NASA's SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science) internship program, run by the University of Texas Center for Space Research, places high school students in small, mission-focused research teams. During the summer of 2026, the MATRIX (Mission Architecture Tool for Research, Integration, and eXploration) team tackled real-world challenges tied to lunar exploration, mentored by experts from the agency, academia and industry.

The initiative is part of a broader NASA effort to bring young talent into space science and engineering projects before university. Participants work on tools and analyses with direct application to mission planning, in this case focused on lunar exploration architecture.

The program combines training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with participation in multidisciplinary teams, a structure designed to bring students close to the methods and timelines of professional space research.