The space adventure of the high school students of the “Patrizi” and the IC of Cariati continues, as they prepare for a new exciting journey beyond the clouds. After the two launches of the MoCRiS project in 2019 and 2023, students return to study the stratosphere with a new and ambitious mission: SEM – Stratosphere’s Environmental Monitoring.
This is a high scientific profile PCTO project, born in collaboration with ABProject Space of the engineer Antonino Brosio, and coordinated by the mathematics and physics teacher prof. Domenico Liguori. Objective: to monitor air quality and study how cosmic radiation interacts with living matter, including bacteria and DNA samples.
Researchers from various universities are participating in the mission, including the University of Calabria, the University of Messina and ARPACAL, with the contribution of experts such as Pasquale Barone, Marco Schioppa, Rita Guzzi and Santi Delia Antonino. The probe, built by students from classes 3A, 4B and 5A, will rise up to 33 kilometers altitude, collecting data on cosmic rays, UV radiation, CO₂, particulate matter, temperature, pressure, humidity and the Earth’s magnetic field.
But that’s not all: seeds, cells and microorganisms will also be sent to study the effects of cosmic rays on biological systems, in collaboration with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and the CNR of Messina. Data analysis will continue even after the launch and will culminate in a documentary film and the presentation of the results at scientific conferences.
The Headmaster, Professor Sara Giulia Aiello, underlined how the project represents “a motivating and inclusive experience, capable of bringing all students closer to science through the experimental method”.
The launch of the probe is scheduled for Monday 20 October at 10.30 am from the municipal stadium of Paola, in the presence of Dr. Loredana Giannicola, director of the Territorial Articulation of Cosenza, and delegations of students from other schools in the area.
An adventure that combines science, passion and team spirit, once again taking the name of the “Patrizi”… to the stars!