Valentina Guillen Pacheco stood at her kitchen island in Palm Bay, Florida, a flurry of emotions swirling inside her, as she anxiously awaited the live announcement that could change everything. Her heart raced with anticipation, a mix of hope and nerves, echoing the journey that had brought her to the United States from Central America.
Meanwhile, Pacheco’s teammates on Team SuperNOVAs – Victoria Villa, Ava Golden and Emma Carr – were waiting with similar anticipation.
Six months earlier, they had met as virtual strangers in Titusville, Fla., at the Space Coast Go For Launch! event, a Higher Orbits program where they competed against numerous other teams for the chance to do something they never thought possible – send their experiment into space.
Hailing from different backgrounds and hometowns – Lithia, Fla., Tamarac, Fla., and Fort Worth, Texas – they had come together with a shared passion for science and space exploration. Now, months later, they waited anxiously to hear whether their experiment, a groundbreaking biodiesel project, would be launched into space.
“As an immigrant, there were moments when it felt like certain opportunities might always be just out of reach,” Valentina reflected. “Joining this team has proven to me that no dream is ever too big and that, even those of us who come from countries where the stars might seem far away, can fulfill them.”
For Valentina, the sky was no longer the limit – it was merely the beginning.
Just months before, she had been a girl from Honduras, dreaming of the stars while navigating a world with no paths to space. As the live stream flickered to life, she gathered with her teammates in a group chat. When the moment finally arrived and the SuperNOVAs were declared the national winner, joy erupted like a rocket launch, and tears streamed down her face.
“I've always had this gravitational pull towards space. I've been so intrigued by it my whole life,” Valentina said.
The SuperNOVAs worked on an experiment to create a type of biodiesel using green microalgae grown on the International Space Station (ISS). They used a specific microalgae called Chlorella vulgaris, mixed it with alcohol (bile ethanol), and a catalyst (sodium bicarbonate) to produce biodiesel. This biodiesel has the same energy properties as regular diesel and could potentially be used to fuel rockets for missions to Mars or the Moon.
Their goal, team members said, was to find a sustainable energy source that could help make future space exploration more efficient and self-sufficient, reducing the need for transporting fuel from Earth. By developing this biodiesel, they hoped to enable human colonization of other planets and contribute to a new era of space exploration.
Valentina shared that she moved from Honduras to the United States with her family in search of better opportunities, particularly to pursue her dream of becoming an aerospace engineer. Growing up in Honduras, she realized that there were no programs available for aerospace engineering, which made it unlikely for her to achieve her goals there.
Her parents made significant sacrifices to ensure that Valentina and her sister could have access to education and opportunities in the United States. Valentina’s father is an engineer, and her mother is an attorney, both of whom left their careers behind to support their daughter’s dreams. Valentina says she’s deeply grateful for their sacrifices and the chance to pursue her interests in science and space exploration, something she has been passionate about since childhood. This journey shaped her identity and motivated her to succeed in her studies and projects, she said.
The focus on real-world applications allowed Team SuperNOVAs to impress the judges with their innovative concepts. The experience not only tested their knowledge but also challenged them to think critically about their experiments and the potential impact they could have on scientific research.
“I think it represents the journey that our team is on and the science and contributions we could be making to science,” said Carr, a Lithia, Fla, resident and the youngest of the team members. She’s in eighth grade.
Villa, a freshman at the University of Michigan, remembers the news of her team’s victory seeming “surreal.”
“Not to say I didn't have faith in my team,” Villa said. “I just wasn't prepared to expect our team to be selected to have our experiment launched into space. I am so proud of myself and my team and excited to see where this journey takes us.”
For Golden, the announcement seemed like an instance of lightning striking twice. The 11th-grader needed to win a competition to just attend the Space Coast Higher Orbits event, where the magic ultimately unfolded many miles from her Fort Worth, Texas home.
“From what I remember, the competition was to write why you deserve this and hypothetical experiment ideas if you happened to go,” Golden said. “When I found out I won a couple of months later, I was ecstatic and could not wait to go to the event and see what it had in store.”
Little did she know ….Pacheco, who is studying Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida, called being part of the SuperNOVAs team “a transformative experience.”“Working on our experiment, knowing that it will be launched into space, is a reminder that with enough passion and dedication, you can achieve the extraordinary,” she said. “For me, it signifies that no matter where you come from, there are no limits to how far you can go.“Higher Orbits has not only further fueled my passion for space and discovery but has also given me the launchpad to inspire others. Higher Orbits is a reminder that even in the vastness of the universe, every dream has the potential to lift off. And in the 21st century, space is the new limit.”Pacheco’s passion is music to the ears of Michelle Lucas, founder and CEO of Higher Orbits, who notes that “Go For Launch! is designed to support students of all STEM acumen, showing them that there is a place in STEM and/or space for them.”According to Lucas, despite starting as a group of strangers, the SuperNOVAs quickly bonded over shared interests, turning their passion and determination into a powerful force. Despite different ages and backgrounds, they developed mutual respect and communicated effectively, which impressed Lucas.
She added that while building friendships isn't their official mission, it is a valuable aspect of Higher Orbits' work. Many students seek to find their “tribe,” and helping them make those connections enhances their focus on STEM, teamwork, leadership, and communication, Lucas said.
The team is now preparing for the upcoming mission, which is expected to launch in the first half of 2025. Each experiment must undergo rigorous testing and validation before it can be flown to the ISS, ensuring that it meets the high standards required for space travel. This preparation is an essential step in translating their innovative ideas into reality.
As they navigate this process, the students are filled with anticipation and hope for the future. They understand the significance of their work and its potential to inspire other young people interested in science and engineering.
“I think the future of our workforce in STEM, in particular, relies on programs that meet students where they are to show them opportunities,” Lucas said. “We are fortunate to bring Go For Launch! to students across the country, and we hope to reach even more communities to show students the possibilities that exist if they reach for the stars.”
These programs not only foster creativity and innovation but also encourage collaboration and teamwork, particularly among young women in fields traditionally dominated by men.
Team SuperNOVAs’ journey from classroom to space represents a remarkable achievement for each member and serves as a beacon of inspiration for young aspiring scientists everywhere. As they prepare for their historic flight to the ISS, their story reminds us all of the limitless possibilities within STEM education.
Looking ahead to the launch, Carr echoed the sentiments of her teammates.
“It will be an emotional experience for me,” she said.
Written by Eleni A. Sklavos as a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University