Tardigrade Cell GrowthSpace Shuttle Experiment by the Ridge View Raptors

Project team: Jacob Biddle, Austin Hayden, Dana Hustedt, Isaac Jepsen, Gretchen Kistenmacher, Michael Parrett, Taylor Radke

Project Leaders: Mrs. Patty Wheeler and Mr. Art Witten

How Does Microgravity Affect the growth of Tardigrade Cells?

This experiment was designed to observe the difference in cell growth of tardigrades in microgravity as opposed to their regular cell growth on earth.

Why Tardigrades?

• Tardigrades are easily viewable by microscope• Tardigrades are eutelic. This means that each

individual has a fixed number of cells throughout its adulthood. With this in mind, we could then conclude that any growth observed was the result of the cell growth of the individual. • Tardigrades are resilient. They can survive harsh

environments quite easily. By using tardigrades, we were ensuring that organisms would survive until they could be measured upon return.

Procedure• First, we ordered our tardigrades from Trans-Mississsippi

Biological Supply• Next, we carefully measured and counted tardigrades via

microscope and placed them in test tubes with approximately thirty tardigrades in each tube, with an adequate food supply.

• This was done at Buena Vista University Labs with the assistance of Dr. Melinda Coogan

• One sample was sent to Florida to be sent on STS-135, the others remained in our lab as a control.

Data analysis• On July 8th, the tardigrades were sent into space on STS-135

Atlantis.• Four of our project team’s members were present for the

launch.• The Shuttle returned to earth on July 21st, and we received our

experiment sample shortly after. • Upon the arrival of the sample, our project team met at the

Buena Vista University Lab to analyze the results. • We carefully measured the tardigrades from both the Space

and Earth samples.

• Microgravity Data

• Control DataMicrogravity Before Microgravity After

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Gravity Before Gravity After0

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Conclusion• The analysis of our data shows that, while subject to

microgravity, the tardigrades grew an average of about thirteen micrometers. On the other hand, tardigrades subject to normal earth gravity grew an average of about thirty-two micrometers. Our team concluded that the growth difference observed was insignificant, and our data was not enough to be entirely conclusive.