Rocket to launch South Jersey experiments to space station

A rocket carrying two South Jersey science experiments is set to launch Monday afternoon at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA and the space center have announced that contractor SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket at 12:31 p.m. Monday with a resupply and experiments payload to the International Space Station.

Aboard this CRS-Mission 12 and inside the Dragon cargo vehicle will be science experiments from the Waterford Elementary School and Stockton University in Galloway Township.

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Five girls developed the winning experiment team from the elementary school under the supervision of teacher Debbie Parker. The purpose is to see how well eggplant seeds will grow in near zero gravity in order to provide high-moisture content food for the astronauts on board the space station.

The Stockton fungus and flax experiment was devised by students Danielle Ertz of Woodlynne and Valkyrie Falciani of Hammonton, who want to test fungus as a potential force to improve agriculture in space.

The two students and professor Tara Luke plan to travel to Florida to watch the launch, said Stockton spokeswoman Diane D'Amico.

Later this month, the students from both schools will conduct the same experiment on Earth at the same time as the astronauts aboard the station.

The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket will be fired from Launch Pad 39A, which SpaceX leases from NASA and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Pad 39A is a historic pad that was used for the first Apollo manned moon mission in 1969 via a Saturn V rocket and also by the first and last space shuttles.

The first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a controlled landing at Cape Canaveral after it separates from the upper stage shortly after launch.

Carol Comegno (856) 486-2473; or ccomegno@gannettnj.com