HUNTSVILLE — The National Space Club Huntsville and Jacobs are hosting close to 300 fifth-grade students for National Space Club Day at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center today. The students are from Chapman, Montview, Highlands, Whitesburg, Sonny Hereford and Ridgecrest elementary schools in Huntsville.

The club’s educational mission is to get young people excited about careers in science, technology, engineering and math according to Terry Abel, education co-chair for National Space Club Huntsville.

“We provide a hands-on experience for children who might not otherwise be able to visit the Rocket Center,” said Abel. “We want to encourage their families to come back and visit with them.”

In addition to a tour of the Rocket Center, the students will see a show in the Intuitive Planetarium, have lunch and check out the simulators such as Moon Shot and G Force.