posted 12-14-2021 03:27 PM               

Put Your Miles on a Mission for Higher Orbits

Starting today, MileagePlus members can help Higher Orbits raise miles through United's crowdsourcing program, Miles on a Mission. The miles raised will provide flights for students to attend the launches of their science experiments and also allow astronauts and scientists to attend Higher Orbits Go For Launch! events and industry conferences.

"Often Higher Orbits students are asked to present their research findings at conferences across the United States and around the globe, and these donated miles will make it possible to support these invitations," says Michelle Lucas, Executive Director of Higher Orbits. Higher Orbits has set a goal of one million donated miles this December.

To date, thirteen student-led experiments from Higher Orbits have been sent into space, and there are more to come!

"Three days with Higher Orbits is all it took to find confidence in myself and fall in love with STEM," previous Go For Launch! participant Abi Youngker states. "My life has changed for the better, I was even able to represent Higher Orbits in Australia! I couldn't be more grateful for this organization." Youngker is now a Colorado University student pursuing a career in aerospace and presented at the AIAA ASCEND conference thanks to donated miles.

The Miles on a Mission program allows MileagePlus members to donate their miles to a wide variety of nonprofits in need of air travel. To date, more than 154 million miles have been donated through the program. Miles on a Mission is a part of United's Every Action Counts commitment, which aims to connect people, unite the world and serve communities by putting people and planes to work for the greater good.

"This marks a special occasion for us to come together to support and uplift those who need it the most this holiday season and beyond," Suzi Cabo, managing director of global community engagement, United Airlines. "We're proud to offer our MileagePlus members a meaningful way to use their miles for good and provide critically needed air travel to a variety of nonprofits that serve vulnerable communities across the globe."

For more information on Miles on a Mission or to donate miles, please visit here.

About Higher Orbits

Founded in 2015, Higher Orbits is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization creating an experiential learning lab for secondary school students across the United States, focused on the multi-faceted worlds of space exploration, research, and spaceflight in order to launch the next generation workforce our world desires.