"Further Research Required"

     219 days, thousands of miles traveled, a trip to space, and returning to Earth proved to be too much for our Research Balloon Cactus. Although this is disappointing, it is not unexpected, as even our control was unable to survive such a long time without light or water. However, our Sounding Rocket sample not only survived, but thrived, and is still growing happily along with its control.
     These experiments did answer our original question, namely, " if Texas Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) can survive relatively unprotected space travel." The answer is yes. Texas Prickly Pear cactus can survive months away from light and water, being launched into space on a rocket, and returning tumultuously to Earth. However, we have discovered that flight in a research balloon, and possibly exposure to radiation, may kill cacti.
      For as many answers as it gave us, this experiment has also raised new questions. Would a different species of cacti endure space travel better? Would transporting whole pads, along with implementing measures to prevent mold, save more samples? Can cacti be genetically engineered to better survive relatively unprotected space travel?
    
     The questions are out there, and the Cactus in Space project is coming to a close. To whom it may concern, further research is required.

The (semi)Grand Unboxing

Well, the semester is finally over, and Julius and I are still breathing. Today, we were finally able to open the samples from the air balloon! Firstly, let's take a look at the control.

Like several of our samples, the research balloon control was plagued by mold, and is completely dried out and irrecoverable. Keep this in mind when viewing the rest of our results.

Now, on to the experiment!

When we opened the cube we were met with two things: mold and, surprisingly, slime. Yes, slime.

Interestingly similar to our sounding rocket cube, one sample was destroyed by mold, while the other seems to be mold-free. The moldy sample, on the left, was completely dried out, and there appeared to be some sort of black mold on one end. This was relatively expected, but the second sample was what truly surprised us. It appeared to be unaffected by mold, but the pad was rotten. There were remnants of the interior structure and skin, but the meat had turned to a slime-like consistency. Due to the fact that it was unaffected by mold, and the that it was still in the early stages of decomposition and still retaining some moisture, We hypothesize that the pad could have been killed by the radiation it was exposed to during its flight in space, but there are several other factors that could have caused its decomposition.

Since both of our samples are irrecoverable, the research balloon experiment ends here. However, we have learned that mold is more prevalent of a problem than we had earlier anticipated, killing  half of our samples, and that although hardy, Texas prickly pear cactus cannot survive radiation.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As the holidays near, we have been keeping as busy as ever, but we are looking forward to Winter Break. However, the temperature has been falling a lot recently, so we’ve started putting the cacti into our garage when the temperature gets below freezing. Otherwise, the cacti are not just doing well; they are thriving! Our control piece from the sounding rocket has grown a new pad which is starting to grow its own spines! Rocket Sample #2 is also growing some impressive spines.

            In regards to our cacti samples from the air balloon, we have heard that the samples are somewhere in Palestine, Texas at the moment. We are really excited to see how they are doing. Alas, however, homework calls. We’ll put up a post when we get the samples!

The Massive Update Post

Weekly Update #5,6,7,8

We have had a few very eventful weeks here in Cactus land, and there is both good and bad news.

Firstly, the bad news:

Rocket Sample#1 is officially dead. We did our best to revive it, but the rot took too great of a toll.

Now for the good news!

The Rocket Control sample has started to grow new pads! They are extremely tiny right now, but you can see them on the bottom right tip of the sample. YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Also, the research balloon has launched form New Mexico, and landed somewhere in Texas. We are extremely excited to see how our second set of samples handled the trip!

P.S. Whew! The new semester has arrived, and with it comes a mountain of homework! Julius and I will update the blog as we can!

The Balloon Has Landed!

So Far, So Good

Weekly Update #3

This week has been relatively uneventful. All of the samples are doing well, and we have started giving them a little bit more water. Also, sometime next week we will move them to a sunnier location.
Make sure to mark your calendars, because the research balloon launch is this Monday! It appears that there will not be a livestream of the launch, but I will keep y'all updated on the experiment's progress.

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

'Twas a dark and rainy week...

Weekly Update #2

Not much happened this week. The weather has been unusually rainy for Texas, but the cacti seem to be doing well. We have been keeping them out of the rain so we can control how much water they are getting. Julius has been great at watering them about 1/8 of a cup of water every other day. (Thank you!)

In other news, according to the CiS website, the balloon launch has been postponed until the 29th. It also looks like there will not be a livestream of the launch.

