A science project designed by Hillcrest students Keltson Howell, Megan Dolle, and Nikos Liodakis is one of 16 nationwide and the only one from Utah selected by the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program to fly on the Space Shuttle Endeavor.
After several delays, the Endeavour is scheduled for lift-off on May 16, 2011. The students and their adviser, Jonathan Miller, will be watching. Here are their reflections on being part of history, as this mission is Endeavour’s final flight into space.
Nikos Liodakis
Parents: George and Helen Liodakis
School: Hillcrest High School
Class: Junior
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience … I want to thank the Canyons School District for making it possible.”
Niko’s reflections on his Endeavour experience:
I have been given the opportunity to go to Florida to see the space shuttle launch in person. Ever since I was young I have been amazed by space exploration. The fact that we have been able to travel to the moon and beyond is mind blowing. When I was younger I took a tour of the Kennedy Space Station. While I was there the tour guide explained to me that the primary goal of the space station was to push the boundaries of scientific discovery. This goal has resonated with me and has been my primary source of inspiration both in school and in the SSEP competition. Through the scientific process we have made discoveries that our ancestors never believed were possible. Thus, the trip to Florida really means a lot to me because it provides me with the opportunity to help with this process. I feel honored to know that I will be experimenting in space and attempting to solve currently unsolved problems. To me space represents a new frontier of countless possibilities … I cannot wait for the space flight Endeavor to go up to the space station and in the process potentially expand the boundaries of science.
