Through the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars Academy, students from across Virginia had the opportunity to spend a week at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Senior Maren Kelley spent a week of her summer vacation with other high-schoolers to work out the logistics of a theoretical manned mission to Mars.

With guidance from mentors, the students designed and presented a plan for human exploration of the “Red Planet.”

“The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars Summer Academy was an amazing opportunity for me to reaffirm my interest in aerospace engineering,” said Maren.