Interior of a Ground Test for the Plants in Space Experiment
BOULDER, CO, December 4, 2018 –DreamUp announces the second experiment in its DreamKit product line is launching to the International Space Station. DreamKits make the science on the International Space Station (ISS) more accessible than ever before to learners on Earth by creating an affordable opportunity to interact with science conducted by astronauts. Plant Growth in Space launches on the SpaceX-16 Commercial Resupply Mission to the International Space Station, currently scheduled to launch December 5, 2018. The launch of this one experiment, made possible by a sponsorship from BASF, will allow an unlimited number of students to interact with the exciting microgravity research happening on the ISS.
Specifically, this payload contains arugula (aka “rocket”) plant seeds that will grow inside small test tubes in a 1.5U (10 x 10 x 15 cm) NanoLab, developed by NanoRacks and sent to the ISS via their Space Act Agreement with NASA. Following launch and installation by an astronaut on the ISS, these seeds will grow inside the NanoLab in microgravity for approximately 30 days. Scientists will closely watch the progress of the plant growth by analyzing photographs taken at regular intervals during the experiment’s duration and comparing these photographs to an identical experiment conducted on Earth.
Following the conclusion of the microgravity experiment, DreamUp will manufacture a Plant Growth in Space DreamKit, part of the DreamKit series, that will be available for purchase by learners anywhere, allowing learners on Earth to mimic the experiment conducted in space and compare their results to those seen by the astronauts. DreamUp is excited to be working with the support of BASF to bring space and agriculture into more classrooms and more classrooms into space. Carie Lemack, CEO and Co-founder of DreamUp said, “We couldn’t be more excited to expand our DreamKit product line. With these kits, we’re taking the incredible science on the International Space Station to a new frontier on Earth: a science kit that’s purchased online and shipped right to your door. Never before has space been more accessible to learners around the globe, and we’re thrilled to partner with BASF to make it happen.”
These launch opportunities were made possible via DreamUp’s partnership with NanoRacks and its Space Act Agreement with NASA.
For additional media inquiries, please e-mail us at info@dreamup.org, and for continued updates, be sure to follow @DreamUp_Space on Twitter and Instagram.
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About DreamUp
DreamUp provides space-based educational opportunities to learners and educators. The first company bringing space into the classroom and the classroom into space, DreamUp is uniquely positioned to engage learners globally with the most cutting-edge space research and developments, and inspire them through scientific discoveries in orbital and suborbital space. Entering into a Space Act Agreement with NASA in 2018, DreamUp has a proven track record, having brought over 400 student research payloads to the International Space Station and offering educational research opportunities on Blue Origin’s New Shepard space vehicle. From cutting-edge curriculum to rocket launch viewing, DreamUp endeavors to ensure that all student researchers can become the pioneers of space science, providing the most comprehensive educational experience possible and supporting learners’ scientific research and innovation efforts.
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