Higher Orbits, a nonprofit with the mission of promoting science, technology, engineering and math, recently hosted a two-day event called “Go For Launch!” at Scot Forge in Spring Grove.
Thirty local students in seventh through 12th grade participated. The students were placed into teams and competed in a series of events to have their experiment flown on the International Space Station.
The winning team from Spring Grove presented an experiment that will test the production of astaxanthin in space. Astaxanthin, a natural compound with oxidant-quenching and anti-inflammatory properties, may play a role in cancer treatment. The students plan to test the type of algae to discover if it can increase production in the stress of microgravity