UCCS Students Fly Science to the ISS... This Year and Beyond

UCCS students continue to build momentum in space-based student research, with two ISS experiments selected for flight - one launching in 2026 and another scheduled for 2027. Together, these missions highlight UCCS’s growing role in interdisciplinary, hands-on space science spanning biology, chemistry, and aerospace engineering.

UCCS Springs Discussing ISS Experiment for Flight on Mission 21 in May 2026

This year’s experiment, manifested for flight to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in May 2026, is part of Mission 19 of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). The project, Fungal Bioleaching in Microgravity: Fungal Approaches to Metal Recovery, investigates how microgravity affects fungi’s ability to extract valuable metals from electronic waste. Understanding this process could enable sustainable resource recovery for future lunar and Martian habitats. The interdisciplinary student team, drawn from UCCS and Pikes Peak State College, developed the experiment under the guidance of UCCS faculty and will complete formal flight readiness and safety reviews prior to launch. In addition to the research, local K–12 students are contributing by designing a mission patch that will fly to the ISS and return to Earth.

Building on this success, UCCS has also been selected for Mission 21, scheduled to launch in 2027. The Space Climate Seeds investigation examines whether brief exposure to microgravity can biologically “train” crop seeds to better tolerate extreme environments. Focusing on wheat (Triticum aestivum) and soybean (Glycine max), the experiment studies early germination and molecular stress-response activation during a 72-hour period in orbit. Seeds flown to the ISS will be preserved in microgravity to protect RNA integrity, then analyzed on Earth to quantify gene expression changes linked to resilience. Identical ground-control experiments will isolate gravity’s role in triggering these responses.

Together, these missions demonstrate UCCS’s commitment to student-driven research that addresses real challenges of space exploration—from sustainable resource utilization to reliable food production beyond Earth. As these experiments fly, they not only advance NASA’s long-term exploration goals but also give students the rare opportunity to see their science launched into orbit.

Submitted by Dr. Lynnane George, UCCS