NASA-International Space Station

Interactive museum exhibits about climate change, Earth science, and missions beyond Earth are among the projects NASA has chosen to receive agency funding. Nine familiar education providers from Alaska to New York will share $6.2 million in grants through NASA's Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums.

Participating organizations comprise museums, science centers, Challenger Centers and other institutions of familiar education. Selected projects will partner with NASA's Museum Alliance, an Internet-based, nationwide network of more than 400 science centers, planetariums, museums, aquariums, zoos, observatory visitor centers, NASA visitor centers, nature centers and park visitor centers.

Projects in the agenda will engage learners of all ages as well as educators who work in official or informal science education. The projects will offer NASA-inspired space, science, technology, engineering or mathematics educational opportunities, including planetarium shows and exhibits.

In conjunction with NASA's Museum Alliance, the grants focus on NASA-themed space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science, microgravity or a grouping of themes. Some projects will comprise partnerships with elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities.

The projects are situated in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and South Dakota. The nine grants have a maximum five-year period of performance and range in value from about $120,000 to $1.5 million. Selected projects work with the NASA Shared Service Center in Mississippi to complete the business review essential before a NASA award is issued.

Proposals were chosen through a merit-based, external peer-review process. NASA's Office of Education and mission directorates collaborated to request and review the grant applications. This integrated advance distinguishes NASA's investment in informal education. NASA established 67 proposals from 32 states and the District of Columbia.

Congress initially funded the Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums grants in 2008. The first group of projects began in fall 2009 in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Vermont and Washington. Congress has enacted funds to carry on this program in 2010, and NASA anticipates selecting extra proposals to fund from those submitted in 2009.

For a list of selected organizations and projects descriptions, click on "Selected Proposals" and look for "Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums (CP4SMP)" or solicitation NNH09ZNE005N at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com .