travel to Kennedy Space Center to witness the historic launch of their messages to the Moon.

Laura deShazo, Career and Technical Education Director for Salt Lake City School District, said, "From last year's pilot to expanding the program to all our middle schools, I've seen incredible growth in our students' love for learning and interest in STEM careers. When our students leave the classroom, they want more-they're reading more books, doing more research. We are ecstatic to see that they've ignited a renewed passion for learning."

The symposium will also feature the unveiling of a collaborative Moon-themed artwork by astronaut and artist Dr. Sian Proctor, incorporating student messages and set to be included on the FLIP rover. Representatives from Astrolab will be in attendance, alongside special awards presented by Uplift Aerospace to recognize outstanding student achievements.

For more information about Starborn Academy and the Moon Mission: Letter to the Moon initiative, visit https://www.starbornacademy.com or follow @upliftaerospace on social media. Watch the program testimonial video here: https://youtu.be/6RCL_GAezyo?si=M_s7tN1mB57-r7qa.

About Starborn Academy

Starborn Academy is the education and workforce development division of Uplift Aerospace.

Uplift Aerospace (Symbol: NRPI) is a space technology company based in Park City, Utah, advancing workforce development through immersive education, scientific research, and commercial spaceflight. Its software division, Starborn Academy, provides education and entertainment solutions that integrate training simulations with real-world experiences to build proficiency through hands-on, problem-based learning. Uplift also supports research and flight operations through partnerships with universities and research institutions.

About Astrolab

Astrolab is on a mission to move humanity forward to the next horizon by designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose rovers for all planetary surface needs. Formed by a highly specialized team of NASA veterans, former SpaceXers and JPL engineers, Astrolab is laser-focused on providing adaptive mobility solutions essential for life beyond Earth. In 2023, Astrolab announced an agreement with SpaceX to land a FLEX rover on the Moon as soon as late 2026. In 2024, NASA awarded the company a contract to advance the development of NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) which will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon's surface on future missions.

The Astrolab team has industry-leading experience in terrestrial and planetary robotics, electric vehicles, human spaceflight and more. Astrolab's depth of experience and strategic partnerships with a wide array of world-class institutions, including electric vehicle pioneer Venturi Group, enables the delivery of Lunar and Mars mobility offerings at maximum reliability, flexibility, and cost effectiveness. The company is headquartered in Hawthorne, California. For more information, visit astrolab.space or follow us on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

About Sian Proctor & Space2Inspire

Dr. Sian Leo Proctor is a visionary poet, artist, explorer, and geoscience professor. In 2021, Dr. Proctor made history as the first artist selected to go to space on the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission. She is the first woman commercial spaceship pilot and the only African-American woman to be a mission pilot. Dr. Proctor has been a community college geoscience professor for over 25 years and her artistic vision bridges the worlds of science, space exploration, and creative expression.

About Salt Lake City School District

The Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD), Utah's flagship district, is known for its robust academic offerings, inclusive educational environment, focus on supporting students' social and emotional learning, and for building college and career pathways for our students. We are a vibrant and diverse urban district with students from all over the world and with more than 80 languages spoken by our families. We are the preferred place to work for more than 3,000 employees (including 1,000 teachers). With a focus on innovation and collaboration, the Salt Lake City School District strives for excellence and equity: every student, every classroom, every day.

Media Contacts

Uplift Aerospace: Emily Higgins - [email protected]

Astrolab: John Taylor - [email protected] (571) 437-4685

Sian Proctor: [email protected]

SLCSD: Jason Olsen - [email protected]

Disclosures and Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Expressions of future goals and similar expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and market acceptance of products and technologies, economic and market factors, successful integration of acquisitions, the ability to secure additional sources of financing, the ability to reduce operating expenses and other factors. The actual results that the company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company, its management, or affiliates, undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

SOURCE: NRP Stone, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

M.King--AT