Astronauts Will Conduct an Experiment on the International Space Station this Summer
A-B Tech is one of 20 schools and colleges nationwide that will be sending a science experiment into outer space this spring as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP).
The experiment, which examines how lubricating oils respond to microgravity, will be tested at the International Space Station (ISS). It was developed by a group of three physics students led by Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology student Curtis Epley, who is training to be a truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist. Physics instructor Shannon Bonomi, who is leading the project, says the experiment’s aim is to give astronauts more options for lubricating spaceship mechanisms, including engines, pipes, and other moving parts.
“Curtis is applying his (automotive) knowledge to building in space,” Bonomi said. “(Otherwise) he never would have applied that knowledge to something so esoteric or abstract. He stumbled upon novel research. This experiment has never been done before (by SSEP).”
Student teams across the United States and Canada designed experiments in diverse fields, including seed germination, crystal growth, and cell biology. A-B Tech’s experiment was selected in December and is currently being developed further in preparation for launch to the ISS.
Bonomi said her three physics classes range from beginning to more advanced students and include transfer students who intend to study science or medicine at a university, as well as students from other programs who are fulfilling a basic pre-requisite.
“My classes are not typically full of university transfer students,” Bonomi said. “They are mostly tradespeople, mechanics, pilots. It was cool to see a bunch of people who are into their cars apply that knowledge to spacecraft.”
For the final step after submitting their experiments, students from across the nation will gather at the Kennedy Space Center to watch their experiments launch into space on a SpaceX rocket. After four to six weeks on the International Space Station, the experiment will be returned to Earth for harvesting and analysis. Dubbed “Mission 21”, this is the 23rd flight of the SSEP, which began in 2010 and has included student experiments by countries including Brazil, Portugal, Canada, and Ukraine.
Presently, a group of local students has been tasked with the second phase of the competition: designing a colorful mission patch that will accompany A-B Tech’s experiment into space. The design competition is open to students in middle school, high school, and college. Two winners will be chosen by a panel of judges from the local art community and will win $200. The deadline for submissions is February 13. In April, the winner will be announced, and all badge submissions will be displayed at Space Fest, a gathering at A-B Tech’s Mission Health Conference Center.
Bonomi said the SSEP experience has been great for all her students, scientists, and non-scientists alike. The ones pursuing further science studies have gained valuable experience writing proposals that justify their research, while students from other programs were sparked to see science not just as a required course, but in a real-life context. The aviation students, Bonomi said, were especially intrigued with the logistics connected to space flight.
“They never considered what it means to be an astronaut,” she said. “They started thinking about what it would be like to fly through space, and a whole bunch started saying ‘space is cool’. It took a new set of skills when they walked into that classroom. They worked hard and did a great job.”