About Terps in Space

Terps in Space is an undergrad research program where teams from across the University System of Maryland…

⚗️   design a microgravity experiment of their choice

📝   write a research proposal

🚀   compete to send their experiment to the International Space Station (ISS)

We partner with

We are funded by

Click here for a longer description or see the below information.

WHO?

  • Science and engineering freshmen, sophomores and juniors interested in research.
  • No previous research background is required.

 

WHAT?

  • Join student teams that compete by writing experiment proposals to test the effect of microgravity on phenomenon of their choice.
  • Only one proposal is selected for flight. This is a real scientific competition.
  • Winning team prepares their experiment in the lab for launch to low Earth orbit on ISS. The experiment design constraints are here.
  • The experiment will spend 4-6 weeks in microgravity and return to the students for analysis.
  • Teams consist of 2-4 students. You can sign up as a team, or as an individual and we will assign you to a team.
  • Research mentors are assigned to each team and will give weekly advice on proposal writing and experiment design.

 

WHEN?

NOW: Express interest in participating, either solo or as a team. Sign up here

January 24, 2022: Tentative date of orientation and info session (student teams are briefed about the details of the experiment + proposal)

January 31, 2022: Program begins

March, 2022: Mid-program check-in

April 30, 2022: Proposals due for review and selection of finalists

June 1, 2022: Three proposals are selected as finalists to be reviewed by National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE)

June to December 2022: Three finalists teams can optimize experiments and revise their proposals

December TBD, 2022: Three finalist proposal revisions due

December TBD, 2022: One proposal is selected to fly to ISS

Winter/Spring 2023: Winning proposal has time to optimize the experiment for flight to ISS

Spring 2023 (barring launch delays): Experiment due for ferry to ISS

Launch + 4-6 weeks (Summer/Fall 2023): Experiment returns and winning student team analyzes the results

Summer/Fall 2023: Winning team may attend the SSEP conference in Washington, D.C. and present results for an undergraduate citation

 

What is my time commitment?

FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

Spring 2022: Write the 8-page experiment proposal between January 24 and April 30. Meet weekly with research mentor. Perform preliminary experiments (as applicable) to strengthen your proposal. [~3 months]

 

FOR THE THREE SEMI-FINALISTS ONLY

June to November 2022: Revise your proposal based on reviewers’ comments and perform optimization/preliminary experiment before sending it to NCESSE for selection [may reach out to the Terps in Space facilitators/directors/mentors any time between these dates].

 

ONLY FOR THE WINNING TEAM

Mid-December 2022: Revise your proposal based on reviewers’ comments. Depending on your experiment, you might have to optimize quantities and other aspects of your proposed experiment [~1-2 weeks].

Winter/Spring 2023: Set up your experiment in the lab and ship it for flight to ISS [~ 1 month]

Summer/Fall 2023: Receive your experiment from space and analyze and report results [~1-2 months].

 

Contact Terps in Space Community Directors Jason Hipkins, and Taylor Bartlow with questions

If you’d like to sign up, there’s still time to signup!

Terps in Space is a Student Spaceflight Experiments Program at the University System of Maryland