ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Tuesday, May 20th at 12:00pm ET, as part of Challenger Center for Space Science Education's Earth Science Challenge students and teachers are invited to join Richard Garriott and NASA scientists for a live interactive webcast discussing Earth Photography from Space. Students are asked to select targets that Richard will photograph from the International Space Station that will illustrate planetary stewardship over the next generation. To help students select these targets, scientists will discuss with them the important characteristics they should consider that might reflect any changes to the earth in future years. To pre-register for the event, or join the event live, go to www.challenger.org.

Students can choose a local target to their hometown (i.e. local coastlines, mountains, forests, glaciers, water systems, etc) or any other location (i.e. Mount Everest, Rockies, Louisiana Coastline, Glacier Park, Africa's Lake Chad, etc) for study, such as, a city to monitor its growth, or glaciers that might retreat with global warming, or a reservoir to see if it provides adequate water, a coastline that may change due to rising sea levels, or a pristine forest that might be logged or protected. Important questions to consider include, If nothing is done to alter the impacts on your area what changes might you see in 35 years? In 100 years? How might we alter those effects? What action can we take to conserve, protect or restore this area?

The importance of this Earth Science Challenge is to see how humans have impacted different regions on the planet over time and to make predictions about what may occur in the future. This project provides an opportunity for students to engage in a meaningful activity with NASA, exploring the importance of Earth Science and the need to address the topic of planetary stewardship. Students will analyze changes that have occurred reflecting on the cause, preventative measures that should be taken and explore ways we can preserve our planetary systems and resources. The Earth Science Challenge gives students the opportunity to act as scientists, environmentalists, and most importantly to raise awareness about the impact humans have on the environment. Student's targets and predictions will be posted on the national website. When Richard returns, students will have access to all the images, so teachers can do follow-up activities with a wealth of image resources.

Target submissions must be received prior to May 26, 2008. To submit your target to the Challenger Learning Center nearest you, please visit our Learning Center Network at www.challenger.org

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts of the space shuttle Challenger 51-L mission. Challenger Center programs raise student's expectations of success by fostering a long-term interest in science, mathematics, technology and engineering, motivating them to pursue a career in these fields. The network of 50 Challenger Learning Centers across the U.S. train more than 25,000 teachers annually to incorporate project-based learning and use the theme of space exploration to engage students in critical thinking, decision-making, communication and teamwork. To learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education, visit: www.challenger.org

For program information, please contact:

Shannon Rush, Development and Communications Associate
Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Alexandria, VA 703-683-9740; srush@challenger.org

If you are a member of the media and would like to request an interview with Richard Garriott, please contact:

Stacey Tearne, Space Adventures
703-894-2192, stearne@spaceadventures.com