Space Week
October 2-9, 2026
A free week of field trips, teacher workshops, and family events across Tulsa and Stillwater.
Free for everyone
Oct. 2-9, 2026
Tulsa and Stillwater
PreK-12 and families
Inspired by World Space Week
Blast off with Space Week
Space Week brings students, educators, and families together for a week of aerospace exploration built around Oklahoma’s aviation and space industry. Every event is free, and substitute and transportation reimbursement is available for participating schools.
plan your week
Week at a glance
Tue Oct 6
Field Trips
9:00–3:00
Discovery Lab
Siegfried Community Night
6:00–8:00
Discovery Lab
Find your place in the week
Educators
Learn how to build and launch two model rockets, then take them back to your classroom.
Space is limited
Schools
Bring a class to Discovery Lab or the Stillwater Community Center for a day of hands-on space science.
Apply by Sept. 2
Families
Join us for a free evening of hands-on space exploration and an astronaut chat at Discovery Lab on Oct. 6.
Register by Oct. 2
Field trip applications close Sept. 2. Schools are notified Sept. 4. A waitlist will be maintained.
Siegfried Community night · All ages · Oct. 6, 6–8 PM · Free
A free evening of space exploration at Discovery Lab. Come explore aerospace through hands-on activities led by local experts, and hear from a former NASA astronaut.
Details
- Tuesday, Oct. 6
- 6-8 PM
- Discovery Lab – 3123 Riverside Drive, Tulsa, OK 74105
- Open to all ages
- Keynote speaker announced in August.
Good to know
- Free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required
- Register by Friday, Oct. 2 or until full
- Groups larger than 10, email info@tulsastem.org
Bring your family
Free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.
Register by Friday, Oct. 2 or until full
two more ways to be part of the evening
Volunteer
Help with check-in, setup, and activity stations. Training and materials provided. No STEM background needed.
One evening shift · Sign up by Oct. 2
Host an activity
For organizations, companies, and industry professionals. Bring a hands-on activity and meet families face to face.
Table provided · Apply by Oct. 2
Discovery Lab field trip · Grades 3–5 · Oct. 6–7 · Tulsa · Free
A full day of hands-on space and aviation activities led by Discovery Lab and NASA Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium’s STEM Engagement Center, plus access to the museum floor.
Details
- Choose Tuesday, Oct. 6 or Wednesday, Oct. 7
- Your visit lasts about 3.5 hours, scheduled within a 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM window.
- Arrival times are staggered by school, and we’ll confirm your arrival time when your application is accepted.
- Grades 3, 4, and 5
- Discovery Lab – 3123 Riverside Dr, Tulsa, OK 74105
- Keynote speaker announced in August.
Good to know
- Free for all students and schools
- Lunch is not provided. Schools are welcome to bring their own.
- Up to $100 reimbursement for substitute and transportation costs, paid to the school or district
Applications close Sept. 2. Schools are notified by Sept. 4.
Stillwater field trip · Grades 4–6 · Oct. 8–9 · Free
A full day of hands-on space and aviation activities hosted at the Stillwater Community Center so more schols can attend.
Details
- Choose Thursday, Oct. 8 or Friday, Oct. 9
- Morning session 9:00 to 11:30 AM, or afternoon session 12:00 to 2:30 PM
- Grades 4, 5, or 6
- Stillwater Community Center – 315 W. 8th Ave., Stillwater, OK 74074
- Keynote speaker announced in August.
Good to know
- Free for all students and schools
- Half-day sessions, so plan meals around your session time
- Up to $100 reimbursement for substitute and transportation costs, paid to the school or district
Applications close Sept. 2. Schools are notified by Sept. 4.
Model Rocketry 101 · K–12 & informal educators · Oct. 2 · Free
Build two Estes model rockets step by step, launch them at the OSU unmanned airfield, and take a classroom set home with you. Five hours of hands-on work with model and high-powered rocketry designed to transfer straight into your classroom.
Details
- Friday, Oct. 2
- 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
- Any K–12 or informal educator. Best suited to grades 4–12.
- NASA Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium STEM Engagement Center – OSU campus, Stillwater
Good to know
- Free, including a set of rockets to take back to your classroom
- Lunch is included
- Priority goes to educators who have not attended this workshop before
- Substitute reimbursement is available, paid to the school or district rather than to individuals
- Space is limited
Featuring
Commander John B. Herrington
CDR John B. Herrington is a retired Naval Aviator, test pilot, aquanaut, and astronaut. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a PhD in Education from the University of Idaho.
Read full bio
As an aviator, he has flown over 5000 hours in more than 30 different types of aircraft. As an aquanaut, he commanded the sixth NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission, spending nearly 264 hours underwater.
As an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, NASA considers CDR Herrington to be the first citizen of a federally recognized tribe to fly in space. As an astronaut, CDR Herrington flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the 16th assembly mission to the International Space Station. During his mission, he traveled over 5.6 million miles, accumulating over 330 hours in space, including performing three spacewalks totaling nearly 21 hours.
Following his retirement from the Navy and NASA, CDR Herrington worked in the commercial space sector before embarking on a 4,300-mile bicycle ride across the United States, from Cape Flattery, WA to Cape Canaveral, FL, stopping at Indian reservations and NASA Explorer Schools to share his story of motivation and mentorship with Native American youth. At age 52, he entered the University of Idaho and earned a Doctorate in Education, investigating the factors that motivate and engage Native American students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
He authored a children’s book, Mission to Space, and is currently working on his personal memoir. He is married and the proud father of two daughters and grandfather to four grandchildren. He resides in the mountains of Northwestern Montana with his wife Danielle, their cat Ladybug, and dog Ella Bella Luna.
Featuring
Dr. Naia Butler-Craig aka “Astronaia”
Naia Butler-Craig is an aerospace engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center, where she supports systems integration for space missions. She earned her PhD in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellow and a GEM Fellow, and she was named to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Read full bio
A first-generation college and graduate student, Naia is working toward her goal of becoming a mission specialist astronaut and contributing to deep space exploration. She has spoken, volunteered, and led workshops at STEM outreach events across the country, with a focus on inspiring the next generation of diverse STEM leaders. Naia speaks openly about her personal growth, including learning to manage anxiety, and has become a prominent voice for underrepresented communities in STEM.
reaching for the stars
2025 Space Week Impact
Students reached through outreach and field trips
Participating districts and community organizations
Educators supported through professional development
2026 Space Week Supporters
Silver Sponsor
Oklahoma Department of Aerospace & Aeronautics (ODAA)
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