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What do you see when you look up at the stars?


 


Pinholes of light in an endless canvas? A ribbon of constellations? Or a sea of enticing destinations and mysteries to explore?


 


If you’re an explorer at heart, you’re in luck.


 


More spacecraft are lifting off than ever before, and we’re collecting data from farther and farther away. As the industry continues to shift and adapt with new technologies, this is the perfect time to consider a career in space exploration. In fact, Microsoft recently launched Azure Space to extend the capabilities of Azure beyond the stratosphere and use insights from space discovery to solve our biggest problems here at home.


 


Find your flight path


If you’re thinking really big now, awesome. Chart a course for your interstellar success with introductory, self-paced paths and modules on Microsoft Learn. Consider them early missions in an ongoing journey and prepare yourself for launch.


 









“I think that being a developer is an essential literacy skill—just like reading, writing, and math—that everyone should be exposed to and have the option to integrate into the things that they’re passionate about. Our space-themed Microsoft Learn paths were created for learners just like you, to inspire you to take your ideas beyond what you thought was possible and apply what you learn to whatever you love.”


Dr. Sarah Guthals
Principal Program Manager, Azure Education



 


Mission 1: Discover the role of Python in space exploration


Take your first giant leap with an introduction to Python and its role in the solutions that NASA creates. Get to know the programming tools that you’ll use, learn and practice core programming concepts, and get more familiar with machine learning and AI. Along the way, you’ll hear experiences and advice from actual NASA employees.


 


Mission 2: Learn how to predict rocket launch delays with machine learning


If you’ve completed your first mission, installed Python and Microsoft Visual Studio Code, and are able to code simple programs in Python, you’re ready to dive into machine learning. Solve a real-life challenge that NASA faces before a launch and see how machine learning can help with other related issues in space discovery.


 


Mission 3: Learn how to use Python and AI to classify space rocks


Once you have a basic understanding of how Python is used for data science and machine learning, go deeper and learn how to create an AI model that can classify the type of space rock in a random photo.


 


Mission 4: Plan a mission to the Moon and bring some space rocks home


Now you’re really taking off. Learn how to prepare data for analysis, represent it clearly, and explore it using Python and pandas. Can you get your rocket to the Moon and bring it back full of space rocks?


 


Test the limits of AI with Bugs and the gang


If you’re mentoring younger students or teaching them about computer science and AI, check out the Space Jam: A New Legacy coding workshops. In these online workshops inspired by the upcoming movie, students aged eight and older learn how to build a playable prototype of a video game and explore careers in game design.


 


If you’re using the workshop to teach, take your lesson further with the educator resources in the Microsoft Store Space Jam: A New Legacy curriculum. However, these workshops are also a great way to help any curious kid in your life learn more about what you do and get them excited to try their own project.


 


And, let’s be honest, sometimes the stuff that’s made for kids is pretty fun for us too. ;)

Brought to you by Dr. Ware, Microsoft Office 365 Silver Partner, Charleston SC.