FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UCCS and PPSC Student Team Selected to Send Bioleaching Experiment to International Space Station
Colorado Springs, CO – Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – A collaborative student research team from Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) has been selected to send its experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) through the prestigious Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 19.
The student team’s proposal, focused on how fungi behave in microgravity environments, was selected through a highly competitive international review process. According to SSEP, 1,178 proposals were submitted worldwide across the 20 participating communities. Of those, 397 proposals advanced to formal review and just 21 experiments were ultimately selected to fly aboard the ISS. Colorado received 11 proposals this year, with approximately 55 students participating. Worldwide, roughly 7,288 students participated in Mission 19.
The selected student research team includes Evan Martin, Tristan Dwyer and William Shimel from UCCS along with Cody Leeper from Pikes Peak State College. The team was mentored by Dr. Carol McClelland, UCCS faculty member.
“This team has faced multiple launch delays and continued work on their experiment for almost two years as a result,” said Dr. McKenna Lovejoy, Director of Engineering at PPSC. “We are thrilled they are finally getting to launch. Sustainable exploration requires learning how to recover and reuse resources in space. This team’s experiment investigates whether fungi can become part of that future.”
The proposed experiment investigates how microgravity impacts the mycological process of bioleaching, which uses fungi to remove and recycle heavy metals from electronic components. The experiment specifically studies Aspergillus niger and its ability to recover metals in low-gravity environments, a process that could become essential for long-term space habitation and sustainable off-world resource management.
By analyzing metal concentration, acid production, fungal growth patterns and metal adsorption onto fungal biomass, the team hopes to better understand how fungi perform in space compared to Earth conditions. Researchers anticipate that microgravity may increase metal adsorption efficiency, potentially advancing future technologies for resource recovery during deep-space missions.
"Having student research fly to the International Space Station is an extraordinary achievement. It highlights the innovation, persistence, and collaborative spirit of our students and demonstrates that meaningful space research can begin right here in Colorado Springs” says Dr. Lynnane George, Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCCS
The experiment launches aboard an ISS resupply mission as part of SSEP Mission 19. Once aboard the ISS, astronauts conduct the experiment in microgravity conditions before the samples are returned to Earth for analysis. To learn more about the launch, visit https://www.spacex.com/launches/crs-34.
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program provides students with authentic aerospace research opportunities while encouraging hands-on STEM education and collaboration across institutions. The program continues to position Colorado students as emerging contributors to the future of space exploration and innovation. The launch is scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Live launch updates are available at http://ssep.ncesse.org/.
About SSEP:
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) is a program of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) in the United States and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education internationally. The program is enabled through a strategic partnership with Nanoracks, LLC, working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.
About Pikes Peak State College (PPSC):
Established in 1968 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Pikes Peak offers associate degrees, certificates in career and technical fields and a growing number of bachelor’s degrees. With four campuses, various off-campus locations, two military education centers and hundreds of online classes, PPSC provides access to a quality, affordable and flexible education to more than 17,000 students annually with both credit and non-credit classes.
About the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS):
Founded in 1965, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a premier regional research university serving more than 11,000 students annually. UCCS offers a broad range of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs and is recognized for its commitment to innovation, student success and community engagement in Southern Colorado.
Media Contacts:
Rachel Tyrrell BS, BA
Content Coordinator
Marketing and Communications
Pikes Peak State College
Mobile: 719-715-3297
Email: rachel.tyrrell@pikespeak.edu
Sue McClernan
Marketing and Strategic Communications Manager
College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Email: smcclern@uccs.edu
Mobile: 719-255-3551