What if a team of students from the south Oregon coast were able to design an experiment for the International Space Station? Well, we have that opportunity. SWOCC plans to participate in Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 22. It’s a nationwide research project that has invited select colleges to send student‑designed experiments to the ISS.
The program is expected to engage up to 60 SWOCC students in its first year alone. These students will be from a wide range of backgrounds, from dual-enrolled local high school students to adults returning for career training.
For students in our small communities, experiences like this are life‑changing. They build technical skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging in science and technology fields. SWOCC’s participation will have other ripple effects as well. Our STEAM instructors plan classroom visits, public presentations, and a regional mission patch design contest involving middle-school students. They want to share the work and inspire the next generation of scientists and problem‑solvers.
Beginning in fall 2026, our small student space research teams guided by SWOCC physics professor Dr. Aaron Coyner. Their challenge will be to design microgravity experiments and submit them to a rigorous review process. Three proposals will advance to national review, and one student‑designed experiment will launch to the ISS in spring 2027.
SWOCC Foundation is helping the students raise $30,000 to fully fund participation in SSEP Mission 22. We are nearly to the goal of sending one student experiment to the International Space Station.
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