Cubes in Space offers students the opportunity to develop their own science

through exploration and discovery. Students develop research that connects

an experiment concept to science and engineering principles and theory.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
With Cubes in Space, students are actually creating “mini-missions” for
suborbital spaceflight. Space missions are designed to gather knowledge
and data. There is ALWAYS a need or reason for the missions as defined by a
space agency, academic institution or company. The missions are defined by
and are grounded in research and are designed to explore and discover
something. For the personnel designing and working on these missions,
often the data collected from instruments or technology will not be
processed, known or analyzed until the payload is returned after flight.
Sometimes the wait can be months or years, and then there is further
scientific or engineering testing and analysis to be conducted.

For space missions, the science is not just conducted ON the mission; it is
conducted before, during and after the mission! This is also the case for your
students because the bulk of the scientific testing and analysis will be
conducted post-flight. Yes, we refer to the materials in the plastic container
as the “experiment”, but the contents are merely part of the whole
experiment. And so, students will be design the experiment concept, which is
similar to a space mission concept, in addition to designing the full
experiment.

A space mission concept describes the mission goals, how the mission will
work and how the mission will get data to satisfy the users or stakeholders.1
Much like a mission concept, the experiment concept will broadly describe
the purpose of the experiment, identifies who or what could potentially
benefit from the results.

The experiment concept helps to identify what needs to be researched,

conducted, sourced and built – and by whom. The experiment concept also
helps to describe what knowledge, skills and tools are needed to build the
experiment and conduct the tests. The experiment concept provides
information that contributes to the Experiment Description requirement of the
Application for Spaceflight. In this module, documents are provided to help
guide students through the process of developing their experiment concept.

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Experiment Concept versus Experiment Design

For the Application for Spaceflight, the students will create a full proposal
describing the concept for the experiment, how to conduct the experiment,
and how to analyze and communicate the results. The written proposal
consists of the following sections:

I. Experiment Title
II. Hypothesis
III. Experiment Purpose
IV. Experiment Description (Pre-flight)
V. Analysis Plan (Post-flight)
VI. Communication Plan

In the Experiment Purpose section, students will incorporate their experiment

concept. For the Experiment Description section, students will describe in
complete detail all aspects of the experiment – the experiment design.

The experiment design describes:

• the components of the experiments,
• how those components fit inside the payload cube,
• how the components interact with each other,
• what happens before, during and after the sounding rocket or balloon
mission, what testing occurs before and after the flight,
• how the testing will be conducted. (This would be the “materials and
methods” part of an experiment set-up and description.)

In reading the Experiment Description section, the reviewers should be able

to replicate the experiment. This means the students must be extraordinarily
detailed in this section! During the pandemic, Team Cubes in Space DID build
several experiments for students using only the Experiment Description
section of the Application for Spaceflight! The Experiment Concept lays out
the plan for preparing to design – and if selected – build the experiment!

In this module, the Application for Spaceflight Guide provides everything the
students need to design their concept, experiment and technical diagram.

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Experiment Concept versus Experiment Design (cont.)

Here are the sequenced steps to follow to help focus the students’ minds
and experiment concept design efforts. Following these steps and using the
tools provided will lead to a well-designed experiment and well-written
proposal.
1) Identify and understand the flight and launch conditions of the
airborne platform that will carry your experiment to space or near
space. These will be the independent variables.
2) Identify the possible independent variables associated with each
vehicle (airborne platform; sounding rocket or scientific balloon).
Enter these variables on the Independent Variables Table diagram.
(Module 5.1)
3) Think about and brainstorm materials or objects (ENTITIES) upon
which the forces along with the flight and environmental conditions
(INDEPENDENT VARIABLES) will act and cause an observable change
(DEPENDENT VARIABLE) on the entity.

4) Develop background research questions to demonstrate

connections between the independent variables, the entities, and
the dependent variables. Use the Background Research Questions
form to help guide the process.
5) Brainstorm and identify the types of changes in the entity associated
with each independent variable. Input the information into the
Experiment Design Matrix or students can create one on their own
paper or use a spreadsheet program.

6) Think about and describe WHY the observable change occurs. This
reason/explanation = “because” in the hypothesis.
Example: Decrease air pressure = increase size of marshmallow because the
internal pressure of the marshmallow is greater than the surrounding air and
expands. For the hypothesis, you will quantify the values of the variables.

