Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Natalie Brattain, Junior Chloe Nissen, Junior Matas Ubartas, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Joshua Lozano
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Sean Crouse
Abstract
The Tardigrade Bio-ExplorAtion Reproduction Research Satellite (tBEARR) is a 3U CubeSat mission under development by the Embry-Riddle Orbital Research Association (ERORA), an undergraduate research club at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, FL. The mission aims to launch four separate cultures of tardigrades aboard a 3U CubeSat to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) to study the effects of UV and cosmic radiation on their genetics and cell composition, which may, in turn, affect their reproduction cycle. Tardigrades are microorganisms renowned for their remarkable resilience to extreme conditions, including extreme temperatures, pressures, low-oxygen environments, and extended periods without food or water. Research into the mechanisms behind their cellular survival in these conditions remains limited, which is why the tBEARR team has chosen this as the focus for their primary payload aboard the CubeSat. Hypsibius exemplaris has been chosen as the primary species aboard the CubeSat, with others awaiting testing verifications. Insights from this research could contribute to the development of advanced radiation-hardening technologies, such as protective bioengineering techniques for electronics, enhanced resilience in plant cells for space-based agriculture, or cellular adaptations in humans to mitigate radiation exposure during long-duration space missions. In addition, this mission aims to design and build the first standardized CubeSat laboratory, intended for future use by students and researchers from other universities, easing overall access to space
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Tardigrade Bio-ExplorAtion Reproduction Research Satellite (tBEARR)
The Tardigrade Bio-ExplorAtion Reproduction Research Satellite (tBEARR) is a 3U CubeSat mission under development by the Embry-Riddle Orbital Research Association (ERORA), an undergraduate research club at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, FL. The mission aims to launch four separate cultures of tardigrades aboard a 3U CubeSat to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) to study the effects of UV and cosmic radiation on their genetics and cell composition, which may, in turn, affect their reproduction cycle. Tardigrades are microorganisms renowned for their remarkable resilience to extreme conditions, including extreme temperatures, pressures, low-oxygen environments, and extended periods without food or water. Research into the mechanisms behind their cellular survival in these conditions remains limited, which is why the tBEARR team has chosen this as the focus for their primary payload aboard the CubeSat. Hypsibius exemplaris has been chosen as the primary species aboard the CubeSat, with others awaiting testing verifications. Insights from this research could contribute to the development of advanced radiation-hardening technologies, such as protective bioengineering techniques for electronics, enhanced resilience in plant cells for space-based agriculture, or cellular adaptations in humans to mitigate radiation exposure during long-duration space missions. In addition, this mission aims to design and build the first standardized CubeSat laboratory, intended for future use by students and researchers from other universities, easing overall access to space