Former NASA Rocket Scientist Partners With HBCU For Innovative Space Experiment On Blue Origin
Rocket scientist Aisha Bowe will bring plant samples from Winston-Salem State University to the first Blue Origin all-female mission to space in the spring.
Odyssey, WSSU’s space science and operations firm, will launch an innovative suborbital space experiment aboard Blue Origin’s All-Female Mission, NS-31, according to a press release. This is the HBCU’s first suborbital spaceflight experiment for the WSSU’s Astrobotany research program, which is part of the Department of Biological Sciences.
Experiment for the Future of Space Agriculture and Food Security
Students will analyze crop plants’ early molecular stress response to microgravity exposure, focusing on six key genes related to stress response, nutrient transport, and metabolism. The experiment will examine how gravity affects plant growth by looking for changes in gene activity. After the flight, students will use molecular tools to compare gene expression in plants exposed to microgravity to ground controls.
“By participating in this suborbital flight experiment with Aisha, our students gain hands-on experience that will help shape the future of astrobotany, space exploration and sustainable food production beyond Earth,” Dr. Rafael Loureiro, associate professor of Botany and Plant Physiology, and founder of the Astrobotany Lab at WSSU said.
Who is Aisha Bowe?
Aisha Bowe, born and raised in Michigan, is the sixth Black woman to cross the boundary of space, also known as the Kármán line. The announcement came 30 years after former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992.
Bowe had always dreamed of following in the footsteps of the greats before her. At a very young age, she developed a deep love for all things science fiction and math. After being advised to study cosmetology in high school, she decided to venture down a different path and studied mathematics at Washtenaw Community College.
After finishing her education, she worked for NASA as a mission and then as an aerospace engineer. After that, she became a motivational speaker at the US State Department, where she continues to inspire young Black students worldwide. She is also the founder of STEMBoard, an award-winning DC-based tech powerhouse specializing in professional advisory services for elite organizations in the US government and edtech company LINGO.
Image: Impact Magazine
