Finalist for the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program 2016-2017 - Click here to see the experiment that went to space on Mission 11!
SSEP Overview 2021-2022, Mission 16
School District No. 43 (Coquitlam) will be sending a student-designed science experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.
Students of all ages in SD43 have an opportunity to participate in the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP) run
by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE).
SSEP reflects the pedagogical approach to science education in SD43 – immersion in real science - requiring student ownership in exploration, focused inquiry embracing problem solving and critical thinking, and student team definition and defense of a proposed research program.
More than 1,600 students in Grades 5 through 12 will collaborate in groups of 3-5 to design experiments and related written proposals that may be sent to the ISS.
The winning proposal will be selected on December 15, 2022. The experiment would be part of the SSEP Mission 11 payload to the ISS, and is currently planned to launch on a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, adjoining the Kennedy Space Center, Spring/Summer 2022.
In addition to submitting project proposals, SD43 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 will have the opportunity to submit a design for a “Mission Patch” that may, if selected, also fly aboard the ISS.
For more details and timelines, read the project updates below and stay informed on the progress over the duration of the project.