Illinois Space Grant Consortium will sponsor at least ten K-12th grade teams this spring!
Plant the Moon and Plant Mars are a global science experiment and citizen science project to help NASA live and work on the Moon and Mars.
What is the Plant the Moon & Plant Mars Challenge?
The Plant the Moon and Plant Mars Challenge is designed as a support to NASA’s Artemis Program to connect space science and planetary research with down-to-Earth concepts to introduce students to genuine, rigorous academic research. A program of the Institute of Competition Sciences (ICS) in partnership with the University of Central Florida CLASS Exolith Laboratory, NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the Plant the Moon Challenge is a global science experiment, learning activity and inspirational project-based-learning challenge to see who can grow the best crops using lunar or Martian regolith simulants.
How does the challenge work?
Participants use their kit including lunar or Martian regolith simulant, Project Guide, and pH measurement system to define their own plant growth experiments and experiment parameters influencing plant growth. Each season includes an opening, midpoint, and final symposium virtual meeting. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to Science Advisory Board members and receive support and feedback from the ICS staff throughout the season. Teams submit reports detailing their experiments, data, and findings, and best in show awards are presented at the Global Summit webinar following each of the three challenge grow seasons. Projects are evaluated for Best in Show Awards bestowed upon teams from the Plant the Moon Challenge Science Advisory Board.
Spring Season Registration will open on November 28th!
Applications for Space Grant funding must be submitted by January 20, 2023 for consideration.
More details can be found at the Plant the Moon website
Apply for sponsorship here.
Contact Heid Bjerke with questions.