Stratford students working on an experiment
Our students spent a lot of time working together to create this experiment that will hopefully add valuable information to NASA’s research.
San Jose, Calif. (PRWEB) May 16, 2017
Over the past year, a team of students from Stratford’s San Jose Middle School collaborated with the Quest Institute to complete a scientific experiment that will be delivered to the International Space Station. The experiment will measure how heat and humidity behaves in a microgravity climate such as space, versus how it behaves on Earth.
The students are trying to understand what NASA must keep in mind when dealing with heat and humidity that arises in microgravity. The completed project will head to space on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled to launch June 1 to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
As part of Stratford’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) curriculum, 10 Stratford students applied their knowledge to program an experiment using a LEGO Mindstorms EV3 attached to a breadboard circuit that they put together. This device was then connected to a special test bed that included special humidity and temperature sensors. After running several test trials, the program and data was sent to the Quest Institute for uploading to their special test platform that is going to be on the International Space Station. The test trials done in microgravity will then be transmitted back to Earth using the custom test platform with Windows IoT.
“We are very fortunate to have this unique opportunity to create a project that will be sent to the International Space Station,” says Ben Guansing, middle school science teacher at Stratford’s San Jose Middle School and the student’s coach on the project. “Our students spent a lot of time working together to create this experiment that will hopefully add valuable information to NASA’s research. Everyone involved is looking forward to seeing the project culminate with the launch of the rocket.”
The June 1 launch is expected to take place at approximately 5:55 p.m. ET/2:55 p.m. PDT at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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About Stratford School
Established in 1999, Stratford School is a leading independent private school founded on the belief that education is a significant influence in the life of a child. Stratford offers an accelerated curriculum from preschool through eighth grade with an emphasis in the areas of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), which incorporates music, physical education, foreign language and social skills development. Stratford’s goal is to prepare and mentor students for admission to competitive high schools and colleges. All students are provided the necessary tools to excel and are encouraged to participate actively in leadership, community service and extracurricular activities. Visit http://www.stratfordschools.com for more information.