For a group of Tomball High School students, a science project developed in Texas is about to travel much farther than the classroom.

Astronomy and Earth Science teacher Jessica Schilder is preparing to carry student research aboard a specialized microgravity flight in Bordeaux, France, on Nov. 20, 2026, marking the culmination of nearly a year of research, engineering reviews and collaboration with aerospace professionals.

The experience places Tomball students closer to the real-world aerospace industry than most high school science programs ever get, allowing them to follow research from an idea in the classroom through technical development and, ultimately, testing in conditions that simulate weightlessness.

For Schilder, that connection between students and real scientific work is at the heart of the opportunity.

“Watching my students get excited about real data collection in science has been amazing,” said Schilder. “I have had the opportunity to see how important it is for students to feel like they are a real part of the space exploration industry. I love seeing my passion for space reflected in them.”

From Tomball High School to a Microgravity Flight in France

Schilder was selected as an Educator Flyer for the Space for Teachers Embedded Teacher Program, which connects educators with aerospace professionals and gives students opportunities to participate in authentic research and engineering processes.

She is scheduled to leave Texas for France beginning Nov. 17 before boarding an Airbus A310 specially equipped for parabolic flight on Nov. 20.

Schilder will be one of 15 educators participating in the experience. During the flight, the aircraft is expected to complete 15 parabolas, creating approximately six minutes of total weightlessness while participants conduct research developed through the program.

Parabolic flights create brief periods of microgravity by flying a carefully controlled series of climbs and descents. For students whose experiments are normally confined by Earth's gravity, those moments provide a chance to study how their work behaves under conditions that cannot be reproduced in an ordinary Tomball High School classroom.

The flight represents the final stage of a process that has included collaboration with aerospace experts, technical design work, research development and industry-level engineering reviews.

A Year of Building Toward Flight

Schilder's participation was first announced by Tomball ISD in October 2025, when the district recognized her selection for the Space for Teachers Embedded Teacher Program. Since then, she has worked through the research and engineering process required to prepare an experiment for flight.

Throughout the program, participating educators have worked alongside aerospace professionals to develop projects, refine technical designs and prepare experiments to meet flight requirements.

That process gives Schilder's students something that goes beyond learning about space science from a textbook. They have an opportunity to see how research moves through the kinds of design reviews, problem solving and preparation used by scientists and engineers working in the aerospace field.

It is also a local example of what STEM education can look like when students are invited to participate in the process rather than simply study the finished results.

“Jessica Schilder brings an incredible passion for astronomy and space science to Tomball High School and inspires students through innovative, hands-on learning,” said Dave Surdovel, Tomball ISD Director of Math and Science. “Her dedication not only elevates our science programs but also shows our students that big dreams, like exploring space, are within reach.”

Bringing Aerospace Education Into the Tomball Classroom

Schilder teaches Astronomy and Earth Science at Tomball High School as well as Aerospace Engineering through Project Lead The Way, a program designed around hands-on learning in science, technology and engineering.

Her connection to space and astronomy education extends beyond her daily classes. She also serves as a Space Foundation Teacher Liaison and National Astronomy Education Coordinator Affiliate, roles that help connect her students with opportunities and resources in the broader astronomy, aerospace and STEM communities.

Closer to home, Schilder has hosted Star Night events at Tomball High School, where students and community members have been able to use telescopes, observe the night sky and learn more about stars, constellations and astronomy.

Those events have helped make astronomy something families can experience together. Her upcoming trip takes that same approach a significant step further by placing work developed with students aboard an aircraft designed specifically to create microgravity conditions.

Why the Experience Matters for Tomball Students

Houston and the surrounding region have long been closely connected to human spaceflight and the aerospace industry, making opportunities like Schilder's especially meaningful for students growing up in the greater Houston area.

For students considering careers in aerospace engineering, astronomy, physics or other STEM fields, the project offers a firsthand look at something that can sometimes feel distant from high school life: real research with real technical requirements and a real flight ahead.

It also gives students the chance to see their teacher take work developed through the classroom thousands of miles from Tomball and put it to the test.

When Schilder travels from Texas to Bordeaux in November, she will be carrying more than an experiment aboard the Airbus A310. She will be carrying months of student curiosity, engineering work and questions developed inside a Tomball High School classroom.

And when the aircraft begins its series of parabolas, those students will know that their work has become part of something much larger than an assignment.

For more Tomball ISD news, local education stories and community updates, stay tuned to My Neighborhood News.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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