SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft has successfully begun its journey to the International Space Station on Friday after the thirteenth commercial resupply (CRS) mission launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Dragon carried “Crystals in Space,” the second of two DreamUp, NanoRacks, and Xtronaut experiments, to the Space Station.
On November 9, 2017, NanoRacks, DreamUp, NanoRacks, and Xtronaut announced a Kickstarter campaign to offer out-of-this-world STEM educational opportunities for learners. Xtronaut Space Station connects Earth-based experiments to science done by astronauts on the International Space Station, empowering students in classrooms, homes and afterschool programs to research in the stars.
The Crystal Growth in Space kit is designed to teach students about the similarities and differences of crystal growth in microgravity on the ISS and in Earth’s gravity at your home or school.
One of the distinctive features of the Crystals in Space experiment is that it is designed to be similar to what the astronauts are actually doing on the Space Station.
“On the Space Station, you cannot have an open cup with a sugar and water mixture – it would just float up in microgravity,” says NanoRacks Engineer Cody Burgey. “The at-home kit mimics this preparation, making it as similar as possible to what the astronauts are doing on station.”
In addition to the Crystals in Space experiment, the astronauts have also successfully completed the operations for the first Xtronaut-ISS experiment, Microbes in Space.
The Kickstarter has been successfully funded, surpassing the $20,000 goal.
Thank you to all that have contributed to the Kickstarter campaign. The kits are now moving into manufacture and production. You may also purchase the kits on pre-order on DreamUp’s website.
