variable being the near-absence of gravity. The students ultimately decided to study the effects of microgravity on an insect very prevalent here in Oklahoma — mosquitoes. In order for the team’s project to be seriously considered by SSEP, they had to submit a thorough and precise scientific proposal. SSEP wants every step of the process to mirror how professional scientific research is conducted, from idea conception to proposal and review and finally to execution and data analysis. "One of my favorite things about participating in this project is getting to see all the specificity it takes to send an experiment to space,” said Rhodes. “There's constant refinements and new ideas being formed to better your research that you don't really think about. It's really exciting to get a look into what NASA's experiments are really like.” Go for launch After finding out their project was selected for Mission 14 of SSEP in 2020, the team worked with Nanoracks, a company
that partners with NASA to utilize the International Space Station as a national laboratory, to design, source and build the actual experiment. It would then be launched aboard a SpaceX rocket to the ISS. The team had to raise $25,000 to finance the project, the majority of which was funded by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. As Ratterman detailed the technical aspects of the experiment, he explained how the dormant mosquito eggs were separated from any water or food within the test tube until it was in the desired microgravity environment and could be activated by the ISS astronauts at the exact time the students activated the identical test tube on Earth. After the mosquitoes have had sufficient time to grow, a second barrier within the experiment will be opened to release a substance to stop the mosquitoes’ life cycle. Because of this, the live mosquitoes will not be subjected to the effects of gravity upon re- entry to the Earth’s atmosphere, allowing for comparison between those on Earth that are impacted by gravity. After several delays, the students’ project
was finally launched in early December 2020. The team was originally invited to watch the launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but, ultimately, they weren’t able to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions. Still, Sellers and Stewart hope these students realize what an accomplishment they’ve achieved, not the least of which is a long- lasting impact on the scientific community. After receiving and analyzing the team’s data from the experiment once it has returned, Sellers says the data will be added to scientific databases that can be accessed by the greater scientific community to better understand the effects of gravity, or lack of gravity, on living things. “To be able to send an experiment to the International Space Station was most likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Sellers. “This was doing real science in the real world. Many students can claim that they are National Honor Society members or straight A students. However, very few can say they have submitted a selected proposal for scientific research in the International Space Station."
Supporting Change– For the Better
Ten-year-old Brixton Ison volunteers every Friday night at Celebrate Recovery Memorial Road Church of Christ. Whether setting a dining table, distributing informational material, or preparing a dish for a family-friendly dinner, his passion for helping others is a prime example of why we’re inspired by kids like Brixton . At Kimray, our mission is to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Brixton exemplifies this by living out that mission in the service he provides to his community. And that’s The Kimray Way.
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