Space Samples for Your Classroom

NASA Engages

The NASA Engages program is composed of NASA Experts who share NASA missions and content at educational, professional, civic, and other public venues. Audiences include preschool to college, libraries and museums, scouts, professional and technical organizations, community groups and other non-profit organizations. Experts are made up of professionals from education, engineering, science, and other fields. Each year, NASA experts provide hundreds of presentations to thousands of people.

Exciting topics and dynamic presentations will inspire and educate your group. Topics include:

• NASA overview

• Space exploration

• How NASA improves our quality of life

• Aeronautics research

• Center overviews

• Mission and program briefings

We will work with you to attempt to identify the topic and speaker that will best meet the needs of your audience. Flexibility in your topic and program date helps immensely in securing a NASA speaker.

How to Request a NASA Speaker

To request a speaker, complete and submit the online request form, preferably 7+ weeks before your event. Please review our standard Terms and Conditions.

After submission, your information will be forwarded to your state or region’s coordinator, who will follow up with you.

Because NASA Engages is a volunteer program, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be filled. Flexibility around dates will help immensely in securing a speaker and should be noted in the comments section of the online request form. Your coordinator will work with you to explore potential options.

If you have questions, contact your state or region’s coordinator.

We look forward to working with you!

To request an appearance by a current astronaut, please see the Astronaut Appearance Request Guidelines.

Speakers Terms and Conditions

NASA speakers typically appear before a wide range of audiences in many different venues in order to share our programs and results with the public. However, some conditions do apply:

• Because the demand for NASA speakers is high, not all requests can be filled.
• All incoming requests are carefully evaluated to assure that they 1) meet the basic requirements listed below and 2) provide an opportunity for NASA to share what we do with largest possible segment of the public.

To request a speaker for your group, create a profile in Gateway and register for a NASA Engages representative by clicking the Create Account button and following the prompts. Please allow as much lead-time as possible prior to your event, preferably 7+ weeks for US requests. International requests will be available on NASA Engages soon. Please email: HQ-NASAEngages@mail.nasa.gov for international requests. This consideration is necessary to give representatives adequate notice, ensure minimal disruption to work schedules, and provide adequate advance notice for preparation. Participation is on a volunteer basis. There is no guarantee requests will be fulfilled. 

The following terms must be followed for NASA participation at your event:

• NASA speakers may not participate in any activity that is associated with fundraising, promotional activities, or endorsements, either directly or indirectly.

• NASA speakers may not participate in any activity in which any group has been unlawfully segregated or unequally treated on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, or sexual orientation.

• NASA speakers are not allowed to accept honoraria, stipends, or fees for speaking.

• Due to budgetary limitations, NASA may not be able to fund the travel for events requiring the speaker to travel 50 miles or more. NASA does have authority to accept payment from other organizations for travel expenses to meetings for speaking engagements.

Astronaut Appearances

The Astronaut Appearances Office in Houston coordinates and arranges astronaut appearances for astronauts who are actively employed by NASA.

NASA astronauts appear before a variety of groups to inform the public about the U.S. space program. Typically, presentations are made to high schools and universities, community organizations, businesses and associations, or military organizations.

In order to reach as many people as possible, NASA offers three options to choose from in requesting an astronaut appearance:

• Virtual appearances use Microsoft Teams™ to connect an astronaut via video conference with a sponsoring organization. Please ask us about alternate platform options if Microsoft Teams is not available to you. These are available at no cost to the requestor.

• In-person appearances involve arrangements for an astronaut to travel to the appearance location. Please refer to the In-person Appearance Request Instructions section below for additional details related to costs associated with in-person requests.

• Recorded greetings involve arrangements for an astronaut to record an audio or video message in advance to be played at your event. These are available at no cost to the requestor.

Lead times for virtual, local, domestic, and international appearance requests are as follows:

• Virtual appearances: 6 weeks

• Local in-person appearances (Houston area): 6 weeks

• Domestic in-person appearances (continental United States): 8 weeks

• International in-person appearances: 10 weeks

• Recorded greetings: 6 weeks

These lead times are necessary to allow for sufficient time to complete all required NASA legal documentation and arrangement of astronaut travel (if required). The request may be declined if it does not meet these lead times.

The Astronaut Appearance Request Guidelines outline the requirements for requesting an astronaut appearances.

Requests for astronaut appearances should be submitted via our online form located at https://astronautappearances.nasa.gov.

Also, check out NASA Astronauts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.