The files in the Library have been updated for Mission 2 to the International Space Station, except for any legacy documents from previous missions. The latest versions of the documents can be identified by the February or March 2012 revision date found on each document. Communities interested in Mission 3 are invited to review the Mission 2 suite of documents below, with the understanding that there may be slight changes to the documents when updated for Mission 3.
This Library provides SSEP participating communities all the documents necessary to conduct the SSEP. All documents referred to throughout this website, as well as additional resource documents, are found here. This Library serves as a single download point for all documents, and provides a description for each.
Most of these documents are password protected. Please see your SSEP Community Program Director for access, or Contact SSEP.
1. General Program Documents from NCESSE – Not Password Protected
At-A-Glance SSEP Program Overview
Three-page program overview of the SSEP for teachers, students, and stakeholders across your community. This is a MS Word document. If you open it on screen, all the links to relevant content on SSEP web pages will be active, and you can click on a link as needed to see the web content in the appropriate context. (Make sure to download the At-A-Glance document for the correct flight opportunity.)
Download: SSEP Mission 3 At-A-Glance Program Overview
Download: SSEP Mission 2 At-A-Glance Program Overview
Download: SSEP Mission 1 At-A-Glance Program Overview
2. General Program Documents from NCESSE – Password Protected
a. To Students—Getting Started With Experiment Design
This document provides a recipe for getting students thinking about the process of experiment design.
Download: To Students—Getting Started With Experiment Design 
b. To Teachers—Getting Started With Experiment Design
This document provides a recipe for getting you and your class moving on experiment design. It is a copy of the To Teachers—How to Move Forward web page at this website. It describes how teachers can get up to speed, and provides a recipe for activities in the classroom to get students moving on thinking about and designing their experiments. This is a MS Word document. If you open it on screen, all the links to relevant content across SSEP web pages will be active, and you can click on a link as needed to see the web content in the appropriate context.
Download: To Teachers—Getting Started With Experiment Design
3. General Program Documents from the SSEP Community Network
Password Protected
SSEP is undertaken by Local Teams in all of the participating communities. This section contains resource documents created by these teams, which are available for use by the entire SSEP Community Network.
SSEP Overview: A Power Point
Created by Tina Henckel, SSEP Community Program Director, Shelton, CT. This document is provided as a .ppt file so that you can change the Shelton-specific text and customize to your community.
Download: SSEP Overview: A Power Point
4. Student Proposers Resource Library – Password Protected
a. Microgravity Science Background and Microgravity Experiment Case Studies Documents
These documents are meant to provide a primer on the categories of science that might be undertaken in microgravity and why, and to provide inspiration and guidance for what kinds of experiments might be proposed.
The Microgravity Science Background document provides a basic overview of science relevant to microgravity studies. It details 9 separate categories of science that can be addressed in microgravity, including: protein crystal growth, inorganic crystal growth, bacterial studies, fish/aquatic life, food product studies, seeds and plants, fluid diffusion, cell biology, and micro-encapsulation. For each category, this document provides the science background, why research in this category is important, why gravity is thought to play a role, and why experiments with gravity ‘turned-off’ have been done.
The Microgravity Experiment Case Studies document provides examples of experiments suitable for an SSEP mini-laboratory, in each of the nine science categories, and examples of experiments previously flown in SSEP mini-labs on the Space Shuttle.
Download: Microgravity Science Background
Download: Microgravity Experiment Case Studies
b. Using Biologicals in SSEP Experiments: Dormant Forms, Fixatives and Growth Inhibitors Document
This document provides an understanding of why student researchers might need to use biological samples in dormant form. It also provides an understanding of why student researchers might want to terminate a biological experiment before their experiment leaves orbit and is re-introduced to a gravity environment, and how termination can be accomplished by introducing either a “fixative” which kills and preserves the biology, or by introducing a growth inhibitor which dramatically slows biological activity. This document also includes a wonderful overview of why collaboration with professional researchers in your area is so important.
Download: Using Biologicals in SSEP Experiments: Dormant Forms, Fixatives and Growth Inhibitors
c. Master List of Experiment Samples Document
For SSEP on the Space Shuttle (STS-134 and STS-135), the MDA mini-lab used had “two levels of containment” to guard against an accidental breach and possible introduction of experiment samples (fluids and/or solids) into the crew cabin. A 2-level containment system is not deemed secure enough to allow potentially toxic samples to be used. Student proposers were therefore required to use only experiment samples on a Master List of Experiment Samples. This list included hundreds of allowed non-toxic and low toxicity samples grouped in nine categories of microgravity science research, yet still restricted experiment design. For SSEP on the International Space Station the Fluids Mixing Enclosure (FME) mini-lab has three levels of containment so that a Master List of Samples is no longer required, allowing virtually unfettered experiment design by student teams. The only experiment samples that cannot be used in the FME are: radioactive materials, perfumes, hydrofluoric acid, magnets, cadmium, and beryllium.
However, teachers and student teams participating in SSEP on STS-134 and STS-135 also recognized that the Master List of Experiment Samples was a great resource for experiment design. The List provided a starting point for student research on the fluids and solids that are typical of microgravity experiments across the nine disciplines covered. We are therefore making the Master List of Experiment Samples available for SSEP missions to the International Space Station, though there is no requirement for student teams to use the samples on the list.
Download: Master List of Experiment Samples
d. Flight Experiment Proposal Guide, and Related Background Documents for Teachers and for Student Proposers
These documents provide the requirements for student team submission of a formal Flight Experiment Proposal.
The Flight Experiment Proposal Guide includes the required content and format for a proposal. The main body of each proposal will be no more than 5 pages, and include: 1) a write-up of the question to be addressed by the proposed experiment, and how it derives from current scientific understanding, and 2) a write-up of the experimental design, including: how the experiment addresses the question posed, why the proposed experiment samples (fluids and/or solids) were chosen, the experimental procedure, and the proposed experimental analysis meant to reveal an answer to the question.
Background for Teachers provides an overview of how the experiment design competition works, requirements for a proposing student team, requirements for proposal submission, and proposal evaluation criteria.
Background for Student Proposers provides an overview of how to think about the experiment design and proposal process, requirements for a proposing student team, and the proposal evaluation criteria.
Required Specificity for Description of Experiment Samples provides information on how the experiment samples (fluids and/or solids) need to be specified for NASA flight safety review before the experiment can be selected for flight. While the level of specificity described in this document is not required at the time the student teams submit their proposal, it is highly advisable for teams to read this guide and follow the advice provided as closely as possible when writing their proposal in order to avoid any problems if their experiment is selected for flight.
Download: Flight Experiment Proposal Guide
Download: Flight Experiment Proposal Guide: Background for Teachers
Download: Flight Experiment Proposal Guide: Background for Student Proposers
Download: Required Specificity for Description of Experiment Samples
e. Fluids Mixing Enclosure (FME) Mini-Laboratory Operation
The Fluids Mixing Enclosure (FME) Mini-Laboratory (also called the NanoRacks MixStik) is being used for SSEP Missions to the International Space Station. Each participating community is provided a MixStik Kit with all the components needed to assemble and load 5 flight certified FMEs.
NanoRacks MixStik Kit Instructions provides a list of all the components in a MixStik Kit, and instructions for assembly and loading of a MixStik.
MixStik Assembly Video is a .wmv video file with Mike Johnson, NanoRacks’ Chief Technology Officer and the designer of the MixStik, providing step-by-step instructions for MixStik assembly.
Download: NanoRacks MixStik Kit Instructions (PDF)
Download: MixStik Assembly Video (27.4 MB .mp4 video file)
