Two high school students are having a literal out of this world experience. Both Will Casto and Danielle Gibson of Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics just launched their biology experiment into space which can help future studies.
On February 19, SpaceX, a leading company in the aerospace business, launched a resupplying mission to the International Space Station and Casto and Gibson's experiment was aboard the same flight, according to Lexington Herald Leader. This biology experiment focuses on the topic of microgravity and its effects to the smooth muscles found in the cardiac muscles of rats.
In an interview with ABC News, Gibson shared that they wanted to help their community with their research results. It was revealed that Gibson and Casto's community in Appalachian Kentucky actually had a very high record of heart problems. With this, the two wanted to see if microgravity can pave some light to cure some of the world's crucial cardiac diseases.
More than the future results of this biology experiments by these high schoolers, both Casto and Gibson can't hide their amazement when they learned that they'll be part of a history of the SpaceX expedition. SpaceX's launch on Sunday was actually its first flight from Florida after the failed launching last year. Casto also shared that they also wanted to set a history for their institution even at a very young age.
Well, even if the results are still on its way, Casto's wish is already granted. Dr. Carol Christian, the director of the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, actually praises the two young minds and expresses her pride on Casto and Gibson. Christian also imparted that the said experiment by the two high school students already exceeded their institution's expectations. Casto and Gibson's mentor, Dr. Michael Fultz from Morehead State University also gave high remarks of the two students for being pleasurable research buddies.
As of the moment, the two high school students are monitoring their results via a live video feed of their experiment from space. More than this, both Casto and Gibson expressed their plans of entering a medical school to continue further research on microgravity and heart problems.
