The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has opened registration for its Lunar Plant Growth Chamber engineering challenge. Participating students will design and build greenhouse chambers to analyze and study plant growth from some of the 10 million cinnamon basil seeds that are to be flown into space aboard space shuttle Endeavour this week and then returned to Earth.
The students will conduct classroom experiments that NASA said might help in the quest for new ways to grow and sustain plants in space and on the moon — a critical need for future space exploration.
NASA officials said seeds will be available to the first 100,000 registrants, who must be kindergarten through 12th grade educators and residents of the United States or U.S. territories and outlying areas.
NASA said the competition will help students improve their science, math and analytical skills. NASA and the International Technology Education Association are co-sponsoring the engineering design challenge.
Source: United Press International
