Creek Valley Elementary Students' Science Experiment Bound for International Space Station

Dec 20 2023

Creek Valley Elementary School fifth-grade students have secured the remarkable opportunity to witness their science experiment venture into space as it heads to the International Space Station (ISS). A national panel of experts handpicked their proposal to be aboard a forthcoming SpaceX spacecraft next year. The students’ proposal was the only selection in Minnesota and one of 39 to be selected across the United States and Canada.

The project's student winners include Nithini Weerakkodi Arachchilage, Kaydence Chen, Fallon Smith, and Marit Western, guided by their teacher, Mr. Cody Ellis. The experiment focuses on assessing the germination rate of raspberry seeds in microgravity conditions, exploring the viability of cultivating these berries in a space environment. Raspberries were chosen for their nutritional attributes, such as iron, potassium, and antioxidants, coupled with their relative ease of cultivation compared to other plant varieties.

According to the student’s proposal, “Studying how raspberries and other plants grow in space without gravity can teach us a lot about growing food for future space trips, like going to Mars or living in space. It’s important to figure out how to grow plants in space because we need sustainable food systems for astronauts during long missions. By learning about plant growth in space, we can make sure astronauts have enough healthy food to eat and stay strong in space.”

creek valley SSEP winners — *The students were notified about their winning experiment during an all school assembly at Creek Valley Elementary School where their parents and caregivers were invited to watch the celebration.*

All teams participating in the flight experiment have the period from now until March for testing, refinement, and optimization of their experiments, with an anticipated launch scheduled for the fall of 2024.

Stacy Hamel, Senior Education Program Manager & SSEP Senior Flight Operations Manager, expressed her congratulations, stating, "Truly, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the future scientists that designed an experiment and wrote a proposal effectively detailing the experiment, so that it was deemed worthy of investigation 250 miles above Earth aboard the ISS!"

Edina Public Schools received a total of 35 student research proposals from over 200 students spanning grades 5-12 for this year's Student Space Flights Experiments Program. Three Edina Schools finalists were then selected and reviewed formally by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education Step 2 Review Board.

The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program is a global initiative spearheaded by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education. Notably, Edina Public Schools is the first institution in Minnesota to participate in the program, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. The program, which aims to engage students worldwide in an authentic, research-based space experience, encourages the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Edina Education Fund has played a crucial role in financially supporting Edina Public Schools' involvement.

For more information about the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program, please visit http://ssep.ncesse.org/.

WINNING EXPERIMENTS

	Community	Experiment Name
1	Edmonton, AB, Canada	The effect of microgravity on reproduction of Dugesia japonica
2	Guelph, ON, Canada	Will soil bacteria biodegrade compostable plastic in microgravity?
3	Kingston, ON, Canada	The Impact of Lectins on Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation in Microgravity
4	Ukraine	Production of biomedical purpose hydrogels in microgravity
5	Mesa, AZ	The Growth and Mutation of Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilm in Microgravity
6	Tolleson, AZ	Does the Arabidopsis seed grow in the test tube without gravity?
7	Glendora, CA	Cyanobacteria (Trichormus variabilis): Growth in Extreme Conditions of Microgravity, Radiation, While in Extended Darkness
8	Lamont, CA	Effects of Microgravity on Lactuca sativa
9	Moreno Valley, CA	The Effects of Microgravity on Arugula
10	Colorado Springs, CO	Calcium Sulfate Crystal Growth in Microgravity
11	Loveland, CO	Cucurbita Maxima Seed’s Germination in Microgravity
12	Hillsborough County, FL 1	Handy, Dandy Dandelions
13	Hillsborough County, FL 2	Fenugreek and its Nutritional Value in Microgravity
14	Viera, FL	How do tardigrades preserve hemlibra medication in microgravity?
15	Pittsfield, MA	The Effects of Microgravity on the Chromosomal Alignment on the Metaphase Plate in Onion Root Tip Cells
16	Oak Park, MI	How Watermelon Germinates in Space Versus on Earth
17	Edina, MN	Does Gravity Affect the Germination Rate of Raspberry Seeds
18	Albany, NY	The effects of a microgravity environment on the growth of mold on strawberries
19	Garden City, NY	The Effects of Microgravity on the Mass of Salvia hispanica L. (Chia Seeds) Abundant with Omega-3
20	Long Beach, NY	The Effect of Microgravity on the Germination of Watercress Seeds
21	Red Hook, NY	The Effect of Microgravity on the Hatching Rate of Rotifers
22	North Tonawanda, NY	The crystallization of the spores of Bacillus thuringiensis in a Microgravity Environment
23	Grand Forks, ND	The effects of Rhizobia enriched soil on the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris (Black Beans) in Microgravity
24	Athens, OH	Effect of Spaceflight-Adapted Bacteria on Plant Growth and Resilience in Microgravity
25	Kent, OH	The Effects of Microgravity on Pisum sativum Roots
26	Pickerington, OH	Effects of Microgravity on Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier
17	Pittsburgh, PA	Effect of Microgravity on the Enzymatic Degradation of Polyurethane by Penicillium chrysogenum
28	Columbia, SC	Gravitational Effects on Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) Regulation in Edible Greens
29	Arlington, TX	Germination of Pisum sativum in microgravity
30	Burleson, TX	Growth of Raspberry Seeds in Microgravity
31	Houston, TX	Comparison of Arabidopsis thaliana germination and cell wall growth in microgravity versus standard conditions
32	Plano, TX	Growth and Life Cycle of Crickets (Acheta domesticus) in Microgravity for Astronaut Consumption
33	San Antonio, TX	Effects of Microgravity on Chia Seed Growth
34	Texarakana, TX	Will Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) keep its structure in microgravity?
35	Waxahachie, TX 1	Tardigrade Growth in Space
36	Waxahachie, TX 2	What is the effect of microgravity on dandelion growth?
37	Sandy, UT	Nematodes to the rescue! - Space worms as an integral component of space agriculture
38	Chesapeake, VA	The Growth of Beets in Microgravity
39	iForward-Grantsburg, WI	Will microgravity have an effect on the growth and development of brine shrimp?

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Creek Valley Elementary Students' Science Experiment Bound for International Space Station