JOURNEY INTO SPACE (JIS) IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE STUDENT, EDUCATOR AND GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF EARTH/SPACE SCIENCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO NASA GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, THROUGH THE USE OF AN INFLATABLE PLANETARIUM AND ENGAGING SUPPORTING PROGRAMMING AT THE JOURNEY MUSEUM. VISITORS WILL EXPERIENCE IMMERSIVE HIGH-TECH ADVENTURES IN A PROJECTED, COMPUTER GENERATED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT THAT TEACHES AS IT INSPIRES AWE AND CURIOSITY. WE WILL HIGHLIGHT EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE TOPICS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO CORE CURRICULUMS AND CONTENT STANDARDS, INTEGRATE FOUNDATIONAL SPACE SCIENCE CONTENT WITH NASA DEVELOPED RESOURCES, AND HELP EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS REALIZE A VISUAL, INTERACTIVE, INQUIRY BASED ENVIRONMENT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING. JIS WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENCE AND ENVISION THEMSELVES AS SCIENTISTS. THE TRAVELING PLANETARIUM AND ASSOCIATED NETWORKING WITH AREA COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, K-12 SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND ASTRONOMICAL AFFILIATIONS, WILL BRING ADDED PROGRAMMING TO SUMMER SCIENCE CAMPS, PROVIDE US WITH TEACHING STRATEGIES AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT; PROVIDE PROGRAM CONTENT FOR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, HOME SCHOOLING NETWORKS, CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS. NETWORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS (GEAR UP) WILL OFFER ADDED INCENTIVE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH TO GRADUATE AND PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STEM AREAS. ADDRESSING NASA'S SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE (SMD) IN EARTH SCIENCE, PLANETARY SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS, AND ITS EDUCATION GOAL TO ENGAGE AMERICANS IN NASA S MISSION, A TRAVELING PLANETARIUM WITH SUPPORTING STEM PROGRAMMING WILL PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL, HIGH-IMPACT, VISUAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL WHO VISIT IT. THIS WILL DIRECTLY INCREASE STUDENT, TEACHER, AND VISITOR INTEREST IN AND UNDERSTANDING OF NASA S MISSIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO STEM DISCIPLINES AND CAREERS. BY LINKING AND ENGAGING OUR NETWORK OF PROVIDERS IN BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION WE WILL STRENGTHEN EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS, DEVELOP NEW ONES, AND OFFER CREATIVE STEM EDUCATION IN AN INFORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.