Editing Teacher in Space Project (section)

==Private program==
In the early 21st century, the Teacher in Space project was revived in the private sector. The development of reusable, suborbital launch vehicles by commercial companies makes it possible for nonprofit groups to contemplate sending large numbers of teachers into space. The new Teachers in Space program began in 2005. In March 2005, Teacher in Space candidate Pam Leestma, a second-grade teacher and cousin of Space Shuttle astronaut [[David Leestma]], completed a training flight aboard a [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|MiG-21]] operated by X-Rocket, LLC.<ref>{{cite news | first=Edward | last=Wright | title=Teacher In Space Candidate Completes Proficiency Flight | date=2005-03-31 | publisher=X-rocket | url =http://www.ereleases.com/pr/20050331005.html | access-date = 2007-08-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071020013531/http://www.ereleases.com/pr/20050331005.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-10-20}}</ref>

[[Armadillo Aerospace]], [[Masten Space Systems]], [[PlanetSpace]], [[Rocketplane Limited, Inc.]], and [[XCOR Aerospace]] pledged flights to the new Teachers in Space project.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tumlinson |first=Rick |date=2006-10-16 |title=Masten Space Systems Donates Rocket Ride to Teacher |url=http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2006/20060918TISMasten.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184306/http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2006/20060918TISMasten.html |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2007-08-13 |publisher=Space Frontier Foundation}}</ref> Advisors to the new Teachers in Space project include [[SpaceShipOne]] builder and Ansari X-Prize winner [[Burt Rutan]], X-Prize founder [[Peter Diamandis]], Apollo astronaut [[Buzz Aldrin]], and private astronaut and X-Prize sponsor [[Anousheh Ansari]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Tumlinson |first=Rick |date=2006-04-21 |title=New Teachers In Space Program Gains Momentum |url=http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2006/20060421teachersinspace.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184152/http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2006/20060421teachersinspace.html |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2007-08-13 |publisher=Space Frontier Foundation}}</ref>

The United States Rocket Academy partnered with the SFF in 2006, and worked to draft rules for a "pathfinder" competition to select the first Teachers in Space. The rules were announced at the [[X Prize Cup|Wirefly X PRIZE Cup]] Competition held at Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo, New Mexico in October 2007.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tumlinson |first=Rick |date=2007-08-08 |title=Godspeed Barbara Morgan; Plans for Large Numbers of Teachers in Space |url=http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2007/20070808barbaramorgan.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184314/http://www.space-frontier.org/PressReleases/2007/20070808barbaramorgan.html |archive-date=2007-09-27 |access-date=2007-08-13 |publisher=Space Frontier Foundation}}</ref> Applications were accepted until November 4, 2008. On July 20, 2009, Teachers in Space announced its first group of "Pathfinders": astronaut teacher candidates.<ref>{{cite web |title=Teachers in Space |date=2009-07-20 |publisher=Teachers in Space |url=http://teachersinspace.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/seven-astronaut-teacher-candidates-announced/ |access-date=2009-07-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725220103/http://teachersinspace.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/seven-astronaut-teacher-candidates-announced/ |archive-date=2009-07-25 }}</ref>

On June 11, 2013, [[Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University]]'s new Commercial Space Operations degree program, the first of its kind in the world, announced they will sponsor the Teachers in Space summer workshops for the next five years, indicating their intent toward a continuing long term relationship as well as their sharing a vision to "...help students, teachers and organizers collaborate in bringing space education to every level, from K-12 to graduate programs."<ref>{{cite web |date=June 11, 2013 |title=Embry-Riddle's New Degree Program in Commercial Space Operations to Sponsor Teachers in Space Summer Workshops |url=http://daytonabeach.erau.edu/news/teachers-in-space.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130907233933/http://daytonabeach.erau.edu/news/teachers-in-space.html |archive-date=September 7, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013 |publisher=Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=NASA Office of Education |date=August 1, 2012 |title=Weekly Update: NASA Education |url=https://education.jsc.nasa.gov/war/archive/war_roll_up.cfm?&date=20120801&type=month&yr=2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104111102/https://education.jsc.nasa.gov/war/archive/war_roll_up.cfm?&date=20120801&type=month&yr=2012 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}}</ref>

In 2014, Program director Elizabeth Kennick incorporated the Teachers in Space project as an educational nonprofit in New York, spinning it off from the Space Frontier Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |date=2014-10-23 |title=Space Frontier Foundation Launches Teachers in Space, Inc. |url=http://spacefrontier.org/2014/10/12921/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914130228/https://spacefrontier.org/2014/10/12921/ |archive-date=2015-09-14 |access-date=2016-01-21 |website=Spacefrontier.org}}</ref> Five original Pathfinders (James Kuhl, Rachael Manzer, Lanette Oliver, Chantelle Rose, and Michael Schmidt) remain with the program, also Vice President Joe Latrell and several teacher volunteers. [[Teachers in Space, Inc.]] has now flown two teacher/student designed experiments to International Space Station (ISS), launched and retrieved several high altitude balloons with data sensors, put teachers through astronaut training experiences including hypobaric chamber and centrifuge, and delivered weeklong professional development workshops for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teachers in California, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and Georgia.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=The Space Show |title=Elizabeth (Liz) Kennick, Teachers In Space, Friday, 2-21-14 |url=http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com/tag/teachers-in-space/ |date=February 21, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=Teachers in Space, Inc. |title=May Teachers in Space Newsletter |url=http://teachers-in-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MAYTeachersinSpaceNewsletter.pdf |date=June 4, 2014}}</ref>