While celebrities often lend their names to charitable causes, rapper Travis Scott has taken a more hands-on approach by partnering his Cactus Jack Foundation with Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. The collaboration, which officially launches on October 11, 2025, aims to provide Houston ISD students with an eight-week STEM curriculum focused on real-world space challenges.
The program brings together nonprofit educational resources and NASA veterans to mentor students in tackling pressing issues in space exploration. Participants will work on practical problems including water scarcity, power generation, and habitat design—skills that directly translate to future careers in engineering and space industries.
Space education meets real-world innovation as students tackle water, power and habitat challenges alongside NASA veterans.
Students will engage in design sketching, modeling, and systems prototyping alongside experienced NASA engineers who provide professional guidance throughout the process. Unlike traditional classroom learning, the initiative emphasizes team-based projects that mirror actual industry workflows, allowing students to experience the collaborative nature of professional engineering environments. Just as aspiring musicians must master voice training techniques to develop their craft, these students will build essential skills through structured, hands-on practice.
This hands-on approach fosters creativity, critical thinking, and technical proficiency while exposing underrepresented youth to advanced STEM education opportunities they might otherwise miss. Scott is bringing his entrepreneurial mindset from developing diverse income streams in his music career to creating educational pathways for young people. The program includes three Saturday build events at TXRX Labs where students can put their designs into practice. The final project culminates in a December 19 presentation where students will showcase their engineered designs at Space Center Houston with Travis Scott co-hosting. The space program represents just one facet of the Cactus Jack Foundation’s educational initiatives.
The organization also operates Cactus Jack Gardens, teaching agricultural economics at Houston elementary schools, and the CACT.US Design Center, which offers design, fashion, and music training to at-risk students. Additional programs include college scholarships through the Fashion Scholarship Fund and the annual Cactus Jack HBCU Celebrity Softball Classic.
“Our mission is to empower and enrich youth by providing access to education and creative resources,” a foundation representative explained, highlighting their commitment to serving all Houston students regardless of background.
