Ava Crowder, a high school junior in Virginia, has conducted research on a rust-eating bacteria to determine how it might perform in microgravity. Eva Estrada, another high school student from Texas, worked with a NASA astronaut on an experiment for the International Space Station.
The pair attended ASCEND 2026 to share their experiences with the nonprofit Higher Orbits that offers hands-on learning opportunities for high school students studying science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) who might be interested in pursuing careers in the space industry.