This page provides a video archive of presentations at the annual SSEP National Conference by student researchers whose experiments were part of the SSEP Mission 3 to ISS Falcon I and II experiments payloads. Mission 3 to ISS was the fifth SSEP flight opportunity.
SSEP Mission 3 to ISS included 17 flight experiments –
5 experiments comprised the Mission 3a Falcon I payload, launched on Orb-D1, 10:58 am ET, September 18, 2013, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), Wallops Island, Virginia. Falcon 1 returned to Earth on Soyuz 35S on November 10, 2013.
12 experiments comprised the Mission 3b Falcon II payload, launched on Orb-1, 10:42 pm ET, January 9, 2014, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia. Falcon II returned to Earth on Soyuz 36S, landing in Kazakhstan on March 10, 2014.
For details on the flight profile for Falcon I and II, see the SSEP Mission 3 to the International Space Station (ISS) page.
Some student flight teams present at more than one annual conference, reporting out status at various stages of the life cycle of a flight experiment. It is also true that not all student flight teams attend a conference. For details on all Falcon I and II flight experiments, see the Selected Experiments on SSEP Mission 3 to ISS page.
Teachers in Space, Space Frontier Foundation
Title: A Study of How Microgravity Affects the Activity of Enzymes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using the Model of Papain and Gelatin
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
West Shore Junior/Senior High School
Grade level: 12
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Robert Edmiston, Jaclyn Martin, Luke Redito, Harshit Saini, and Sanju Vardhan
Co-Investigators: Genna Owen, Carissa Sage, and Hannah Schroeter
Collaborators: Rashad Abdulla, Varun Bansal, Caleb Bryant, Olivia Escandell, Dave Foster, Anuj Mehindru, and Krunal Patel
Teacher Facilitator: Amy McCormick
Abstract: ALS patient paralysis is caused by the buildup of glutamate within the synaptic cleft. This experiment serves as a model of the breakdown of glutamate, using papain to study the enzymatic breakdown of proteins in gelatin. The data provides evidence to support the researchers’ hypothesis that an enzyme will be able to function more effectively in a microgravity environment.
Title: A Study of How Microgravity Affects the Activity of Enzymes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Using the Model of Papain and Gelatin
Oral Presentation, 3rd Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2013
West Shore Junior/Senior High School
Grade levels of Team: 10-12
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3 to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Robert Edmiston, Jaclyn Martin, Harshit Saini, and Sanju Vardhan
Collaborators: Rashad Abdulla, Varun Bansal, Caleb Bryant, Olivia Escandell, David Foster, Anuj Mehindru, Genna Owen, Krunal Patel, Luke Redito, Carissa Sage, and Hannah Schroeter
Teacher Facilitator: Amy McCormick
Abstract: ALS patient paralysis is caused by the buildup of glutamate within the synaptic cleft. This experiment serves as a model of the breakdown of glutamate, using papain to study the enzymatic breakdown of proteins in gelatin. It is the hypothesis of the researchers that an enzyme will be able to function more effectively in a microgravity environment.
San Marino, California
Title: Fibroblast Division in Microgravity
Oral Presentation, 3rd Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2013
San Marino High School
Grade levels of Team: 11
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3 to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Jennifer Jiang, Jasmine Kuo, and Kara Lukas
Teacher Facilitator: Wyeth Collo
Abstract: The purpose of the experiment is to observe the effect of microgravity on cell division to see whether the lack of gravity will have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on growth. Cell division is an integral part of life, a process which all multicellular organism must go through. The cells chosen for the experiment are fibroblasts, which play a critical role in the healing of wounds.
Hilo/Waiakea, Hawaii
Title: Does Microgravity Affect the Growth of a Glycine max Plant?
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
Waiakea Intermediate School
Grade level: 6
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Principal Investigator: Josh Ebesugawa
Teacher Facilitator: Gregg Yonemori
Abstract: The purpose of this experiment is to determine if microgravity affects seed growth. If it is determined that microgravity allows for seed growth, plants can be grown in space as a renewable food source, making food supplies less of an issue. These plants will also recycle carbon dioxide and release oxygen. A hybrid of Glycine max seeds which were developed at the University of Hawaii at Manoa were chosen for this experiment.
