Brevard County sixth-graders participate in the eighth annual Space Week at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Brevard County sixth-graders participate in the eighth annual Space Week at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Here, the students wait to take a ride on the Shuttle Launch Experience, which mimics the sights, sounds and sensations of a real space shuttle launch.

About 5,000 students will participate throughout the 11-day event, which contains fun space exploration activities designed to emphasize the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Space Week is sponsored by NASA Education, Brevard Public Schools, Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, and the Florida Chapter of the National Space Club. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett