At the NSLC on Aerospace, you’ll step into the world of aviation and space engineering through projects that bring complex ideas to life. Working with a team of your peers, you’ll design and build an unmanned aerial vehicle and create components for a Mission to Mars, applying the engineering design process from first sketch to final test. You’ll explore aerodynamics, propulsion mechanics, and flight control systems, gaining a clear picture of how aircraft and spacecraft move from design to launch. By the end of the program, you’ll develop a strong foundation in aerospace engineering and understand how these principles are applied to solve real challenges in aviation and space exploration.
High School Summer Aerospace Program
Ignite your career in aerospace.
Official Program Partner
IEEE
The NSLC is proud to partner with IEEE and the IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute to foster the next generation of technology innovators through hands-on, interdisciplinary engineering education that empowers students to solve real-world challenges.
Program Highlights
Inside Aerospace at NSLC
Explore aerospace engineering firsthand this summer. NSLC pre-college programs combine academic learning with real-world opportunities, giving you the experience and perspective to make more confident decisions about college and your future career.
Explore through hands-on learning.
Build the skills and confidence for a future career in aerospace through experiential learning and real-world simulations.
Explore SimulationsLearn from industry leaders.
Gain real-world insight from professionals who share their experiences and advice. Discover new careers within the field and learn what success looks like firsthand.
Explore Guest Speakers
Go behind the scenes.
Get an inside look at how ideas come to life in practice. Through immersive trips and tours, you’ll see how projects take shape - and where your future might lead.
Explore Trips & ToursHonestly one of the best experiences I've had. I learned not only so much about aerospace, but also about myself.
Phoenix, New York
Hands-on Simulations
Experience aerospace
through immersive workshops exploring the science and technology propelling humanity beyond Earth's boundaries. From flight mechanics and aerodynamics to propulsion and rocket design, discover how engineers apply scientific principles to develop the aircraft and spacecraft that make aviation and space exploration possible.
Rocket Launch
Focus on fin design as you construct a rocket with your team, trying to achieve the longest flight time from launch to touchdown.
RC Plane
Design and build your own remote-controlled plane, combining aerodynamics, electronics, and flight controls before taking to the skies in a final flight competition.
Aircraft Carrier Launch
Construct a glider and build a launch system, competing with your peers to see which team can cover the most distance.
Payload Delivery Systems
Explore the concepts of air resistance, drag, durability, and mass on the delivery of a dropped payload, aiming to build the lightest and most secure system possible.
Skills Rotations
Gain the knowledge essential for a career in aerospace, including CAD, types of propulsion, and the forces present during flight.
Wind Turbines
Examine alternative energy sources by building a wind turbine that effectively transforms wind energy into direct current electricity.
Guest Speakers
Gain industry insights.
Interact with guest speakers from a variety of backgrounds that bring practical knowledge and real-world experiences to the Aerospace program.
See Past Guest Speakers
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Space Center Houston
Trips & Tours
Go beyond the classroom.
Gain a new perspective on aerospace through field trips that uncover how the industry works behind the scenes. A mix of educational and sightseeing tours allow you to explore the city surrounding the university.
See Trips by Location
Leadership
is in our name.
Each NSLC program contains a leadership curriculum designed to teach skills that can apply to all areas of life. Workshops on personality styles, communication and listening, resilience, and empathy set the foundation for a successful future, no matter where it may lead.
Watch VideoLife on a College Campus
Dates, Locations, & Tuition
NSLC provides an immersive pre-college experience that prepares students for life beyond high school, allowing them to study in university classrooms, learn to navigate a campus, and experience college life firsthand. When submitting an application, students will select a residential or commuter option: residential students stay on campus in supervised dormitories, while commuter students follow daily arrival and departure times designated by their chosen location.
Johns Hopkins University°
Baltimore, MD
$4,495 Residential
$3,745 Commuter
Summer 2027
Jul 10 - Jul 18
Jul 22 - Jul 30
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
$4,695 Residential
$4,025 Commuter
Summer 2027
Jun 23 - Jul 1
Jul 5 - Jul 13
° The NSLC is not related to or affiliated with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in any way. NSLC is an entirely separate entity with no connection to JHU aside from the temporary rental of facilities for the program.
△ The NSLC is not sponsored by William Marsh Rice University.
Tuition Resources
Earn College Credit
NSLC has partnered with American University to offer an online college credit opportunity for students across all our programs and locations. AU’s faculty-taught courses are completed at home outside the dates of your program and tailored to complement your area of study.
Learn MoreRelated Programs
Students interested in Aerospace also expressed interest in these programs.
Aerospace FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Wondering if NSLC’s Aerospace program is right for you? Explore below, read our general FAQs, or reach out to our team. We’re happy to help!
Aeronautical engineering focuses on aircraft that fly within Earth’s atmosphere, while aerospace engineering is a broader field that includes both aircraft and spacecraft. At NSLC, you’ll explore concepts that connect these disciplines, including aerodynamics, propulsion, and flight mechanics. Through hands-on challenges, you’ll discover how engineers approach the different demands of flying through the atmosphere and traveling beyond it.
You’ll do more than follow instructions to build something that flies. You’ll make design decisions, test your ideas, and figure out what to change when something doesn’t work as expected. A rocket that veers off course or a glider that doesn’t travel as far as you’d hoped becomes an opportunity to investigate why. It’s a chance to experience the problem-solving side of aerospace engineering, where understanding what went wrong can be just as important as getting something right.
Yes! NSLC’s Aerospace program introduces concepts used in both aviation and space exploration. You’ll explore how aircraft generate lift, how propulsion systems work, and how engineers account for the forces acting on a vehicle during flight. You’ll also investigate challenges associated with rockets and spacecraft. It’s an opportunity to discover which side of aerospace interests you most, or whether you’re drawn to the engineering principles they share.
Both programs explore aerospace engineering through hands-on projects, but they approach the field from different angles. NSLC’s Aerospace program covers aviation and space engineering, with activities involving aerodynamics, aircraft design, rockets, and flight systems. Aerospace at Space Center Houston places greater emphasis on the engineering behind space missions, with NASA-inspired challenges and experiences connected to Johnson Space Center. If you’re especially interested in airplanes and the science of flight, the broader Aerospace program may be a good fit. If you’re drawn to spacecraft, astronaut preparation, and mission engineering, you may prefer the Houston experience.
Aerospace engineering opens the door to careers involving aircraft, spacecraft, and the systems that make flight possible. Aerospace engineers design and test flight vehicles, while aeronautical engineers focus on aircraft operating within Earth’s atmosphere. Other possibilities include propulsion engineer, flight test engineer, avionics engineer, and spacecraft systems engineer. NSLC’s Aerospace program introduces you to the engineering challenges behind aviation and space exploration, helping you discover which areas interest you most.
Absolutely! Working through aerospace engineering challenges can help you discover which subjects and activities genuinely interest you. You might find that you love designing aircraft, solving problems involving physics, or exploring how spacecraft work. You might also discover that aerospace engineering isn’t quite what you expected, and that’s valuable to learn before choosing a college major. Either way, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your interests and the kinds of problems you enjoy solving.
Your future starts here.
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