Taking Learning Beyond the Classroom Through Mission 20

Posted on Dec 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM

An idea developed in a CACC classroom is scheduled to travel far beyond campus walls, reaching the International Space Station as part of a national research mission.

Through participation in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 20, CACC students designed and submitted original scientific research proposals for consideration in a spaceflight competition. Fifty-two students contributed to 15 proposals exploring topics that ranged from agriculture and biology to human health in microgravity.

One experiment was selected for flight, focusing on the early development of radish roots and shoots in microgravity. The project was developed by students Allie Scott, Benton Stegall, Noah White, Adlyne Benton, and Gracie Deason and is scheduled to launch in 2026 aboard the International Space Station.

Two additional student proposals received honorable mention, giving those teams the opportunity to engage with researchers and institutions beyond campus. For many students, the experience provided hands-on exposure to research design, data analysis, and collaborative problem-solving in a setting with real expectations.

Dr. Jeremy Carr said the project required students to think independently and work through challenges without a predetermined outcome.

“They had to make decisions, defend their ideas, and accept that there were no guarantees,” Carr said. “That kind of uncertainty is part of real research, and they handled it well.”

President Jeff Lynn said the project demonstrates how applied learning can expand students’ sense of what is possible.

“When students are trusted with work that carries real responsibility, it changes how they see themselves,” Lynn said. “Opportunities like this show students what they’re capable of and where their education can take them.”

Participation in Mission 20 gave CACC students the chance to see their work move from concept to a national research stage, reinforcing the role of student-driven inquiry across the College.

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