As Artemis II Returns to Earth, Austin Prep Sixth Graders Take Off on a Mission to Mars

As Artemis II returned to Earth on Friday, April 10, the entire Austin Prep sixth grade class took part in a space experience of their own at the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University. The field trip coincided with the major moment in space exploration and gave students a timely, hands-on look at the kind of work that goes into missions beyond Earth.

The Christa McAuliffe Center is named in honor of McAuliffe, a teacher selected for NASA’s Teacher in Space Project and a Framingham State alumna who died in the Challenger explosion. At a place that carries forward her legacy of education and exploration, Austin Prep students were split between a guided planetarium experience and a high-pressure Mars simulation that asked them to think, communicate, and problem-solve like a real flight crew.

Sixth Graders Step Into Mission Control

At the McAuliffe Center, the heart of the day was the Mars simulation. Students were divided into teams and assigned roles in Mission Control and aboard a spacecraft, where they worked through a challenge that included searching for evidence of water, looking for signs of life, and keeping the crew safe. According to STEM facilitator Maureen Parker, each student had a specific job, from navigation and medical support to communications, rover operations, and biology, and every station depended on the others to move the work forward.

For students, the day stood out not only because of the science involved, but because it gave them a chance to take ownership of the experience.

Austin Prep sixth graders Francis Pound ’32 of Beverly, Richie Gillis ’32 of Wilmington, Avery Rebelo ’32 of Lynnfield, and Brooke Lingel ’32 of North Reading pose at the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University during a field trip that coincided with the return of Artemis II to Earth on Friday, April 10.

Francis Pound ’32 of Beverly served as a communications officer, relaying urgent information between the spacecraft and Mission Control. “There was an emergency with air pressure that I had to communicate to Mission Control to get figured out,” Francis said.

Although that part of the exercise did not end the way the team hoped because of the asteroid, Francis said the experience still left a strong impression. “I think it’s really cool, learning about space,” Francis said. “It helps you because now I know how a spacecraft works, which is really interesting. My friends probably don’t know about that stuff, so it’s interesting to tell them and talk about it.”

Richie Gillis ’32 of Wilmington worked on programming the rover and helping it move safely across the Martian surface. “I was responsible for programming the rover, making sure that it could roam around on Mars safely, and finding the spots on Mars where it could move,” Richie said. “It ended up working out well.”

Even in a simulated environment, the challenge helped make the work feel real. “There were a lot of craters to avoid,” Richie said.

Avery Rebelo ’32 of Lynnfield was responsible for landing the rover on Mars, a job that required coordination with classmates handling other parts of the descent. “The landing went successfully after a couple tries,” Avery said. “The biggest challenge was communicating with the people who were opening the parachutes to make sure they did it on time.”

For Avery, the day reinforced a lesson that extended beyond the simulation itself. “I would take away from the day that to be able to do something, it can take multiple tries,” Avery said. “You have to learn from trying.”

Brooke Lingel ’32 of North Reading helped build the rover and make sure the spacecraft had the correct parts. “We actually did pretty good,” Brooke said. “When I was in the space shuttle, we had to rush because of an asteroid, but when we were not rushed, we actually did really good. We had really good communication, even though we did have some trouble with headphones in the beginning, but in the end, it was very successful.”

Brooke also said the experience changed how she thinks about the future. “I would love to work on ground control,” Brooke said. “I just love it. I probably wouldn't like to go in space because I'm a little afraid of heights, but I just love the solving things that are really hard to accomplish," Avery said.

Teamwork, Timing, and Problem-Solving Under Pressure

Maureen Parker said one of the biggest challenges was helping students channel their excitement into focus. They had to slow down, read carefully, understand their roles, and manage their time under pressure.

The simulation also asked students to adapt in real time. As conditions changed, they had to communicate, solve problems, and adjust their plans. When an asteroid forced the crew to abandon part of the exercise, students regrouped and worked toward a successful outcome.

Maureen Parker said the Austin Prep students rose to the occasion. “They were fantastic,” Parker said. “The excitement was palpable. They were successful and they were cheering each other on and clapping for each other. The camaraderie and the teamwork was very apparent.”

Looking Up While Looking Ahead

While half the class worked through the Mars simulation, the other half took part in a planetarium program that introduced students to constellations, nebulae, galaxies, and the broader universe. The session moved from Orion and the Horsehead Nebula to Uranus, Neptune, Voyager 2, the Milky Way, and Andromeda.

The setting added another layer of meaning. At the Christa McAuliffe Center, students learned in a place that continues to support her legacy through hands-on STEM experiences centered on curiosity, teamwork, and exploration.

On a day when Artemis II returns home from space, Austin Prep students got a close-up look at the focus and collaboration that make exploration possible. For one day, sixth graders were not simply learning about space. They were in it.