Page 222 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

B4H 3rd Edition
Students from Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan,
monitor the SSAF2013 experiment at Tsukuba
Space Center as members of the ground crew
who have played an important role in developing
the experiment protocol and preparing the plant
materials.
Image credit: JAXA
Malaysian students set up their experiment.
Image credit: MARA Junior Science College, Royal
Malaysian Police, Kulim, Malaysia
208
Students Study Seeds
Flown in Space
Students participating in
SSAF2013 compared seeds
exposed to the microgravity environment Economic
Scientific
Valuation
on the space station to those in ground controls. Valuation
The students observed that the growth rate of
space station seeds was initially greater than ECONOMIC
SCIENTIFIC
ground controls; however, no significant difference VALUATION
VALUATION
was noted once the plants reached maturity.
skills in science research with SSAF2013. A total
of 79 teams, each consisting of five members from
25 primary schools and 54 secondary schools,
participated in the competition. In other countries,
including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand,
Human
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, various age groups Earth Observation Innovative Global Economic
of students learned the scientific method through this and Disaster Technology Education Development
Health
experience. These young people play an important Response of Space
role not only in space technology, but in other fields
of science and technology for the future development
of those areas.
The results showed that the seedlings in space looked
quite different from those on the ground. Students
understood the wonderful capability of such tiny seeds
by witnessing that they were able to adjust to various
gravitational conditions. Although stricter control of
experimental conditions is required for the more-
involved science, the observations in SSAF2013 still
offer many hints to scientists who are developing
their new research projects.
Students Study Macroparticles in
Microgravity (Space Experiment
“Coulomb Crystal”)
During the last few years, the Space Experiment
Coulomb Crystal (CC) has been conducted aboard
the Russian Segment of the ISS for the purpose of
studying the properties of structures of the like-charged
particles. Space Experiment CC is aimed at conducting
demonstrations as well as educational and scientific
experiments on Coulomb structures of strongly
interacting macroparticles in microgravity.