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

A Letter from the Governor's Office

Yesterday, Julius and I received an awesome surprise in the mail. A letter from the Governor of Texas! Julius and I are awed by how much support we are receiving for a project that started as "a crazy idea," and I hope that we will live up to your expectations!

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

Good Morning, Cactus!

They all look like normal cactus cuttings, but two of them have been to SPACE!

Yesterday, Julius and I put our cactus samples into pots! With the help of  Mr. Ryan C. from our local Lowes, we settled on some special potting soil, and these adorable terra cotta pots!

In our original proposal we had planned to use some soil from the area around the "Mother Cactus," but we amended this plan for several reasons, the main reason being that we have no clue what is in our local soil, and when we send our research to NASA it would be better if we can point them to something that has a well documented composition. That being said, there is another reason. A very scaly, scary, venomous reason.
When Julius and I were packing the cubes in May, we decided to get some extra pictures of the mother cactus for the blog. After a while I looked up from my camera to see Julius nearly step back onto a long tan "thing." That thing promptly MOVED, coiled up under a tree, and started RATTLING. Ah, Texas is just full of friendly critters! Needless to say, we ran one way, and the rattlesnake ran (slithered?) in the other.
After that, Julius, our teacher, and I decided that stomping through tall grass to dig underneath a giant cactus in the middle of the summer was not the best idea I had ever had...

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

"The Uber Sciencey Post" (A.K.A. the report for our teacher)

... As delivered by Dr. Tony the Cat, because cute cats make everything more interesting. :-)

We Have The Green Light, or Rather, A Green Cactus.

We are ready to move on to the next phase of our experiment, and our results so far have greatly exceeded our expectations.

Today we unpacked, measured, weighed, sorted, photographed, and re-packaged the cacti from the sounding rocket experiment cube and its control.

The control, although moldy, is not only still alive, but has started growing roots.

The two pieces of cactus that went to space have returned relatively unscathed. One has a spot that is rotting, and the other is in perfect condition. Both possess a vibrant green color, and we have high hopes for being able to revive all of the samples.

These results are much better than we had anticipated, as we had expected the cactus to be completely brown and dormant upon arrival. This places us slightly ahead of schedule, and puts us in a position to slowly reintroduce the samples to light over the upcoming week.

We will  post a more detailed report tomorrow, that will have pictures documenting the steps we took while unpacking the cactus, and provide some of our hypotheses for the changes we observed in the samples.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Edith and Julius

We Haz The Precious!

*The above use of "Teen Grammar" haz has been approved by our teacher ;-)

A really cool sticker that CiS sent us along with our experiment cube.

Today Julius and I went to get our experiment cube! It is finally here! We don't have enough time to open it today, but we will get to it as soon as possible, and there will be MANY pictures!

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

Up Next: The Stratosphere!

Launch of a super pressure balloon in Antarctica.

Credits: NASA/Wallops Flight Facility

Today Julius and I learned that the research balloon carrying our second cactus experiment will launch on August 22nd! I am not sure wether this one will have a live-stream or not, but I will write a post when I know more!

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

Good Morning!

3.2.1. Launch!
Just a quick update to let y'all know that the rocket has lauched, spent approximately three minutes in space, and has now landed in the ocean, where NASA staff will be working to retrieve it.

All Systems GO! (again)

NASA has given the green light for launch tomorrow! The rocket will launch at 5:00 a.m. CST, and y'all can watch it live HERE.

May the coffee be with you, always.

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

Safety First

This morning Julius and I got an email from one of the organizers for Cubes in Space explaining why the flight was postponed, and I thought everyone here would find it interesting.

I am so very sorry to inform you that the launch has been scrubbed due to weather.  NASA felt the conditions tomorrow would not allow for a safe launch and recovery.  It is my understanding that this is primarily due to the high probability of lighting and difficult sea state.

Obviously this is beyond our control but we have always had contingency plans for something like this.  NASA will have another weather briefing today from 1 to 2 PM to decide if all looks good for Friday.  If it’s good, we will attempt to launch Friday at same time (6 AM).  If it is bad, we will have to think what to do next. 

Cheers,

Debbie

Julius and I have our fingers crossed that the weather will be good enough for launch tomorrow, but since the rocket will land in the ocean, safety comes first.

