Something about space makes even the biggest questions feel possible. What’s waiting for us on the Moon? Could people really live and work there one day? What will it take to reach Mars? And who will be the scientists, engineers, astronauts, and problem-solvers who figure out what comes next?

Some of those future explorers could be Scouts today. That idea is at the heart of a new five-year partnership between Scouting America and NASA designed to connect Scouts with hands-on experiences in space exploration, science, technology, engineering, and math. Through the partnership, Scouts will have opportunities to explore real-world subjects like engineering design, robotics, space science, and Earth systems while discovering where their own curiosity might take them.

And when you think about it, space exploration and Scouting have quite a bit in common. Both start with curiosity, require preparation, and depend on people who are willing to work together when the answer isn’t immediately obvious.

Space exploration is about much more than launching rockets. Every mission begins with questions to answer and problems to solve, from figuring out how spacecraft travel safely through space to designing equipment that can work hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth.

Solving those problems takes engineers, scientists, technicians, astronauts, programmers, mathematicians, and plenty of other people working together. Through the Scouting America x NASA partnership, Scouts will be able to explore some of those same subjects through hands-on learning inspired by real missions and real challenges in space exploration. 

That means space can become more than something Scouts see in a photo or read about in a book. It becomes something they can investigate, ask questions about, and begin to understand for themselves.

You may have heard the name Artemis, but what exactly is it? The Artemis program is a series of increasingly complex missions designed to return astronauts to the Moon, learn how people can live and work there for longer periods, and use that experience to prepare for future human missions to Mars. Each mission has a different job, and what teams learn from one helps make the next one possible

• Artemis I started the journey in 2022 without astronauts aboard. The mission sent the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back to Earth to test the rocket, spacecraft, and ground systems together in deep space. Think of it as the first big test: before putting astronauts onboard, teams needed to know the equipment could make the trip and return safely. 
• Artemis II took the next step by putting astronauts aboard Orion for the first crewed Artemis flight. In April 2026, four astronauts traveled around the Moon and returned to Earth, giving teams the chance to test how the spacecraft and its systems performed with a crew in the deep-space environment. The goal was simple but essential: prove that the systems needed to carry people toward the Moon could support them safely before moving on to more complicated missions.
• Artemis III, planned for 2027, will focus on another important piece of the puzzle: how spacecraft meet and connect in space. Four astronauts will travel aboard Orion in low Earth orbit and test critical rendezvous and docking operations with commercial lunar lander systems. Those maneuvers have to work reliably before astronauts can transfer between spacecraft on future trips to the lunar surface. 
• Artemis IV is currently planned to return astronauts to the Moon's surface in 2028. After traveling aboard Orion, two crew members will transfer to a lunar lander and descend near the Moon’s South Pole, where they will spend about a week conducting science, collecting samples, and studying the lunar environment. This mission moves Artemis from testing the pieces to putting them together for human exploration on the Moon. 
• Artemis V will continue that work with another crewed lunar surface mission. Rather than treating a Moon landing as a one-time achievement, the long-term plan is to develop the equipment, experience, and infrastructure needed for astronauts to return again and again. Current plans anticipate Artemis V in late 2028, followed by roughly one Artemis mission each year as exploration expands.

That’s the bigger idea behind Artemis. We aren’t simply trying to reach the Moon, plant a flag, and head home. Scientists and engineers want to learn how people can safely explore farther from Earth, conduct new science, use new technologies, and eventually prepare for the much longer journey to Mars. For Scouts following along, each mission offers a chance to see preparation, teamwork, problem-solving, and discovery happening on a scale that’s pretty hard to beat!

One of the best things about space is that you don’t have to understand everything before you start exploring. In fact, discovery often begins with not knowing the answer.

• Why are there craters on the Moon?
• How does a spacecraft know where it’s going?
• What happens to the human body in space?
• How could astronauts live and work farther from Earth for longer periods?

A Scout who starts with one question about the Moon might become interested in astronomy. Someone fascinated by a rover might start wondering about robotics or engineering. Another Scout could discover an interest in geology, computer science, mathematics, medicine, or a field they haven’t encountered yet.
That’s part of the partnership's goal. 

Scouting America plans to bring space and STEM learning into programs, educational resources, and special events, while local councils will have opportunities to connect Scouts with experts and experiences tied to real-world exploration.

Nobody looks at the night sky and understands it all at once. Space exploration moves forward one question, experiment, problem, and discovery at a time, with each new answer giving us something else to investigate.

That makes curiosity a pretty good place for Scouts to begin. The Scouting America x NASA partnership gives them new ways to connect that curiosity with the science, technology, teamwork, and problem-solving behind real space exploration.

Maybe a Scout looks at the Moon tonight and wonders what it would be like to stand there. Maybe they see a spacecraft and start wondering how it works, or hear about the Artemis missions and want to know where we’re headed next. Those questions may seem simple, but every explorer has to start somewhere. 

Sometimes exploring what’s out there starts with something as simple as looking up and asking, "What comes next?"