Santikos Micronaut Center

John L. Santikos Micronaut Center

Since its grand opening on May 19, 2023, the John L. Santikos Micronaut Center has been flying simulated missions to the international space station with "Micronaut" classes in Kindergarten through 3rd grades. Students launch from San Antonio College and embark upon a mission to study the planet Earth, exploring twelve engaging student stations that STEM-ulate the Micronauts' curiosity and creativity.

These missions are flown for groups of 10-24 with as many as 12 chaperones per crew. Schools register in advance to include their mission date(s), and teacher pre-mission training. The pre-mission workshop covers the logistics of the program and provides simple classroom and at-home activities aligned to early childhood standards and TEKS in support of the mission's learning stations. If a class is scheduled for the spring of 2025, the lead teacher for the class should reach out to Mariana Zoll at mzoll3@alamo.edu to inquire about pre-mission workshop materials.

While Micronaut missions are not routinely available to the public, the Fiesta de la Tierra Micronaut Family Mission became an official Fiesta event in 2023. Parents purchase tickets to join the Micronaut crew of this Fiesta mission with their first to third grader. This special Fiesta mission is listed in our "announcements" link and below on this page.

Don't miss an 'out of this world' opportunity to launch your child's learning! Speak with your child's teachers and schedule your visit to this exciting new center for STEAM learning.

TEACHER PRE-MISSION WORKSHOPS - for Micronaut missions

Teachers leading or supporting Micronaut missions this school year should contact Mariana Zoll at mzoll3@alamo.edu to register for workshops included in the mission fees.

Head Start Micronaut missions scheduled by the City of San Antonio's Department of Human Services will hold their parent training on April 2, 2025 at 9:00am & 11:00am. CoSA contacts will coordinate this registration of parents from their respective schools.

Fiesta de la Tierra: Family Micronaut Mission

On Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 10:00am to 11:45am the 2nd annual Fiesta Micronaut Family Mission will launch from the Santikos Micronaut Center at the San Antonio College.

Investigate rocks and minerals, sort once living and non-living objects, pedal a bicycle to generate electricity, and shape the topography of a new world as just a few of the activities in this special mission to explore our world.

Tickets are $65 for an adult and child of 1st through 3rd grades. An additional 1st through 3rd grade child or another adult may be added for an additional $20 fee. Included with your 90-minute mission are the tickets to a simulated launch to the international space station, the mission activities, and a smail Fiesta party favor.

Only 12 families can join this crew! Purchase your tickets today. Go to: https://tinyurl.com/MICROFiesta

Micronaut Mission Origins

The Micronaut Program was developed by the University of Tennessee Chattanooga Challenger STEM Learning Center in 2005 to meet the needs of younger explorers. The Challenger Learning Center of San Antonio opened at Brooks City base in the fall of 2000 and expanded its programming to include Micronauts missions in 2006 making this early childhood STEAM program available through a partnership with the City of San Antonio Human Services Department. After the Brooks center closed, the city remained active with San Antonio College staff developing the Scobee Education Center Micronaut missions first made available through the city’s HeadStart programs in spring 2015.

Who can be a Micronaut?
What does the program offer?
When does the mission begin?

The Micronaut Program at the Scobee Education Center provides young children age 4 – 9 with an authentic STEAM experience as they travel through a simulated mission to the International Space Station. The mission models “Best Practices” in early childhood education that capitalizes on the young child’s natural curiosity to explore and learn about the world they are a part of. By making STEM education a focus of a child’s early education we begin to change the world one class at a time by instilling a lifelong passion to learn about and care for our planet earth. By inspiring and educating young children we contribute to our national goal of a scientifically literate society.
The Micronaut program consists of three components: Teacher Education, Parent Education and the immersive simulated space experience for young children. Prior to each mission, educators are provided with a day-long training program that introduces hands-on activities that may not be a part of the typical early childhood classroom. Each activity is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards and best practices in early childhood education. In a separate program, parents are provided with science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) at-home activities that are designed to reinforce the activities provided to the teachers. Together, teachers, parents and students create a unit that culminates with the Micronaut experience.
The Micronauts mission begins the moment they enter the space, with teachers briefing student teams on their mission and launch preparation. The simulated launch experience sets the sky-high expectations for the mission as the young astronauts dock at the International Space Station and undergo decontamination before enter the laboratory environment in space. Under the direction of the “Mission Commander”, Micronauts proceed to one of a dozen workstations with parent and teacher volunteers to complete their research and launch an important satellite to study the Earth from Space. At the completion of their mission, the Micronaut crew returns safely to earth ready to challenge new horizons.

Registration

Santikos Micronaut Missions are 90-minute experiences aligned to the state’s TEKS and early childhood standards. Micronaut missions are reserved well in advance by school and community groups with a single mission costs $350/class of 10-24 students and up to 12 adult chaperones.

Najim Foundation and SAWS have each sponsored Micronaut missions for Title I and SAWS customer schools respectively. The SAWS sponsorship may include class transportation costs with the Micronaut mission fees. If you are a classroom teacher or school administrator for K-3rd grades who would like to receive one of these scholarships for your classes to attend the Micronaut program, submit the completed registration form and follow-up with an email to sac-ScobeeCtr@alamo.edu and indicate if you qualify for consideration for one of the available class scholarships.

Teachers bringing a Micronaut group are required to attend a Pre-Mission Training before their program. The next Pre-mission workshop takesplace on Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Register for the workshop at https://forms.office.com/r/TeEcuZCPXm?origin=lprLink

Micronaut Mission Registration Form