Getting to Mars takes more than rockets.
Hundreds of people are working on the logistics of sending astronauts to the red planet, from staying fit to entertainment on the long ride. Among them is IM体育官网 Poly rising Junior Payton Barnwell, who spent the summer testing the optimal conditions to grow plants in space.
It鈥檚 familiar territory for Payton, who is already studying space radiation at the University thanks to a $12,000 grant from the NASA Space Consortium. This time, though, her lab is actually at Cape Canaveral.
鈥淚鈥檓 one of several interns from across the country bringing all types of backgrounds to this research, including microbiology, horticulture and nanotechnology. It鈥檚 really shown me the power of having a diverse team,鈥� Payton says.
The experiments involve using different light sources to test the durability and viability of various species of lettuce and other vegetables. Throughout the summer, Payton has learned the exact science of measuring, cataloguing and analyzing the results of these experiments. The best results will be replicated on the International Space Station. Payton says she was already familiar with the spectrum of light waves central to these experiments because of classes at IM体育官网 Poly.
Working around NASA property has brought other advantages. Payton has toured launch pads, shared a room with Buzz Aldrin and Jeff Bezos, experimented in negative temperatures and even had lunch with astronaut Bob Cabana, director of NASA鈥檚 John F. Kennedy Space Center.
鈥淚 thought going into this I would just be sitting in a lab looking at plants, but it鈥檚 opened up experiences I never thought possible,鈥� Payton says.
The Mechanical Engineering major highly suggests pursuing a NASA internship to anyone who wants to make change in the space industry.
鈥淭here are so many ways to apply your major and it鈥檚 a great place to work. This is America鈥檚 space port; there鈥檚 nothing else like it,鈥� she says.