2024 PROGRAM
In 2024, the inaugural Go For Launch! To Mars (PA) event brought together 26 students from 13 different schools across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia for an immersive two-day experience in space science and engineering. Led by Astronaut Wendy Lawrence and former Astronaut Trainer Michelle Lucas, students engaged in hands-on STEM activities, including launch vehicle design challenges and experiment development for potential flight to the International Space Station (ISS).
2024 WINNING TEAM: COSMIC CRITTERS
The team Cosmic Critters, comprised of students from North Hills High School, Hampton High School, and Butler Senior High School, was selected as the winner of the Mars event. Their innovative experiment proposal will explore how single-celled Physarum slime mold reacts to microgravity. On Earth, this mold efficiently finds its food source in 2D environments—Cosmic Critters aims to discover how it adapts when presented with a 3D food source in microgravity. Now advancing their concept with Higher Orbits and Space Tango, Cosmic Critters is working on turning their idea into a fully functional space experiment. The plan is for their experiment to launch to the ISS in mid-2025!​
Stay tuned for updates on their journey to space! 🚀For more information, contact GoForLaunchToMars@MarsNewYear.com