Valley Center, Kansas
Title: The Effect of Microgravity on Bacterial Growth and its Resistance to Antibiotics
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
Valley Center High School
Grade level: 11
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Logan Burks, Wesley Crow, Cole Klinkhammer, and Samuel Sheahan
Teacher Facilitator: Jeff Tracy
Abstract: Will bacteria be less susceptible to antibiotics after it is grown under the influence of microgravity? Our experiment will monitor the effect of microgravity on the growth of bacteria and how it resists an antibiotic used to eliminate bacterial grown in the effect of gravity. The bacteria being used in this experiment is staphylococcus epidermidis. Even though this bacterium is virtually harmless, it allowed data to be collected on whether or not the bacteria underwent changes while in microgravity.
Traverse City, Michigan
Title: Response of Antibiotics and Bacteria in Microgravity
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
Traverse City West Senior High School
Grade level: 12
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Paxton Ellul, Ashley Miller, and Haley Dole
Co-Investigators: Paxton Ellul, Ashley Miller, and Haley Dole
Teacher Facilitator: Patrick Gillespie
Abstract: A bacterial infection could lead to a catastrophe aboard the ISS. To prevent bacterial infections and illness during space travel it is important to know how bacteria growth and antibiotics respond together in microgravity. In this experiment a skin bacteria, staphylococcus epidermidis, was grown aboard the ISS, exposed to an antibiotic, cephalexin, and then compared to a control experiment on Earth. The bacteria was analyzed and no viable cultures were found although there were notable visual differences between the samples.
Pleasanton and Callaway, Nebraska
Title: Kidney Stone Growth in Space
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
Pleasanton High School
Grade level: 12
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Breann Zimmer and Kara Dauel
Teacher Facilitator: Alison Buescher
Abstract: The purpose of the experiment is to observe the effects of microgravity on the structure of calcium oxalate crystals, which have the same chemical composition as kidney stones. The experiment compared calcium oxalate crystals formed in microgravity to those grown on Earth. Kidney stones have become a recent health concern for returning astronauts and could be one of the concerns for future space exploration.
New York City NEST+m, New York
Title: Mammalian Milk in Microgravity
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
New Explorations in Science, Technology, and Math (NEST+m), NYC Department of Education
Grade level: 5
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3b to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Alexander Plössl and Lennie Ma
Collaborators: Cavan Miller, Clarisa Carillo, Dawson Hall, Elliot Leinweber, Felix Scaggiante, Georgia Podgainy, Hayley He, Isabella Serrano, Joseph Dell’Olio, Julien Saunier, Kamaya Gooding, Kathryn Galperin, Kaylyne Cruz, Kiara Bracero, Kunal Ghalawat, Laila Cruz, Maury Ahram, Mina Ekstrom, Nia Powell, Remmi Duplessis, Riley Sexton, Samantha Rapkiewicz, Sasha Roberts, Sebastian Delangle, Theodore Haegele, and Zubin Gell
Teacher Facilitator: Zach Vine and Marvin Cadornigara
Abstract: The purpose of the experiment was to observe the effect of microgravity on bacterial growth in cow’s milk to determine whether the lack of gravity had a positive, negative, or neutral effect. Identical samples for comparison were prepared for bacterial growth in full gravity. Powdered milk and distilled water were chosen to allow for controlled activation of bacterial growth. Distilled water and sterile experimental loading was used to limit any bacteria contamination from sources other than the powdered milk.
Howard County, Maryland
Title: The Effect of Microgravity on Chryseobacterium Aquiticum
Oral Presentation, 4th Annual SSEP National Conference, July 2014
Lime Kiln Middle School
Grade level: 8
Type of Experiment: Flight Experiment, Mission 3a to ISS
Co-Principal Investigators: Greg Nelson, Josh Choi, Sofia Novacic, and Ryan Olsen
Teacher Facilitators: Ella Jordan, Lauren Landerman
Abstract: The goal of this project was to determine if bacteria could grow and prosper in an environment of microgravity. We selected Chryseobacterium Aquiticum because it secreted a natural antifungal that could potentially enhance plant growth in future missions. Once on the international space station the bacteria underwent the same procedure as the bacteria on Earth. When the bacteria arrived back on Earth, we concluded that Chryseobacterium Aquiticum both survived and grew better in space.