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| Space Experiment Module (SEM) - 4 |
| Payload Bay |
| 6 lb |
| Prime: Steven Lindsey |  |
| Backup: Curtis Brown | |
| Overview |
| STS-95 is the fifth flight of the SEM payload. A canister containing eight student experiment modules will remain in Discovery's payload bay, attached to the SPARTAN 201 support structure throughout the mission. The crew will activate the SEM carrier system as early in the mission as possible and deactivate it as late as possible. There will be no in-flight or uplinked control of individual experiments; data reduction and processing are performed after the flight. The experiments inside the SEM-04 carrier for STS-95 are: Effect of Microgravity and Temperature on Human Tissue and Human Used and Consumed Items Blue Mountain School, Floyd, Va. Students from second to seventh grade are investigating the effect of microgravity and temperature on film, soap, motor oil, bone, nails, cola beverage, and popcorn. This experiment complements their study of the effects of microgravity on the human body and the development of products for use in space. Curing Structural Adhesives and Solidifying Low-Melting-Point Solders in a Microgravity Environment Don Bosco Technical Institute, Rosemead, Calif. The high school and junior college students at Don Bosco have designed a module containing two active experiments. One studies how microgravity affects the solidification of low-melting-point solders and solder wetting on gold plate. The other examines the structural integrity, tensile (or tension) strength, and adhesive cohesion of one-part epoxy or adhesive after exposure to microgravity. Effects of Microgravity on an Objects Physical Characteristics Dowell Elementary School, Marietta, Ga. First-grade students want to compare the weight, mass, and other physical characteristics of objects before and after space flight. The experiment objects include chewing gum (elasticity, mass), popcorn (percentage that will pop), bread (observation of mold), stickers (response of the adhesive), bubble wrap (inflation/deflation of bubbles), chalk (vibration, crumbling), paper clips (weight, mass), erasers (weight, mass, performance), and crayons (temperature effects). Effect of Cosmic Radiation on Wisconsin Fast Plants and the Development of Brine Shrimp Eggs and Chia Seeds Fort Couch Middle School, Upper St. Clair, Penn., and Monrovia Elementary School, Madison, Ala. Fifth- to eighth-grade students will look at the effect of cosmic radiation on Wisconsin fast plants (Brassica), wheat seeds, brine shrimp, and Chia seeds (the same seeds used on Chia Pets). Specifically, they will examine germination rate, crossover rate, life span, and changes in DNA. The investigation is part of the students developmental biology, genetics, and animal behavior curriculum. Growing Montello Transglobally Montello High School, Montello, Wisc., and Instituto Technico Commerciale Riccati, Treviso, Italy This project was jointly designed by high school students and staff from Montello, Wisc., and Montello, Italy. The two areas have many geographical similarities. Students will study lettuce and cicoria seeds and analyze statistics to compare germination for two to three generations. Specific observations will include plant size and vigor, bloom size, and productivity. The two sites will cross-compare data by exchanging seed samples, pictures, graphs, charts, diagrams and journals on the Internet. Analysis of Three-Dimensional Sprag Performance in a Microgravity Environment University of Maryland, College Park, Md. This is the first flight of the three-dimensional sprag, which was selected as one of the hundred most technologically significant new products in 1997. This innovative sprag was developed by Goddard Space Flight Center engineer John Vranish. Sprags are small parts manufactured with specialized geometry to allow free rolling in one direction and prevent motion in the other direction. The sprag's job is to lock a cog or wheel in place so that it moves in only one direction. The students will test and verify the sprag's performance in flight to evaluate its suitability as an alternative to conventional ratchet designs. In space flight and commercial applications, the sprag design is potentially valuable because it enhances tool efficiency: e.g., it will help conserve extravehicular activity resources (reducing human workload) in space, allow tools like wrenches to be used in more confined spaces, and enable tools that require no lubrication and can stay in space indefinitely. The experiment will record the response of the sprag system at various applied torque levels. Effect of Microgravity and Temperature on Mold Growth West Richland Elementary School, Noble, Ill. To study the effect of microgravity and temperature on a variety of bread molds, students from kindergarten through sixth grade will measure and compare growth diameter, depth, and weight of controlled and microgravity-exposed mold cultures. Effect of Microgravity on Seed Growth and Survival Woodmore Elementary School, Mitchellville, Md., and Colegio Santa Hilda, Buenos Aires, Argentina Elementary students in Maryland and Argentina will characterize the effects of radiation on seed germination and growth by harvesting seeds from first-generation plants and repeating the germination and growth study for the second-generation seeds. A variety of seeds (e.g., perennial rye, Kentucky bluegrass, Black-Eyed Susan, corn, oats, barley, lentil, and sunflower) will be investigated. The two schools will share experiment data and results. The collaboration is designed to stimulate and enhance student cultural exchange. |
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| History/Background |
| NASA began the Space Experiment Module (SEM) program in 1995 as an offshoot of the Getaway Special program, managed by the Shuttle Small Payloads Project at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Since 1982, GAS canisters had flown on the shuttle, offering economic access to space to a broader array of experimenters, particularly students. But participation was still somewhat limited by the high-level engineering skills required to design GAS experiments. In 1995, the program directors started SEM to relieve students of the engineering burden and let them concentrate on creating their experiments. Since the module is equipped with electrical power, there is no need to engineer and build battery boxes, etc. Students of all ages can create, design, and build experiments with a little help from teachers or mentors. The experiments--which can be simple or complicated, active or passive--are placed in half-moon-shaped SEMs, ten of which are then stacked in a GAS canister. SEM program accomplishments to date are as follows: · National/international participation · Involvement by diverse educational organizations, age groups, and levels - Metropolitan, remote, and public schools - Science and technical clubs - Boy and girl scouts · Status as a valid, legitimate, innovative, accessible educational tool |
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| Benefits |
| The specific objectives and benefits of the SEM program are to: Provide economical access to space for students from kindergarten to the university level. Use existing hardware and experience. Encourage hands-on student creation, design, implementation, and analysis of science and technology experiments with teacher or mentor guidance. Tie SEM program to NASA and U.S. educational goals and standards. Ensure that student participation is not limited by geographical location. Provide high-quality, reliable, usable products and responsive technical services. |
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