Proposal Title: Baking Bread in Space (BBIS)

Grade Level of Student Team: Fourth Grade

Submitting School: Open Window School

Submitting Teacher Facilitator: Trista Bamer, Hannah Blacksin, and Randy Hollinger
Names: Amy, EJ, Hansol
Position: 4th Grade Student

Proposal Summary:
Our project will examine the response to microgravity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This experience
will possibly contribute to the further use of this species as a resource for dough on the International
Space Station or another planet. Our goal is to do what we can to make sure that our experiment is
successful and can be used to further research in this area. We believe that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae
may show a response to microgravity in the physical appearance of the 100% wheat dough or the rate of
its development. We will examine how the yeast changes during alcoholic fermentation and develops
while in microgravity compared to on Earth. Both experiments will be done the same way including the
time span and procedure. Also, we will ask the following questions as we analyze Saccharomyces
cerevisiae’s behavior: Are there any differences in the amount of air bubbles, the bread’s appearance,
and shape? How can our findings contribute to our knowledge of yeast, 100% wheat dough, and purified
water in making bread in microgravity?
Student Team Members Page

Name: Amy Wang

Grade level: 4th grade

Name: Hansol O’Brien

Grade level: 4th grade

Name: EJ Lee
Grade level: 4th grade
III. Experiment Materials and Handling Requirements Pages

Fluids Mixing Enclosure (FME) Type Proposed to be Used: Type 3

Volume 1
In volume 1 we are going to put 2.7 mL of 100% Wheat dough

Volume 2
In volume 2 we are going to put 2.8 mL of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Volume 3
In volume 3 we are going to put 2.6 mL of 100-150 ppm of mineral water

IMPORTANT: Are any of the proposed samples human in origin? (check one):
☐ Yes
■ No

No special handling requirements are needed. We won’t be handling or needing any transportation
requirements.

Provide Below Your Proposed Timeline of Crew Interactions:

Proposed Experiment Timeline of Crew Interactions Aboard ISS

Crew Interaction Days Interaction Description

 One day after arrival at ISS A+1 Release clamp between volume 2 & 3. If it doesn’t mix
move container until it does.

2 days after arrival A+4 Release the clamp between volume 1 & the combined 2
and 3

2 days after arrival to 9 Check on results if the bread has good air bubbles. If the
days after arrival A+2- bread doesn’t have any good air bubbles, then shake
a+9 gently.

IV. The Question to be Addressed by the Experiment

The question to be addressed is: How does microgravity effect the alcoholic formation of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae mixing with purified water and Wheat dough.

Hypothesis: If you put Saccharomyces cerevisiae with 100-150 ppm of mineral water and sourdough,
then the bread will create air bubbles slower in space because the microgravity will slow down the
Saccharomyces cerevisiae from getting to the sourdough. We would like to find out if the
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the 100% wheat dough and water will mix in a microgravity environment, so
that the astronauts can easily bake good bread in space instead of bringing it from Earth.

From our research, we have learned…

100% Wheat dough:
-It has13.2 grams of protein
-It is 11% water
-It has selenium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, folate
-It is made of warm water, flour, and which is 100% wheat.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae:
-It is the scientific name for “Brewer’s Yeast.”
-It is a fungus.
-It is a single-celled eukaryote that is frequently used in scientific research.
100-150 ppm of Mineral Water:
-Minerals provide food for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
-It might not be safe to drink too much mineral water

Experimental Information:
Our experiment is different from others because not many yeast experiments are done on the ISS, and
most experiments in microgravity don’t include 100% wheat dough and water so we think our project is
unique. Our experiment should be conducted in microgravity because we think making food in space is
important. We know what will happen when it is on earth because we are doing a “same” experiment on
earth, but it will be different in space. Our experiment will help astronauts because food costs money,
maybe not a lot, but still money. Getting food up to the ISS costs money too. Our experiment could
potentially help the astronauts who are going to the ISS.

V. Experiment Design

Experiment Rationale:
How does microgravity affect the alcoholic formation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae when combined with
100% wheat dough and 100-150 ppm of mineral water?
Our experiment will answer this question because we will have a Saccharomyces cerevisiae that was
formed on earth and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae formed in space so that we can compare.

Experimental Analysis: When our experiment returns to Earth, we will look at the Saccharomyces
cerevisiae under a microscope.

Experimental Materials:
Materials used are:
a. 2.7 mL of 100% wheat dough
b. 2.8 mL of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
c. 2.6mL of 100-150 ppm of mineral water

1. These materials were chosen because these were the supplies that our school has access
to. By using materials available at school, we did not have a need to purchase additional items.
We didn’t use professional Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but we predict that they will react the
same way.

2. These materials were acquired from:

a. 100-150 ppm of mineral water - School Science Lab
b. Saccharomyces cerevisiae- School Science Lab
c. Ingredients for 100% Wheat Dough - School Science Lab
The Experimental Procedure:
* Step one- Put 100% the wheat dough in volume 1, the Yeast in volume 2, and the 100-150 ppm
mineral water in 3. Put the cap on.
 * Step Two- Get the experiment to the ISS.
* Step Three – Release the clamp between volumes 2 & 3.
* Step Four – Shake gently for 30 seconds.
* Step Five- Check the result, if they are still completely separated, then shake gently for 30 more
seconds, repeat until they are at least a little together.
* Step Six – Leave the experiment alone for three days.
* Step Seven – Then, release the other clamp between volumes 1 & 2.
* Step Eight – Shake it gently for 10 seconds.
* Step Nine – Wait and see what happens.
* Step Ten – If there aren’t any air bubbles, then shake gently again for 30 seconds. If there are air
bubbles, then leave it there until the next day.
* Step Eleven- Repeat step ten every day for 6 days.
* Step Twelve – Count how many air bubbles there are.
* Step Thirteen – Compare it to the amount there are when the whole thing was grown on earth.

3. Our experiment on the ground will be done at the same time as the experiment on the ISS. The
experiment about Saccharomyces cerevisiae on earth will get its clamps released on the same day as the
one in space, and it will be massaged and shook for the same amount of time as the one in space.

Experimental Analysis:
1: What are your steps for looking at your results when the experiment comes back?
1. We will look at how the 100% wheat dough looks like and put it under a microscope if there is
left.
2. We will compare the number of bubbles between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae on earth and the
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae that was in space.
3. The only material we will be using is a microscope. We think this might be useful to our project.

VI. List of Reference Publications

1. https://redstaryeast.com/science-yeast/what-is-yeast/
2. https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2014/01/sourdough-bread-a-beginners-guide/
3. https://www.jove.com/science-education/5081/an-introduction-to-saccharomyces-cerevisiae
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18335702
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLTJXViTQ0z
6. https://wiki.yeastgenome.org/index.php/What_are_yeast%3F
7. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sourdough-bread#section
8. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/wheat