CLEAR LAKE — Students of all ages can follow the “butterflynauts” aboard the International Space Station as they develop from larvae into Painted Lady butterflies.
The educational experiment launched Monday on Space Shuttle Atlantis, and the butterfly habitat will be transferred to the International Space Station within the first two to three days of the mission.
About 100 elementary and middle school classrooms are participating in a pilot study by setting up ground-based habitats.
“Students will replicate the space experiment and compare the growth and behavior of their butterfly larvae with those living in the microgravity environment of space,” Dr. Greg Vogt, senior project manager at Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Educational Outreach, said.
In addition to the pilot group, all classrooms across the country are invited to participate by setting up their own butterfly habitats.
Photos and video of the space larvae will be transmitted to Earth daily and will be made available on the BioEd Online Web site.
