GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Artemis II's launch in April is inspiring students at Innovation Central High School in Grand Rapids, who are partnering with NASA to help make the country's next trip to space a success.
WATCH: Grand Rapids high schoolers join NASA research project ahead of next mission
A team of six juniors and seniors — part of Grand Valley State's GEAR UP program and the school's STEM Academy — have spent the school year visiting space centers and working with rocket scientists from NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin.
"If you ask any like seven year old, they're always gonna say, oh, I want to be an astronaut. So I think it's always just kind of been, you know, in the back of our heads," senior Kazimer Prince said.
Since November, the students have been working on NASA's Galaxy Frontier Project, researching ways to clean up space junk and getting hands-on experience with model rockets — learning how to fly and land them safely.
Innovation Central High School Principal Derrick Martin said he is proud of what he has seen from his students.
"It's just really a cool opportunity for our students to travel to the Space Centers and work on such an important project that will benefit, you know, not only NASA, but really the entire world," Martin said.
The students are now headed to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a tour and to present their research.
"Most high schoolers don't get to be in a NASA project before they graduate…So it's like, you know, it's a big opportunity," junior Malachi Autry said.
Junior Kenneth Hood-Hood said the experience has reshaped how he thinks about his future in space.
"You know, I want to be an astronaut, but then I thought, maybe it would be cooler to make the things that take them there?" Hood-Hood said.
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