The International Space Station (ISS) is running an experiment from students at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak State College.
Nationwide, 14,250 students competed for the opportunity for their experiment to go to the ISS as a part of the Students Spaceflight Experiments Program.
The student-led experiment from UCCS and PPSC was one of 39 projects chosen.
It tracks the ability of calcium sulfate crystals to grow in microgravity. The research has a variety of applications, including food additives and creating advanced building materials and sustainable fertilizers.
The experiment launched on Nov. 4 and arrived at the ISS the next morning.
A group of students and facility went to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch.
Lynnane George is the faculty sponsor of the project at UCCS.
“This is a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience for the students to be able to say, and put on their resumes, that they actually launched their own experiment into space,” said George.
The experiment will be in orbit for a total of four to six weeks.
Once it returns, results will be compared to the earth-based control sample and the team will present their findings at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.
