Students send radiation experiment to International Space Station
By Connor Schmidt
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Three Metropolitan Community College students are getting the opportunity to take their classroom research into space after their experiment was selected for the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.
The students developed an experiment to measure neutron radiation during the sun’s current period of high activity. Their research will travel to the International Space Station, where they hope to learn more about radiation levels in orbit.
MCC student Nikoli Vanosdall said seeing the project launch was rewarding after the work that went into developing it.
“To see that come to life and not just be like, on paper or whatever, but like to actually physically be sent abroad, like, is amazing,” Vanosdall said.
The students plan to compare radiation readings collected in space with measurements taken on Earth. Eric Tomjack said he is interested in whether the data will reveal a noticeable difference between the two readings.
The experience also included a trip to Kennedy Space Center, where the students watched the rocket launch and toured NASA facilities.
The rocket lifted off around 5:30 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday and is expected to arrive at the space station Thursday. The experiment will remain aboard for several weeks before returning to Earth for analysis.
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