Colleges are racing to raise cash to bring a Russian cosmonaut and a top scientist to Teesside.
About £6,000 is needed for Alexandre Martynov and Alexandre Alexandrov to come to Britain for a series of educational visits in October.
Stockton Sixth Form College, Prior Pursglove Sixth Form College at Guisborough, Bede College, Billingham, and the Castle Eden Walkway, near Stockton are helping to raise money. A £1,000 grant has been given by the Ropner Trust.
Martynov is a former head of the ballistics department at the Russian Space Control Centre while Alexandrov has flown on both Salyut and Mir.
Dr John McCue, director of the Castle Eden Walkway Planetarium, said: "The main aim is to lift the eyes of secondary pupils to space, enthuse them with modern science and technology and encourage them to continue their science studies to A-level, and beyond to degrees."
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