Teachers or museums looking for space souvenirs just need to ask NASA, which is giving away space shuttle tiles and astronaut food as part of a program to inspire the next generation of space explorers, scientists and engineers.

The items are being given away on a first-come, first-served basis using an online application system to verify eligibility.

The tiles are a significant part of the space shuttle program as they allowed NASA to reuse the vessels on multiple missions. Thousands of the tiles covered the exterior of the space shuttle on their early missions to protect against temperatures up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA eventually replaced the tiles with a different flexible insulation material.

For those interested in the food, a limited number of packaged meals are available for show, not for actual consumption. The food was precooked or processed so it required no refrigeration and was ready to eat, or easily prepared, just by adding water or by heating. Each package will contain three items, including entre, dessert and beverage.

Although all the items are free to eligible schools or museums, there is a shipping and handling fee -- $23.40 for shuttle tiles and $28.03 for the food.

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NASA giving away space shuttle souvenirs