Space Center Houston is celebrating our members all this month! Our members mean the world to us and that’s why we are giving members special offers all month long!
When you become a member today you will receive:
SUPPORT US
Your gift to our 2024 Annual Fund supports space exploration experiences for more under-resourced students both in Texas and around the world.
Igniting a love for STEM learning among the youth in our community, your 2024 donation paves the way for a brighter future for all.
Donations bolster our efforts to develop and enhance authentic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experiences, helping us to inspire a new generation of explorers, engineers, and problem solvers by making space and science learning more accessible for all.
Join Space Center Houston’s community of contributors and help us continue growing the number of learners who enter the STEM pathway!
Every gift is tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
Help us create space for everyone and inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists!
Most of a person’s science learning takes place outside of a traditional classroom setting. Informal learning experiences like the programs, exhibits, and activities available at Space Center Houston are all ideal ways for learners of all ages to engage in meaningful educational experiences.
Space Center Houston provides a broad array of programming for K-12 students and educators that focuses on STEM disciplines and incorporates best practices for informal learning environments.
Informal learning environments are unique. They give students the ability to ask questions, explore solutions and create next steps on their own. This practice helps create excitement, drives curiosity and contributes to a person’s knowledge and interest in STEM both now and in the future.
Experiences like those available in our youth STEM education programs can spark creative and innovative thinking and heighten students’ motivation to learn.
Middle school girls review mission objectives in their mission logs in our Girls STEM Academy.
High school students examine one type of robot they will work with in our Stars & STEM program.
Donations that support access for underserved youth to Space Center Houston STEM education programs help us extend meaningful experiences to low-income students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to participate in our programming.
Space Center Houston’s educational outreach initiatives and STEM education programs include the following programs:
The unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic forced a paradigm shift for museums and science centers around the nation. To continue engaging our community in space and science learning, Space Center Houston increased its use of digital learning platforms to meet the increased demand for access to effective and engaging digital STEM learning resources.
Through the Digital Education Resources Initiative, Space Center Houston’s education specialists use our largely unrestricted access to NASA learning resources to illustrate STEM concepts using the science behind space exploration. They also adapt, interpret and align these resources with state and national science learning standards, which enables teachers and home school instructors to seamlessly integrate engaging content into their curricula.
The Digital Education Resources Initiative’s impact is twofold: it helps strengthen Space Center Houston’s partnerships with regional schools and community organizations by supporting and providing educators with useful content, and it helps expand our efforts to serve national and international audiences.
The prospect of larger audiences, greater interactivity and community building relate directly to our long-term strategic goals and mission of sharing broadly the wonders of space exploration.
A community of supporters from around the world came together through a highly successful crowdfunding campaign to join Space Center Houston and the City of Webster’s efforts to restore the Apollo Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson Space Center and preserve the legacy of the Apollo Program.
Legendary Apollo Flight Director and long-time Space Center Houston advocate Gene Kranz led the 30-day “On a Mission” Kickstarter campaign. Kranz’ powerful and impactful leadership in the restoration effort prompted Space Center Houston to honor his commitment to future generations by establishing a scholarship fund in his name.
Apollo-era Flight Director Gene Kranz wears his iconic Apollo 13 vest in Starship Gallery.
Space Center Houston’s Gene Kranz Scholarship Fund awards Space Center University® tuition scholarships for local students to participate in the multi-day, hands-on engineering design program that is open to students, middle school through college, and adults.
Space Center U® promotes problem solving and communication skills to develop engineering solutions for space-related situations. It also helps students develop critical thinking skills, teamwork, accountability, fiscal responsibility and the ability to respond to adversity–the same skills that Gene Kranz worked to instill in the flight controllers he led in Mission Control.
By supporting the Gene Kranz Scholarship Fund, we can work together to begin shaping tomorrow’s leaders in human space exploration and other important STEM fields.
Unrestricted gifts strengthen Space Center Houston’s core mission of education, providing us with resources for hands-on learning activities that are specifically designed to encourage learners of all ages to join the STEM pathway.
With more than 450 space artifacts, Space Center Houston inspires more than one million visitors annually by showcasing the heroic history of America’s space program and illuminating the amazing research and accomplishments taking place in human space exploration today.
From remarkable exhibits like the SpaceX Falcon 9 booster, to the historic Apollo 17 command module, Saturn V rocket, and the world’s largest collection of lunar samples on public display, Space Center Houston is thrilled to open the doors of inquiry and discovery for learners of all ages through the wonders and excitement of space and science learning.
Owned and operated by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Manned Space Flight Education Foundation (Tax ID# 76-0217152), Space Center Houston is a leading science and space exploration learning center. Space Center Houston is the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center and a Smithsonian Affiliate.
Ways to Give
Join Space Center Houston’s mission and help us create space for everyone!
Your gift — in any amount — has an immediate impact on our mission to inspire all generations through the wonders of space exploration.
You can make a tax-deductible gift in the following ways:
By clicking on the “Donate Now” button, you can make a debit or credit card donation through our secure website to the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Mail your check to the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, Development Department, 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058. You may make an unrestricted gift to support our mission or designate your gift for education programs. Simply indicate your designation on the memo line of your check or with accompanying correspondence.
If you are at least 59½ years old, you can take a distribution and make a gift from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) without penalty. If you itemize for tax purposes, you may be able take a charitable deduction. For those 70½ years old who are required to take a distribution from an IRA, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) allows you to direct up to $105,000 per year per person to charitable organizations from your IRA.
Transferred directly to a qualified charity such as Space Center Houston’s Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, Inc., the withdrawal counts towards your Required Minimum Distribution. The QCD gift is a tax-free withdrawal that allows you to see your donation in action today helping the next generation of space pioneers. Because it reduces your taxable income, you benefit even if you don’t itemize.
At any age, designate Space Center Houston as a beneficiary of your IRA and it will pass to us tax-free after your lifetime. If you are considering a gift from your IRA, please consult with your financial advisor, then direct any withdrawals or your plans to the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation (Tax ID # 76-0217152). And please call us at +1 281-244-2126 to let us know that you’ll be making this gift so that we can honor your goals for your donation.
A gift of appreciated securities can be a financially beneficial donation. Donors may receive a tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock on the date of the transfer and avoid capital gains on its appreciated value.
If you are considering making a gift of securities, please contact us at +1 281-244-2126 prior to making the donation so we can provide you or your broker with the banking information for the transfer. We will record the specific date of your transfer to provide you with the appropriate tax documentation.
Many companies offer a matching gift program as a benefit to their employees. You can double or even triple your impact when you take advantage of a matching gift benefit. If you are not sure, please contact your company’s human resources or benefits office to inquire if your company offers matching gifts.
Call +1 281-244-2126 to make your credit/debit card gift over the telephone.
Planned giving is a way to make a gift while maximizing your investment goals. Some gift vehicles create an income stream for you! All planned gifts should be made in consultation with your financial advisor. The simplest form of planned gift is a bequest in your will. Suggested bequest language to share with your advisor is as follows: “After fulfilling all other provisions, I give, devise, and bequeath ____ percent of the remainder of my estate or $ ____ [specific amount] to the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation. (Tax ID 76-0217152), a charitable organization incorporated under the laws of Texas, located at 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058.”
Donor Recognition
Our donors have helped open the world of space exploration to more than 22 million visitors since Space Center Houston opened in 1992. We are grateful to those who make possible exciting space and science learning opportunities, programs, and exhibits. Our donors are our greatest champions for inspiring the next generation of explorers. Your contributions give us the encouragement and the means to lift young minds to new heights.
Click here to see 2023 Mission Impact and the Donor Honor Roll.
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