Minnehaha ISS team prepares experiment for space

The Minnehaha Academy ISS team is preparing an experiment to grow calcium carbonate crystals in space, with a launch date to the International Space Station scheduled for Feb. 7, 2020. 

The team  of two teachers and 13 students is designing an experiment to further understand the effect of gravity on calcium carbonate crystal growth. Growing these crystals in new and improved ways has the potential to impact other areas of research. 

The ISS program started at Valley Christian High School near San Jose, Calif., with help from the then superintendent of the school, Donna Harris. When Harris moved to Minnehaha as president, she made sure to bring the unique program with her. 

The ISS program allows students and teachers with interests in space, physics, engineering and more to be able to send their own research to the International Space Station. 

“One of my dreams has always been to travel to space,” said Tim Swanson, Minnehaha physics teacher and a team adviser, “so to think that I get to help coach research that will go to the International Space Station is about as close to that dream I will get to, and it might even be better.”