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STELLA Workforce Development Flyer (pdf)

Step up to instrumentation! Step up to remote sensing! This flyer introduces STELLA (Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment) as a force multiplier for NASA missions, amplifying their impact by transforming satellite remote sensing from an abstract concept into tangible, participatory science. Targeted at all skill levels, the flyer showcases how STELLA's affordable, open-source instruments bridge the gap between mission data and hands-on learning, developing the technical workforce that Earth observation systems depend upon. By guiding students from foundational sensor basics through advanced drone deployment and open-source contribution, STELLA creates a growing community of mission-literate professionals who understand why NASA investments matter and are equipped to carry that work forward. The QR code links to the STELLA website.

Students Launch STELLA into Space (pdf)

STELLA just launched into space. University of Toledo students built and flew a STELLA-inspired sensor aboard a ThinSat to monitor Lake Erie algal blooms, applying the same spectral and thermal principles used by Landsat and ECOSTRESS. This is participatory science and workforce development in action. This printout tells that story. Twenty-five students spanning high school and university levels coded, designed circuit boards, and integrated systems on a real satellite payload under the mentorship of Dr. Kevin Czajkowski and Dr. Olawale Oluwafemi. The result is a direct pipeline from the classroom to careers in Earth science. Scan the QR code to read the full story on the STELLA website.

From Farm to Satellite (pdf)

Dr. Craig Kohn uses STELLA to show agricultural professionals and students how the same spectral concepts behind NASA's Landsat satellites apply directly to farm-level decision making, comparing regenerative and conventional farming practices through NDVI analysis using real experimental field data from Michigan State. This is STELLA as a force multiplier for NASA missions, turning satellite remote sensing from an abstract concept into participatory science that builds a workforce fluent in both agricultural technology and Earth observation. This printout advertises a video of Dr. Kohn's demonstration and includes a QR code linking directly to the full video on the STELLA website.on the STELLA website.

High School Students Build AI-Powered Drone Science with STELLA (pdf)

Four NASA SEES high school interns built a drone-mounted dual STELLA spectrometer system with AI-powered land cover classification and a custom mobile app, then presented it at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2025. Flying STELLA instruments on drones and pairing them with artificial intelligence for real-time analysis, the EarthLens team demonstrated exactly the kind of advanced, multi-disciplinary workforce development that NASA missions depend upon. Their work supports precision agriculture and vegetation health applications directly connected to NASA mission objectives. This printout tells their story and includes a QR code linking to the full feature on the STELLA website.

Satellite Technology in Your Hands: STELLA and Space Weather Monitoring (pdf)

Gerald Knezek and Fred McMahan put satellite technology in the hands of educators, using STELLA to demonstrate how NASA monitors space weather and solar activity through hands-on electromagnetic spectrum analysis. As Knezek puts it, "When I first saw STELLA I had sort of flashbacks... wow, this is satellite technology I never dreamed about. Now it's in my hand... I think the potential is just unlimited." This is STELLA as participatory science and workforce development in action, building the technical skills in sensor operation, data collection, and atmospheric monitoring that create direct pathways to NASA space weather and satellite technology careers. This printout advertises the video of their demonstration and includes a QR code linking to the full feature on the STELLA website.

Retired Scientists and Engineers Bring NASA Earth Science to the Next Generation (pdf)

Twenty high school students in Sarasota, Florida used STELLA-Q2 spectrometers to collect data using the same spectral methods (but not of the same quality) as NASA's Landsat and PACE satellites, calculated NDVI, and when their instruments failed, reported the problems directly to NASA engineers and received a professional Engineering Failure Report in return. STELLA is making science tangible and accessible, turning mission data into participatory science that builds the next generation of Earth observation professionals. Program leader Nick Barbi calls STELLA "the most significant innovation to happen in STEM education since robotics." This printout tells the COASTWISE story and includes a QR code linking to the full feature on the STELLA website.

STELLA-1.2 (pdf)

The most capable instrument in the STELLA family. Free to build. Open to everyone. This printout showcases the STELLA-1.2, a modular, handheld scientific instrument developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center that supports 36 interchangeable sensor modules measuring surface temperature, air temperature, humidity, distance, GPS, and more. Everything needed to build one is freely available, including software, build instructions, a parts list, 3D print files, and activities. It is an invitation to do real participatory science and develop the hands-on technical skills that feed directly into the workforce NASA Earth observation missions depend on. Scan the QR code to access the full build resources on the STELLA website.

Helio-STELLA (pdf)

Helio-STELLA is a no-solder spectral instrument from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center that measures visible sunlight across 8 channels plus UVA radiation, logging data every second all day to a microSD card. Built with only scissors, a craft knife, a glue stick, and clear tape, it has already captured the 2024 total solar eclipse, tracked a major geomagnetic storm, and been built by educators in a single workshop session. Paired with the STELLA-Q2 it can explore surface reflectance by measuring both incoming and reflected light. All software, build instructions, 3D print files, and activities are free and open source. Scan the QR code to get started.