Edina fifth-graders' raspberry experiment will be tested in space

It was a raucous scene Tuesday at an Edina elementary school as four fifth-graders learned their microgravity-based science experiment would be tested by astronauts in space.

Creek Valley Elementary students listened and squirmed on the gymnasium floor as district administrators gave presentations about Edina Schools' participation in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. Assistant Superintendent Randy Smasal listed the district's honorable mention proposals.

Then he asked the hundreds of kids for a drumroll on the floor before announcing the winners.

Applause erupted as the girls — Nithini Weerakkodi Arachchilage, Kaydence Chen, Fallon Smith and Marit Western — looked at each other in surprise. They high-fived Smasal as they made their way to the front of the gym.

"Your experiment is going to space!" Smasal said to the crowd. "We have to hear about this."

So what was the winning proposal? In simple terms, it asks: How will raspberry seeds grow in the microgravity of space compared to their normal germination on earth?

A panel of experts selected the project from among 35 Edina Public Schools student research proposals as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. Those proposals came from 200 students in grades five through 12. All were tasked with developing experiments about how things would respond in space.

The test will be carried out in fall 2024 at the International Space Station, and the contest is led by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education.

Going up against much older students, 11-year-old winner Fallon Smith said she was shocked to learn her group was picked. She said the idea came from thinking about what foods astronauts would benefit from if they grew them in space.

"I was not expecting it," Fallon said in an interview. "We thought about what astronauts need, which is certain vitamins, and there were certain things we couldn't do, so we settled on raspberries."

The winning team chose raspberries for their nutritional attributes and ease of growing compared to other plants.

Edina is the first Minnesota school district to participate in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. The students' experiment is one of 39 selected from across the United States.

The girls' teacher, Cody Ellis, 27, said he thinks the winning proposal won in part for its simplicity and the limits of what can be done in space.

"It came down to that, in space, they don't have a lot to work with, so the simplicity of raspberry seeds with some dirt and water was really a standout from everyone else," Ellis said.

The students had been working on the project for around six weeks, and astronauts are expected to complete the raspberry tests in six to eight weeks, Ellis said. The raspberry seeds will be taken to the space station by a SpaceX spacecraft.

"These kids really showed up and did the research and put in the time and effort to make this product that is really worth going to space for," said Ellis, who had to affirm that he did not help the students come up with their proposal.

The four students then received certificates and took photos with their parents, who knew about the announcement beforehand.

Several honorable mentions and finalists were also celebrated Tuesday. One finalist proposal looked at root growth and liquid intake of spider plants in space gravity, submitted by three Edina High School students. Another submitted by middle-school students proposed studying the growth of cattails in space.