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

All Systems GO!

Our experiment will be launched into space TOMORROW at 5:00 a.m. CST! For those of you that have strong coffee to combat the early hour, you can watch the launch live HERE.

Thank you for reading!

-Edith

Pre-launch Cubes in Space Timeline

Cactus in Space
From the Proposal's Submission to the Cubes' Send-off

(will be updated to include future events)
 
 March 10, 2016:
 Proposal submitted.

April 1, 2016:
Proposal accepted.

 May 4, 2016:
 Cacti samples collected.

 May 4 - 12, 2016:
 Samples dried (moved when rain occurred)

 May 12, 2016:
• Selected cacti samples and their controls.
• Packaged cacti samples and their controls

 May 13, 2016:
 Delivered to teacher for shipping.

 May 17, 2016:
 Samples shipped to Cubes in Space headquarters.

 May 19, 2016:
 Samples arrival at Cubes in Space headquarters.

Thanks for reading!

-Julius

Our CiS Proposal

Prickly Pear Cactus for Space Survival: Testing the ability of Texas Prickly Pear (O. Engelmannii lindheimeri) to survive space travel




Component #1: What do I want to know?

We want to know if the Texas Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) can survive relatively unprotected space travel. If this cactus is still able to grow after being exposed to extreme temperature differences, extreme force, and radiation, then it could potentially serve as a “survival” component for space travel, extended stays in space, and exploration. It may provide food, water, oxygen, and medicine in space, as it is known to do on Earth.

Four of the main concerns in space travel and future space settlement are food, oxygen, water, and medical supplies. Although sending these things from Earth is common procedure at this time, it is expensive. NASA states that:
“Today, it costs $10,000 to put a pound of payload in Earth's orbit” and that it is their goal to “reduce the cost of getting to space to hundreds of dollars per pound within 25 years and tens of dollars per pound within 40 years.” (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/astp.html_prt.htm).
It is also more difficult to transport these essentials over very long distances, at which point a small, lightweight, resilient, and easy-to-grow medium that can be revived as needed would be very beneficial.
The ability to manage and store water – a precious resource in space – makes the Prickly Pear cactus even more attractive. On Earth, it thrives in arid conditions on 3 to 16” of rainfall annually,
(Water requirements:
http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/pubs/0603/prickly.html
http://eol.org/pages/404214/details
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/sonoran_desert_climate.htm
 which would make it ideal for exploration and settlement, such as the Mars mission.
  
We choose the Texas Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii lindheimeri),
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=openl
for its many potential benefits complementing our research goal:
Pros:
- Extremely resilient (on Earth)
- Grows faster than other cacti  http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/pubs/0603/prickly.html
- Good source for clean water
- Edible leaves (vegetable)
- Edible fruit (sugar and vitamins)
- Medicine
- Decoration
Cons:
- Requires work to prepare for consumption
- Small glochids can be a health hazard if not properly removed
- Larger spines may cause physical damage to sensitive material



Component #2: Why do I want to know it?

We are planning this experiment to help solve the problem of limited resources in space that are essential to human survival, namely food, water, oxygen, and medicine.

We need an airborne platform so that we can safely and effectively test the conditions that are typical for space and can only be simulated with immense effort on Earth.

It will test the cactus’s ability to withstand the immense heat of going through the atmosphere, the harsh cold of space and the stratosphere, and the extreme radiation without the protection of the Earth’s atmosphere.
While the rocket is going through the atmosphere, the cacti, although cushioned, will be subjected to bruising and extreme pressure. This experiment will test the cactus’s ability to withstand one of the roughest phases of space travel.
We can’t do this on a grounded platform, because it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, and cost prohibitive to simulate the same intensity and rapid changes in environmental conditions that are presented on an airborne platform.

We know of one recorded instance of cacti research in space, namely the “NanoRacks-National Center for Earth and Space Science-Aquarius (SSEP Mission 1) (NanoRacks-NCESSE-Aquarius)” project by El Paso Community College in 2015. (Source: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/988.html)
The goal was not to test the resiliency of cacti through relatively unprotected space travel, but rather the use of cacti mucilage for water purification in microgravity. This means that our project will be testing different aspects of the Prickly Pear cactus that have not been tested before.
Other experiments have already been done to test the resiliency of plants to the extreme conditions of outer space. One experiment by the European Space Agency sent an “Expose-E experiment package to the ISS that was filled with organic compounds and living organisms to test their reaction to outer space.” (Source:  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120623145623.htm ) During the experiment, the package was exposed to extreme temperatures changing from -12 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius over 200 times as they orbited Earth. Surprisingly, some lichen in this package not only survived, but thrived during this experiment. Our experiment is different, because it focuses on one specific plant, the Texas Prickly Pear cactus.



