New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, in conjunction with Boeing and the College of Engineering had offered a week long residential summer institute entitled "Student Launch Technology Institute" to selected science, mathematics, and technology high school teachers and their students. Teachers and students were invited as a team (one teacher for each student) from schools throughout New Mexico and West Texas. Multiple teams from schools were encouraged to attend.

The purpose of this institute was to make the teachers and students aware of the relevance of science, mathematics, and technology to studies and careers in the fields of space science and engineering. During the Student Launch Technology Institute, students and teachers built high power model rockets and multiple sensor payloads, launched the rockets with payloads, and analyzed the payload data. Each school took home a high powered model rocket with payload to use with their classes. Space Grant provided technical and financial support for schools wishing to implement this program as part of their regular curriculum. Although it is not a criteria, female and minority students were encouraged to participate in this program.

We furnished housing and gave an allowance for transportation. Only teachers were provided transportation costs, therefore we urged teachers and students to travel together. We offered a three hours of continuing education units at no charge to interested teachers. For those teachers interested in graduate credit, there was the possibility of obtaining one graduate credit for this institute.

2000 Summer Institute
1999 Summer Institute