Spaceward Bound is an educational program developed at NASA Ames Research Center in California.The mission of Spaceward Bound is to train the next generation of space explorers by having students and teachers participate in the exploration of scientifically interesting but remote and extreme environments on Earth as analogs for human exploration of the Moon and Mars. These natural environments pose significant challenges and opportunities for human explorers.

The next generation of space explorers (those currently in elementary and middle school) needs to understand how to establish and maintain scientific outposts in harsh environments. They must be trained to live and work in these environments and learn how to explore the surfaces of these worlds.