SpacePort USA
International Space Station Above Earth,
December, 2006(NASA)
"Growing Where No One
Has Grown Before"
The Farm goes to Space and Your Kitchen
Today when astronauts live on the space station or in the shuttle, all they have to do for a meal is open the frig or get out a freeze dried snack. When we return to the Moon and go on to Mars, we will have to take the farm with us. It is not possible to carry enough frozen dinners along for the years the astronauts will be away.
Hydroponics is the only viable way to take a farm into space. Our exhibit this year is of hydroponic methods that may be used on the Moon and Mars. You will see plants growing without any soil or growing medium and hydroponics for your kitchen counter.
Your own Hydroponics Garden You
will be able to plant your own micro-hydroponics garden and take it home.
Taste Hydroponics veggies
Tastings of hydroponically grown micro-salad will be held periodically throughout the fair. They are really tasty!
40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing
This year is the 40th anniversary of the Moon Landing. A real Moon Rock will be on display as well as models and exhibits commemorating that historic event.
Our Green Earth
Live DNS Extraction while you wait
It is common knowledge that all plant forms are determined by DNA. Many of the plants that will travel in space as well as the ones we use for our food on earth will be engineered to be best suited for the environment. In this demonstration you will actually see DNA in a demonstrate of a simple and effective way of extracting and isolating DNA from Strawberries using household items. (Courtesy of the RIT Biological Sciences)
Human Powered Electricity Generator
Pedal a bicycle and see how much work it takes to light a light bulb. Get a real sense for what it takes to make energy. (Courtesy of the RIT Student Activities)
SpacePort USA Background
SpacePort USA is an interactive educational venue which promotes science and technology while focusing on manned space exploration. Since 1998, the New Frontier Society of Greater Rochester(the local chapter of the National Space Society) has presented SpacePort USA at the annual Monroe County Fair. Over the years SpacePort USA has hosted a number of major exhibits from NASA, including The International Space Station Exhibit in 1998, The Exploration Dome in 2005, and the Aero Bus in 2006. The US Space and Rocket Center's Space Laboratories - Science in Orbit exhibit was the highlight of the 2007 Monroe County Fair.