Component #3: How does my experiment and anticipated results solve or connect to a real-world situation or problem on Earth on in space?


Since the beginning of space travel and the dream of colonizing other planets, people have asked themselves many important questions: What will we eat? Where will we get oxygen to breathe? How will we get water? Will we have access to any medical essentials?
If we want to one day colonize other planets and explore farther into the universe, we must find answers to these questions.
Our team believes that the Texas Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri)
can make a significant contribution to answering these questions.

Prickly Pear has been historically proven as an excellent source of food. The pads are a decent source of carbohydrates as well as an excellent source of vitamin A. The fruit is also a good source of carbohydrates and vitamin C.
Prickly Pear cacti have large pads that extend from the plant in several directions, allowing it to absorb plenty of sunlight and carbon dioxide in a very unique fashion , allowing it to efficiently produce oxygen. (http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au/edition1/?q=content/2-1-6-crassulacean-acid-metabolism-cam)
Prickly Pear cactus is able to survive in harsh climates because it efficiently stores water. In the case of Oppuntia engelmanni var. lindheimeri, an astounding 85-90% of the plant’s weight is stored water.
Finally, Prickly Pear cacti have several medicinal properties that will provide explorers with essential first aid. The mucilage from the pads can be used to reduce insulin shock and to kill bacteria. The pads themselves can be used for burn treatment, antiseptic poultices, and hemostats. Source: www.texasbeyondhistory.net/st-plains/nature/images/prickly.html
Having all these properties in one resilient and fast growing plant makes our cactus a truly exceptional resource for space exploration.

Why is the airborne platform (rocket or balloon) you have chosen a good mechanism for studying or investigating the phenomenon about which you know or have observed?

The sounding rocket will be crucial to testing whether our cactus will be able to withstand the rigors of launching into space. During the launch and landing the cactus will be experiencing extreme pressure, vibration, and heat.  This will test the cactus’s ability to cope with the traumas of space travel.
The air balloon is the ideal mechanism to test how the cactus would react to conditions after the launch. Once the cactus is in the stratosphere, it will be exposed to extreme cold and radiation.



Component #4:Experiment Description

For Sounding Rocket:
  The sounding rocket will launch at approximately 20 g's of force, reach 66 degrees Celsius in the nosecone, spend 2-3 minutes in microgravity, crash into the Atlantic, and remain there until retrieval.

    For Air Balloon: 
 In the air balloon's 3-hour flight, it will reach the top of the stratosphere where our experiment will be exposed to low pressure, extreme cold, and radiation before landing.

Materials:
- CiS cubes (rocket/balloon test cube; control cube), 14 grams
- Sun/Air dried cuttings from Prickly Pear from school property, one for each cube, approximately 15 grams
- Sterile gauze as packing material, approximately 10 grams or as needed
- White rice as packing material (to achieve proper weight requirements), approximately 24 grams or as needed
- Terra Cotta flower pots, 8-inch, one for each cactus
- Soil from the area around the mother plant
- Well water
- Photo camera

Variables (dependent and independent)

Dependent variable to test: Growth. Is a cactus able to grow after being exposed to the rigors space travel?

Independent variables (rocket):
   The cactus samples will experience 20 g's of force, rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, and intense vibrations. The cactus samples will be subjected to bruising and potential damage to cell structure as a result.

Independent variables (balloon):
The cactus samples will experience 3 hours of radiation and extremely low temperatures. The cactus samples will be subjected to potential cell destruction or mutation as a result.

Control Cactus:
• Same harvesting process
• Same packaging process (cube)
• Storing process during dormant time as comparable as possible to conditions of test cactus except for space travel
• Same re-growing process

Steps to conduct the Experiment or Investigation
Pre-Launch Preparation:
1. Cut several pieces of cacti and let them sun/air dry.
2. Pick a test sample and a control sample that by weight is closest to achieve the maximum allowed weight of the payload (64grams).
3. Wrap the cacti in sterile gauze for cushioning.
4. Add rice to achieve the exact high end of allowed weight.
5. Weigh and record the weight of both cubes.
6. The control cube will be stored in a dark, cool place [school closet] while the test sample is sent out.

