ITA student program

ITA Student Outreach Program

ITA is committed to the future of space development and education. In 1990, ITA created a successful student hands-on outreach program which allows students to develop and fly their own experiments in space. Over 30 educational institutions in the U.S. and internationally have flown their own experiments through ITA's donation of hardware and space access.

Usually, one teacher or one student interfaces with ITA to design the experiment and document the materials to be flown and the experimental protocol. Some schools involve corporate affiliates to assist in design and to supply flight materials. Students participate in many aspects of the experience. Press briefings and student rallies are held, and some lucky students get to go to Cape Canaveral and participate in loading the experiment in the Shuttle payload, named "CMIX" (Commercial MDA ITA eXperiments) and attend the launch.

The students' experiments are housed in an automated laboratory, the ITA Materials Dispersion Apparatus, or MDA. ITA handles all of the NASA integration and documentation.

The students benefit in many ways. It gives young people a unique real-life learning experience and it communicates the benefits of space and science to many young people.

ITA is now expanding its existing student program to include additional U.S. and international corporate sponsors. French students in the Alsace region are currently preparing an experiment, in cooperation with the International Space University, for launch on ITA's next mission (STS-95, October, 1998).

For additional information see "Student Experiments in Space: A Private Sector Model" by V. A. Cassanto and B.J. Wood. Paper # IAF-97-P.3.02 presented at the 48th International Astronautical Congress. October 6-10, 1997, Turino, Italy.

ITA Student Space Shuttle Experiments on CMIX-1 STS-52

Flight	Experiment	No. of wells	School	Sponsor	Sch Affiliates
STS-52	Larval Development of Brine Shrimp	1	Titusville High School, Florida	ITA	Spaceport, Florida
STS-52	Coreopsis Seed Germination	1	Citrus High School, Florida	ITA	Spaceport, Florida
STS-52	Columbine Seed Germination	1	Wakulla Middle School, Florida	ITA	Spaceport, Florida
STS-52	Coreopsis Seed Germination	2	Tate High School, Florida	ITA	Spaceport, Florida
STS-52	Mustard- Spinach Seed Germination	2	The Peddie School, NJ	ITA	N.A.
STS-52	Brassica Rapa (Mustard Seed Variety) Reproduction	10	J.P. McCaskey High School, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-52	Clotting Fibrinogen with a Snake Venom Enzyme	2	T.C. Williams HS, VA, Jeb Stuart HS, VA, Dunbar Senior HS, VA	ITA	National Space Society, National Institutes of Health

ITA Student Space Shuttle Experiments on CMIX-2 STS-56

Flight	Experiment	No. of Wells	School	Corporate Sponsor	School Affiliates
STS-56	Fish Egg Hatching	2	Pennsville High School	ITA/ Spaceport Florida	ORBIS Scientific
STS-56	Zoology and Botany Experiments	8	Stewart & Whitcomb Elementaries	Lockheed	N.A.
STS-56	Mushroom Mycelial Growth	4	Unionville High School, PA	ITA	J.B. Swayne Spawn Co.
STS-56	Brassica Rapa Production	2	J.P. McCaskey HS, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-56	Heart Cells in Culture	2	The Peddie School, NA	ITA	Worthington Biochemical
STS-56	Human Red Blood Cell Morphology	2	International Space University	ITA/Wood Associates	N.A.

ITA Student Space Shuttle Experiments on CMIX-3 STS-67

Flight	Experiment	No. of Wells	School	Corporate Sponsor	School Affiliate
STS-67	Seeds in Space	4	Brandywine Wallace Elementary, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-67	Brine Shrimp and Seeds in Space	2	Hazel Green HS, AL	ITA	N.A.
STS-67	Seeds in Space	4		ITA/Lockheed	N.A.

ITA Student Space Shuttle Experiments on CMIX-4 STS-69

Flight	Experiment	No. of Wells	School	Corporate Sponsor	School Affiliates
STS-69	Vegetable Seeds	3	Hazel Green HS, AL	ITA/Rantek	N.A.
STS-69	Vegetable Seeds	2	Brandywine Wallace Elementary, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-69	Cardiomyocite Degenerration	2	Tufts Univ./ U. of Kansas	ITA	Worthington Biochemical

ITA Student Space Shuttle Experiments on CMIX-5 STS-80

Flight	Experiment	No. of Wells	School	Corporate Sponsor	School Affiliates
STS-80	Formation of DNA/Biliposome -condensate	2	International Space University	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Electro- Rheological Fluid Particle Dispersion in Microgravity	2	International Space University	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	California Poppy Seeds	2	McGaugh Elem. School Seal Beach, CA	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Biosurfactants	2	Southern HS, Baltimore, MD	ITA	Center for Marine Biotech
STS-80	Lead Iodide	4	Glenbrook HS, IL	ITA	National Space Society
STS-80	Water Bears	2	Glenbrook HS, IL	ITA	National Space Society
STS-80	Killifish Embryos	3	Glenbrook HS, IL	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Metal Durability	1	Mount Nittany Middle School, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Gas Diffusion	1	Park Forest Midlde School Mount Nittany Middle School, PA	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Gelatin and Base Diffusion	1	Park Forest Middle School	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Tin Crystal Production	1	New River Middle School, FL	ITA	Spaceport Florida
STS-80	Larval Development of Artemia Salina	2	Titusville High School	ITA	N.A.
STS-80	Fibrinogen Blood Clot Formation	2	Manhasset High School, NY	ITA	American Diagnostica

A Canadian student working with the Canadian Space Agency CAPE Payload before launch on the Shuttle to the Mir Space Station.

Click on the picture to go to the student web site to learn more...

Papers published regarding our Student Outreach Program

"A University Among the Stars," International Space Business Review, Spring 1986, J.M. Cassanto.

"Space Experimentation: Motivating Students in the Sciences", 31st Space Congress, April 26-29, 1994, V.A. Cassanto, U.R. Alvarado.

"Student Experiments in Space A Private Sector Model," Cassanto, V.A, Wood, B.J., 48th International Astronautical Congress, Oct 6-10, 1997. Turin, Italy.

"Student Experiments in Space, A Private Sector Model," Cassanto, V.A., Wood, B.J., Student Experiments in Space A Private Sector Model. Earth Space Review, Vol. 7., No. 2, pp. 25-28, 1998.

"ISS - The First International Space Classroom: International Cooperation in Hands-on Space Education," ISU Annual Symposium, "ISS The Next Space Marketplace,", 1999, V.A. Cassanto, D.C. Lobao.

Go to the ITA Main Home Page

Why ITA is THE Commercial Space Company	What ITA provides to its customers	What is Microgravity?
The ITA team	Space qualified hardware	Completed Flights
Past Clients (1983-2000)	ITA student outreach program	Upcoming Flights
News	Web Links	Contact Info

For further information about ITA or to receive a brochure, please send us