Students' send ideas skyward
One hundred experiments designed by Australian students are now on their way to space.
Australian start-up Cuberider has helped send a rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) that will see local high school students test a range of theories.
“How do we get young Australians excited about science and technology?” said 23-year-old Cuberider founder Solange Cunin.
“I can't think of anything more exciting than a space mission.”
The Cuberider team worked with more than 1,000 students from 60 schools to come up with dozens of projects involving a combination of data collection, coding, maths, science, and even music.
One group of young researchers hopes to write a space symphony from the data collected on board, tapping temperature data to make woodwind music, while a string section will be orchestrated by data from altitude readings.
Meanwhile, another device will measure the radiation on the craft and possible risks to astronauts.
The JAXA rocket carrying the Australia cargo should reach the space station on December 16.
“It's travelling at the speed of a bullet and it's trying to itself with the International Space Station, which is also travelling at the speed of a bullet,” Ms Cunin said.
“Then the astronauts will unpack it and set all the student experiments up and get them running.”
The students involved are thrilled.
“When I heard I got picked I was so excited to get the chance to work on something like this… it didn't really feel real thinking that something I'm working on will actually be sent up to space,” 15-year-old Flynn William Innes told the ABC.
“It's just something that I never dreamt I would be doing, especially this early in my life. I think it's going to set me up for a lot of good things in the future,” said another student.