Post-Return Investigation:
1. Weigh and record the weight of the payloads and components.
2. The test and the control samples will be planted in 8-inch flower pots, with soil from the area near the mother plant, and positioned near the mother plant.
3. All samples will be watered ¼ cup of well water every other day.
4. Visual growth will be observed for 2-3 months by taking photos once every other day.
5. At the end of 3 months (or 2 months if significant growth is observed) all plants will be measured and weighed:
a.   Number of pads
b.  Approximate area of the largest pad
c.  Root length
d.  Individual and total weight of pads
e.  Total weight of roots
We will analyze the data by comparing the pad area, root length and weight of the pads and roots and determine the derivation (if any) of the cactus that went into space and the control cactus.



Component #5: What do I predict will happen?

Since there is little research done with Oppuntia engelmanni var. lindheimeri, we are basing our prediction on the resilience known on Earth of Prickly Pear cactus, and predicting that the space trauma will not impact or destroy the ability of O. lindheimeri to grow again.
We predict that the O. lindheimeri test sample sent to space will re-grow at the same rate and volume as the control cactus.

For the Sounding Rocket:
 If we subject a piece of Oppuntia Engelmannii var. Lindheimeri to the extreme forces of the sounding rocket's launch in the form of 20 g's, rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, and vibrations , then we predict that the cactus will grow at the same rate as a cactus that did not undergo space travel.

For the Air Balloon:
 If we subject a piece of Oppuntia Engelmannii var. Lindheimeri to the extreme forces of the air balloon's flight in the form of extreme radiation and low temperatures of the stratosphere, then we predict that the cactus will grow at the same rate as a cactus that did not undergo these effects commonly encountered in space travel.
[We are basing our predictions on research from the resources mentioned in previous links]

What are your procedures to obtain information, data, and answers to the questions posed as a result of the experiment?
(same for sounding rocket and air balloon; see Component #4)

How will you know that you have the answers to your question as a result of the experiment or investigation?
If our experimental cactus takes root and grows, we will know that pieces of cactus can survive the extreme conditions of space travel and still be revived.





Component #6: What could be done with the information?

Who can benefit from the results of this experiment or investigation?
If successful, Prickly Pear cacti could contribute to providing an excellent source of food, oxygen, water, and medicine on Mars or similar exploratory missions in space, or for any prolonged stay in space.Oppuntia Engelmannii var. Lindheimeri could also be a significant contribution towards allowing extended expeditions into unknown territory.

How will we communicate the results of the investigation to the person, group, or organization that could benefit from knowing the results of your experiment or investigation?

Upon successful completion of the investigation we wish to share our research with the Mars-1 mission team (http://www.mars-one.com) for use in the colonization of Mars. Further research is needed in space to evaluate how much the cactus produces and how much cactus is needed to support the colony.
We would also like to share the results with the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2005/mars_plants.html). They could combine their extremophile genes with Oppuntia Engelmannii var. Lindheimeri to make it super-resilient.
  Within four weeks of the completion of testing, we will also send a report via email to the CiS program with the complete test data, pictures, and results.
  While the Austin Area Homeschoolers Engineering group is in session, we will share current updates in person. After the school year ends, we will stay in touch via social media and Dropbox.
   To share our CiS progress with the  broader homeschooler community and others, we will start a blog that will document the progress of our research. We will write weekly project updates and extra posts for important news.

We are Going to Space! (Or rather, our experiments are)

Today Julius and I learned that our Cubes in Space proposal has been accepted, and we will be sending some Texas Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) to space!
We will be writing this blog to document and share our Cubes in Space science project with our school and any other interested parties. I will write several pre-launch  posts with our proposal, timeline, and pre- launch preparations. After that, we wait! The sounding rocket will launch in late June, and the weather balloon will launch in August. A few weeks after each launch we will get our test cubes back, and we will attempt to revive the pieces of cactus that went into space. During the revival process we will post updates weekly. You can subscribe to our blog by email using the gadget to the right, above the authors section. Thank you for reading!

-Edith