Student Spaceflight Experiments Program

Organization: Marfa Education Foundation Inc (in partnership with Marfa ISD)

Geographic Scope: Marfa Independent School District, Marfa, TX

A nation-wide program where students design experiments that can be conducted both on Earth and in space. Marfa ISD has had a robust Earth and Space Sciences academic class for the past 3 years and participated in this program during the 2018-19 school year.

Program Highlights (2018-19)

• 44 teams participated
• 230 students involved
• Each team designed an experiment for Earth and space conditions

Skills Developed

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Scientific and technical writing skills
• Formal presentation abilities

Recognition & Opportunity

• Local teachers and the dean of honors college at Texas Tech judged proposals
• Winning teams travel to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
• Winning experiments are conducted simultaneously on Earth and at the International Space Station by NASA scientists
• Teams raise funds to support their travel and participation

Example Success

In 2018-19, a winning experiment was designed by a team of fourth, fifth, and sixth grade girls. The team raised funds and traveled to Washington, D.C. in the summer, where they conducted their experiment on the ground while NASA scientists simultaneously conducted the same experiment on the International Space Station.

Organization Information

Name: Marfa Education Foundation
Mission: Support and enhance the work of the Marfa Independent School District and facilitate enrichment projects and augment the education of the District's students