7) Design a testable hypothesis.

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Checklist for Experiment Design
 Does the title of the experiment concept clearly identify the independent
and dependent variables?
 Does the experiment concept have a problem statement?
 Does the hypothesis clearly state the prediction of how changing the
independent variable will affect the dependent variable?
 Is there only one independent variable?
 Is the independent variable one of the flight or environmental conditions?
 If there is more than one independent variable, is it clearly defined how
each variable will be isolated?
 Is the dependent variable clearly identified and stated?
 Is the dependent variable operationally defined? Does the investigator
clearly state how a responding effect be described and measured?
 Are the constraints clearly defined and described?
 Is there a control?
 Is the control clearly stated?
 Are there repeated trials?
 Are there enough repeated trials to collect valid data?
 Does the experiment include a technical diagram?
 Does the experiment have a sufficient level of complexity related to the
hypothesis and problem statement?

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Cubes in Space offers students the opportunity to develop their own science
through exploration and discovery. Students develop research that connects
an experiment concept to science and engineering principles and theory.
The research informs the development of an experiment concept and design
to describe in a full proposal and technical diagram to be submitted for the
Application for Spaceflight.

EXPERIMENT TITLE:
The experiment title should be a description statement as to what is
happening in the experiment. The title should communicate the relationship
between the dependent and independent variables.

Example: The Effect of Upper Stratospheric Radiation on the Survivability Rate

of Bacterium deadlius

EXPERIMENT HYPOTHESIS:
The hypothesis must be written in an “if...then...because” statement.
Example: If Bacterium deadlius is exposed to10 mJ/cm2 UV-A radiation in the
upper stratosphere for at least 5 hours, then 100% of the bacteria will be
eradicated because lab tests revealed the bacteria dies after being exposed
to 1 mW/cm2 for 10 hours. (NOTE-this is NOT a real experiment.)

Another example: If a person reduces their daily food consumption by 500

calories a day, then they will lose a pound a week because eating 3500
calories less in a week equals a decrease of 1 pound(0.45kilograms) of body
weight. Notice that data and results have been quantified in the hypothesis.

EXPERIMENT PURPOSE:
This section serves as the ABSTRACT for this proposal and should be
succinct and written clearly. The STATED PROBLEM and BACKGROUND
RESEARCH should be communicated at the beginning of this section. The
stated problem is the connection to the Earth or space-based problem or
need.

The background research MUST have citations provided at the end of the
section. Wikipedia is not an acceptable source to include as a formal
reference.

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Provide one or two sentences on how this experiment was conceptualized.
For instance, a group of students at a school in Ontario, Canada knew their
classmate had a food allergy and carried an EpiPen at all times. This led to the
inquiry about how epinephrine behaves during spaceflight - does the
chemical formula change in response to cosmic radiation exposure.
This short anecdote provides the context for the experiment.

Inthis section, provide an explanation for:

• Why the experiment is needed (stated problem and background research)
• What IS the experiment (1-2 sentences maximum)
• In what environment will the experiment be flown, and why that
environment is needed
• What data will be measured, and explain the significance of that data
related to the stated problem
• How the experiment will be conducted - this may be a short, stand alone
paragraph
• What the implications are for a supported HYPOTHESIS (what does it mean
in regards to the stated problem if the hypothesis was supported through
data analysis).

EXPERIMENT DESCRIPTION:
This needs to be written so that the reader can replicate the experiment
EXACTLY. This is important because the Cubes in Space team had to build
experiments for students (under very special circumstances). Additionally, the
Experiment Description is also important so that future researchers could
continue your work!

This Procedures section of the Experiment Section will be the most

comprehensive; therefore, it will be the longest section of the Application for
Spaceflight. The information will be organized into three main sections: Pre-
Flight; During Flight; and Post-Flight.

Since research and experimental design is all about the data, this section
should critically focus on the details of the data collection and recording
process. Therefore, this section needs to answer the following questions
regarding data collection. (from NSTA STEM Handbook p. 72)

• How will data be collected?

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 • How will measurements be taken?
• What tools and techniques will be used?
• How will qualitative measurements be observed and recorded?
• How can the qualitative data be translated into quantifiable values?
• How often will data be collected and recorded (decisions for this
could go above in the general description section)
• How long will the experiment last? What is the duration for the pre-
flight and post-flight set up and testing procedures?
• How does your experiment design address potential extraneous
variables? (address each variable individually and ID the extraneous
variables)

Stating that a professor or professional will be conducting pre- and post-

flight analysis is not acceptable. Learn what tests are being conducted. Ask
the SME to describe the procedures in teams you can
understand. Communicate that information in the PROCEDURES section.

