A freshman at Stockton University has designed experiment that will soon be out of this world....literally.

The creation of Point Pleasant resident Sophia Bradach was scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station on Saturday at 11:39 a.m. The launch can be viewed at NASA live.

The environmental science major wants to find out if snow peas can self-fertilize through nitrogen fixation in a microgravity environment, according to a release from the university.

A space garden could help astronauts grow their own food, but on the International Space Station, space is limited, so storing bags of fertilizer for extended space travel isnt realistic, school officials said.

So, Bradachs experiment will test nitrogen fixation, a natural fertilizing process, in microgravity, using snow peas, the school said.

The entire experiment fits into test tubesone that will go to space and another that will stay on Earth, the release stated. After the mission, nitrogen fixation will be measured in both scenarios and the rates will be compared.

The Point Pleasant native wants to find out if snow peas can self-fertilize through nitrogen fixation in a microgravity environment.Stockton University

Bradach and her mentor, Peter Straub, dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, are hoping to see that the rate and effectiveness of nitrogen fixation on earth also works in space.

Bradach said in the release that the upcoming launch is the perfect combo of my interests and has helped me to combine my passions and studies.

The greenhouse at Stocktons Unified Science Center served as Bradachs lab space as she prepared the test tube with carefully measured quantities of bacteria, snow pea seeds, vermiculite (a lightweight soil), water, and lastly, a fixative that can be released into the test tube to halt the pea growth and nitrogen fixation, the school said.

My room is half plants, Bradach said. It makes me happy when I come home.

Bradach hopes to pursue a career in environmental remediation to clean up superfund sites.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.

Continue reading here:

N.J. students farming experiment to launched into space - nj.com