As five spacecraft from countries around this world rapidly approach Mars, NASA educators are challenging students to learn about the ‘red planet’ and design creatures that could survive in the harsh Martian environment. On Oct. 13, NASA Quest at NASA Ames Research Center, located in California’s Silicon Valley, will launch the ‘Design-a-Martian Challenge.’ NASA Quest is an educational Web site dedicated to bringing the NASA experience to K-12 students. The seven-week challenge builds upon the growing excitement about the red planet, and provides students an opportunity to interact with NASA Mars experts and other students from around the world. “The Design-a-Martian Challenge is a great opportunity to have students actively participate in one of the greatest scientific endeavors in recent history,” said Donald James, education director at NASA Ames. “With the knowledge gained from the challenge, the students will be Mars experts within their families and classrooms when the twin Mars Exploration Rovers land on Mars at the beginning of 2004.”