MATERIALS:
• Everything that is needed to conduct the experiment from beginning to
end.
• Everything includes the supplies needed for the experimental set-up. Do
not forget to include “consumables” - those materials that will be used
completely during the experiment. This can be ….
• All of the tools and instruments used for observation and measurement
• Include the technical specifications for the materials and instruments
• Includes the concentration of chemicals (i.e. 91% isopropyl alcohol)
• The manufacturer and model number for any equipment
• Brand of materials
• For any organisms, include genus and species name followed by common
name in parentheses
• Provide quantities in metric units: instead of “water” use the phrase “ 500
ml of deionized water”

SAFETY:
Describe safety procedures in detail.

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PROCEDURES:
This subsection is where all the experimental design procedures will be
conducted. Tip - it is best to write this section first and THEN write the
materials section.

Pre-Flight Procedures
Describe the experimental setup. This will incorporate many of the materials
described in this proposal section.
Describe how observations and measurements will conducted
Describe how to verify that the experiment subject/payload meets program
requirements.
Demonstrate how data tables will be set up:
How will the data be:
organized in tables and
analyzed in graphs (what types) and
communicated in figures
Include the graphic(s) as a .pdf upload in this section.

Experimental Payload Configuration

• Describe procedures for ensuring experiment requirements are met and
constraints not violated when integrating the experimental subject into the
payload cube.
• Demonstrate how the experiment subject will be configured in the payload
cube. Include ballast or payload protection material.
• Submit a technical diagram for the experiment subject AND the experiment
subject integrated into the payload cube. Ensure ALL technical diagram
requirements are met. See checklist.
• For powered experiments, a functional block diagram as well as a
technical schematic are required.
• Describe the materials and procedures for protecting the experimental
payload during shipping.

Post Flight Testing and Analysis:

Describe the process and procedures for when the experiment subject
returns post-flight:

• What will be observed and recorded?

• What will be measured?

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• What testing will be conducted -
• Demonstrate how data tables will be set up:
• How will the data be:
• organized in tables and
• analyzed in graphs (what types) and
• communicated in figures
• Include the graphic(s) as a .pdf upload in this section.
• How will the results be validated and verified?
• What are the implications for different types of results?

For Pre-Flight and Post-Flight sections, stating that a professor or

professional will be conducting pre- and post-flight analysis is not
acceptable. Learn what tests are being conducted. Ask the subject matter
expert (SME) to describe the procedures in teams you can
understand. Communicate that information in your Procedures section.

COMMUNICATION PLAN:
It is a given that you will share your post-flight analysis report with Cubes in
Space.

With whom else will the findings be shared? Why do those organizations or
persons care?

This section connects to your background research. In what format will the
findings of the experiment be shared? Why is this an appropriate format for
the organization or person with whom you are sharing the results?

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SCIENTIFIC DIAGRAM

The scientific diagram visually communicates the quantity and size of the
contents and how the contents of the experiment will be arranged and fit
(configured) into the small plastic cube. This diagram is an extension of the
Experiment Description and demonstrates forethought and planning of the
experiment prior to submitting the proposal, it is NOT an afterthought. It is an
integral part of the Application for Spaceflight.

ALL of the following components MUST be included:

❑ Title of the Diagram.
Example: “Configuration of the Effect of Decreasing Air Pressure on the
Degree of Expansion of a Marshmallow Experiment”

❑ Draw and label the dimensions for all sides of the plastic cube in
centimeters.

❑ Include a visual inventory with labels and quantities for everyone

component of the experiment.

❑ Label with the name and the dimensions for ALL the components of the
experiment in centimeters.

❑ Include at least (2) views of the cube and contents - a side view and a top
view (bird’s eye) are strongly recommended.

❑ If color is used, include a color key that is labelled.

If hand-drawn:
❑ All straight lines must be drawn using a straight-edge, like a ruler.
❑ Words must be clearly and neatly printed.

NOTE: Students may submit an exceptional Intent to Fly Form and

proposal, but the experiment could be rejected due to a diagram
that does not meet all the requirements above!!

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