LAUNCH! Launch of the first Go For Launch! Student Experiment Aboard SpaceX-12

Go For Launch! Literally!

On August 12th, the first ever Go For Launch! student experiment was launched to space! This experiment was the Andromeda Division Winner and came from the Go For Launch! Deerfield 2016 program. The team name – DASA. DASA’s experiment is a radiation experiment and it’s contained in this cube shown here which was built by Space Tango.

 

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Students from the winning team were invited to attend the launch at Kennedy Space Center. Unfortunately due to schedules, not everyone was able to attend but we knew everyone was just as excited and watching along with us!

The night before launch our Founder, Michelle, along with 1 team member of DASA, Justin, and his family, went to Zarrella’s for dinner. John Zarrella was the CNN space reporter for many years so this just seemed like a good fit for a pre-launch dinner. Dinner was wonderful and given that the launch went on time the next day, perhaps this needs to be a new tradition for all launches for us in Florida!

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The morning of launch Michelle along with Justin & Chirag (the 2 DASA team members who were able to attend launch), along with their families, were fortunate to be guests of SpaceX and have a visit to the launchpad to see the rocket. It’s one thing to see a rocket but it becomes even more amazing when you know that YOUR experiment is on the top of that rocket getting ready to head for the International Space Station!

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Smiles were huge on the faces of all as we admired the rocket and thought about what was (hopefully) going to happen in a few hours.

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We headed to the launch viewing site (OSB-II) and had the opportunity to hear from many experts during a briefing about the actual launch, the science on board and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule. Justin and Chirag also had the opportunity to meet some out of this world folks!

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Justin with Astronaut Nicole Stott. She had a payload on this flight too! Check out The Spacesuit Art Project

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Chirag with Sam Scimemi the Director for International Space Station

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Justin explaining to Kennedy Space Center Director and Astronaut Bob Cabana about their experiment.

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Chirag explaining to CASIS Executive Director and Astronaut Greg “Box” Johnson about DASA’s experiment

Launch went off exactly as planned. It’s definitely best to experience and watch the launch and be present instead of taking pictures so apologies that we don’t have any pictures that we took but you can google and find lots of great ones from NASA and SpaceX.

It was truly an amazing event and we are so grateful to Space Tango for making this all possible. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with their amazing team. And a galactically big Thank You to SpaceX for having us as their guests. It was out of this world awesome!

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The students are now receiving data from their experiment and we will keep you posted on how it all goes.

This is just the first experiment to be launched for our Go For Launch! program. We have 2 more scheduled for a mission in November. And we have lots of events scheduled all across the country which will result in more student experiments flying to the International Space Station. Want to learn more? Want to be part of this? Visit www.GoForLaunch.space


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