The emerging global and societal conditions demand more than the rhetoric of restructuring, reform, change, and innovation. Educators must adopt the spirit of astronauts to confront the issues directly, create a desirable future for learning, and overcome the inertia of the existing school system. The proposal for the Minnesota Experimental City (MXC) is an exciting educational alternative. Planned for a community of 250,000 people, the MXC features waterless toilets, a geodesic dome, centralized/decentralized living, electronic technology, people movers, and no cars. Most importantly, it was designed with no schools; the city itself will be a lifelong learning laboratory. Although the city has not yet been constructed, creative educational architects can adapt the concepts and weave them into the local district transitions needed to move into the 21st century. School leaders can begin by designating one existing facility as a districtwide MXC space center for education or by creating school-within-a-school experiments throughout the district. The idea of research and development in education must be restored. Year-round schooling offers creative possibilities, but the Coalition for Essential Schools is focused on improving what already exists, promoting 20th century notions such as school-based management, teacher development, and interventions for disadvantaged students. A list of 25 steps is presented for administrator/astronauts seeking community-based learning models. (MLH)