Hop on the school bus and get ready to take a tour around...Mars?
A new initiative focusing on STEM education is taking flight on a national scale.
One highlight: a school bus that transports students to another planet.
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company based in Maryland. They've launched Generation Beyond, a national education program aimed at inspiring kids to pursue future careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
At the center of it: interactive tools to encourage students and support educators.
There's a free deep space curriculum available for educators, and a Hello Mars app that helps students find Mars in the sky and get weather reports from the Red Planet in real time.
But the real star of the show: Lockheed Martin's Mars Experience Bus. The vehicle will travel the country and immerse students in an interactive ride simulating a drive around Mars, the company said in a news release.
Lockheed notes it's a virtual reality vehicle that uses video game software to create the out-of-this-world experience.
