February-April 2005

The Program
Orion's Quest employs current NASA research to reach and inspire “the next generation of explorers.” 

Mission I Research (Pilot Program)
Orion's Quest Mission I supported the ongoing research of Dr. Catharine Conley, a NASA research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffitt Field, California.  Dr. Conley, along with other scientists, is utilizing the soil nematode Caenorhabditis (SEE-NO-RAB-DIT-IS) elegans (C. elegans), as the model organism for the ongoing research in the area of Human Space Exploration.

Dr. Conley, requested that Orion’s Quest students conduct an experiment, also utilizing C. elegans, to assist in her work.  The focus of the classroom experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of the “media” (broth) that was developed to sustain the worms during extended research periods. 

Over a four-week period, students observed and analyzed photos of C. elegans immerse in the media, recording population densities and tracking the progression of worms through the four normal growth stages.

Final data was compiled and provided to Dr. Conley for review.

Students received mission memorabilia, a Certificate of participation and a Plank Owner’s Certificate.

A number of students from Mission I were invited to participate in a special program NASA sponsored program involving the launching of “High Altitude Balloons.”  For more information regarding this activity go to “High Altitude Balloon Launch Program” page

Orion's Quest “Plank Owners”

Approximately nine hundred (900) middle and high school students in seventeen (17) schools participated in Mission I, thus becoming *Plank Owners in the Orion's Quest Program.  All participants were public U.S. schools that represented a cross section of urban, suburban and rural settings.