The Space Race Series Part 1: Rockets in Space (8-10)

Teacher Tom is an Analog Astronaut assigned to a crewed mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Spring 2026!

Tom's students have become Analog Astronauts, sent experiments to Space, won NASA contests, and have named Professional Rocket Launches. Being involved in the space industry starts now, not when you are an adult! 

On Outschool since 2020, Tom is a designated STAR educator on Outschool. Star educators are top rated, experienced, and highly responsive, with classes that meet Outschool's quality learning standards. Tom is also an ACE Educator and was previously featured as a top educator on Outschool's EPIC Spotlight for being a Passion-Driven Educator.

Tom's popular The Way Things Work classes offer students an amazing foundation that will help them better understand how all things work and make it easier to learn going forward.

Some of Tom's greatest passions are Rocket Science and Space and he would love to share these with your learners. Tom's popular Current Events in Space Technology and Rocket launches class keeps learners up to date on the Space Race and has been successfully and enthusiastically running on Outschool for over 4.5 years! Tom offers several great classes for your future Rocket Scientist & most ongoing classes run all year round!

Tom has learned a great deal from being raised in a family of scientists, with his "ahead of her time" grandmother being a nuclear chemist who worked on several highly classified projects. Tom is also carrying on the legacy of his brilliant grandfather who trained servicemen to use radio and radar at various Navy training facilities when not overseas during WW2, as well as being a chief engineer for commercial radio stations, & having a 108 ft Ham Radio tower in his back yard. Tom has been a licensed Ham Radio operator for over a decade. Tom is an electronics whiz who has built his own functioning Ham Radio equipment and towers. Tom is excited to share his passion for Ham Radio with you through his knowledge and skills and prepare you to pass the ham radio test and obtain your very own ham radio license. (No age requirement for obtaining a ham radio license)

Tom has extensive experience teaching, leading, and mentoring youth and is anxious to inspire the young people who attend his classes. He is a "human Google" so bring all of your questions to class with you and don't be afraid to ask them!

You will find Tom to be an engaging and intelligent teacher, armed with an abundance of dad jokes and witty comments.