Your school, your students and experiments on the International Space Station
Your school, your students and experiments on the International Space Station? Yes! Apply by February 27, 2012
Be part of history by making history.
Teachers and students may have a chance to fly a real microgravity research mini-laboratory on ISS from September 28 to November 12, 2012. The opportunity is through the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 2 to the International Space Station (ISS). The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education invites communities across the U.S. to participate in SSEP Mission 2 to ISS.
All participating school communities must be aboard by February 27, 2012. For details, review the National Announcement of Opportunity . Contact the NCESSE at ssep@ncesse.org or call 301-395-0770
The program offers a minimum of 300 grade 5-12 students across a school community to engage in experiment design plus a kit for assembly of their mini-lab. The school district is free to determine the participating grade levels. SSEP is not designed for a single class or a small number of students.
"All needed curricular materials are fully developed; and we provide ongoing, proactive support for your educator implementation team," said Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Center director and SSEP Program creator.
An 8-week experiment design competition held spring 2012 allows grade 5-12 student teams to design real microgravity experiments vying for their community's reserved mini-lab slot on ISS. SSEP immerses students in real scientific research of their own design (grade level appropriate), using real spaceflights, the final flights of Space Shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis (STS-134 and STS-135).
Students can take part in their own research conference where they can report on experiment design and results. The conference is to be held in Washington, DC, in early July, and likely at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the site of the 2011 conference.
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) is about a commitment: to the joys of learning; to student ownership in exploration through immersive and REAL science experiences; to science as journey; to rich experiences for teachers in real science; and to science as an interdisciplinary tapestry that extends to vital written and oral communication skills.
