<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604512733006.jpeg" alt="Steve Arthur, Ellis Public Library director, holds up a kit that will be used to grow&nbsp;New Mexican chimayo chili peppers. Citizen scientists across the nation are trying to develop the best method for growing the peppers. The methods that produce the peppers with the best taste and heat will be replicated on an upcoming mission to the International Space Station." />
 <figcaption>Steve Arthur, Ellis Public Library director, holds up a kit that will be used to grow&nbsp;New Mexican chimayo chili peppers. Citizen scientists across the nation are trying to develop the best method for growing the peppers. The methods that produce the peppers with the best taste and heat will be replicated on an upcoming mission to the International Space Station.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostELLIS — Residents in Ellis may influence how food is grown in space thanks to a cooperative research project between NASA and the Ellis Public Library.Steve Arthur, Ellis Public Library director, is coordinating local citizen scientists who will be growing New Mexican chimayo chili peppers.NASA space crops systems scientist Jacob Torres is looking at the most efficient way to grow the peppers. The peppers that are being grown in the lab are not hot and don't have a lot of flavor, Arthur said.The scientists are looking for citizen scientists who grow better tasting peppers with good capsaicin levels, which is the hotness of the pepper.The growing techniques with the best results will be replicated on a mission to the International Space Station, which is set for launch in March.Arthur, who has been a longtime promoter of STEM education as well as a space enthusiast, said as humans look toward longer missions in space, including bases on the moon and missions to Mars, scientist are trying to solve nutrition problems.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604513248610.jpeg" alt="Grow kits for the Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge await pickup at the Ellis Public Library.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Grow kits for the Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge await pickup at the Ellis Public Library.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Although current astronauts take all the food and water they need with them, the cost of packing all your food for long-term missions may be prohibitive, Arthur said."Shipping that stuff to a location costs anywhere between $15,000 and $50,000 per kilogram," Arthur said. "If you are on a flight to Mars, which is a six-month flight, you are going to be eating dehydrated food for six months. Wouldn't it be better if you could have fresh produce that they could eat?"Astronauts on prolonged missions to the ISS have struggled to maintain weight despite ample food being available. Scientists credit this to "menu boredom," as the astronauts eat the same meals over and over, Arthur explained.NASA scientists hope the solution will be growing fresh produce in space. They are working with all sorts of plants, not just peppers, Arthur said.Scientists have experimented with hydroponics as well as a pods system, which entails capturing and recycling nutrients in the irrigation process, Arthur said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604608529285.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Individuals who have signed up for the program through the library will each receive six pepper seeds, soil, fertilizer, sulphur and tip sheet on growing peppers. Peppers like sulphur and also magnesium, which is readily available in epsom salt.How the plants are grown is entirely up to the participants. The growing method is the variable in the experiment."I want people to use their imaginations," Arthur said. ..."I encouraged them to do more research — to go out there on their own, see and come up with different ways. They don't have to replicate what I gave them, they can let their minds run and come up with ways to irrigate it, come up with ways to feed it."Arthur is using an LED grow light for his plants plus a seedling heater. He is also considering using an&nbsp;arduino irrigation system, which is similar to what the lab at NASA is using.The peppers do not like a lot of water, they need eight to 12 hours of grow light and the soil temperature needs to stay between 70 and 90 degrees.Participants are required to document everything they do to the peppers, watering fertilizing, etc. They also must document growth patterns of the plant and the peppers, once they set on.Fifteen individuals and five families have signed on to participate through the library. St. Mary's Catholic School and Ellis Girl Scout Troop 11261 are participating in the experiment as group projects. Arthur will also be growing his own seeds.&nbsp;Arthur said he hopes families can have together time through this project."Anymore it seems like everyone is doing their own thing," he said. "I want this to be something that the whole family can do together and spend some time with each other, not constantly go, go go. They have this common project."Arthur said he has some seeds left if people are still interested in participating, but you will need to let him know right away.The pepper plants take 90 days to germinate, grow and bear fruit. Then the results still have to be sent to NASA&nbsp; by Feb. 16 for review before the March launch.As far as he is aware, Arthur said Ellis is the only public library involved in the project.Arthur said he hopes for the pepper experiment to be a community project."I want this so everyone can do at home, and they don't have to worry about COVID," Arthur said. "This can be their own thing."&nbsp;He is asking participants to take pictures and share notes on their progress. That information will be shared with NASA as well as other participants and the community through the&nbsp; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eplmaker">Ellis Library Makerspace</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellispubliclibrary">Ellis Public Library Facebook </a>pages.<h2>Houston, let's do some science</h2>Arthur made his connections with the NASA scientists during the annual Space Exploration Educator's Conference in February at NASA in Houston.&nbsp;"It was like heaven for me," Arthur said.He said he was able to meet and network with other educators, as well as astronauts, astronomers, and NASA engineers and scientists.He attended a program during which participants were able to meet an engineer behind the space suits' environmental functions. The participants were able to view a destructed suit and ask questions about how the suit works and is constructed."The best thing was there were no stupid question with him, and he would not give you this, 'Are you kidding me?' " Arthur said. "He would nicely explain how all this works, and he would prompt you to ask more questions. This guy was as happy as a clam that we were actually interested in the work he did."During the conference, Arthur also was able to watch astronaut Christina Koch's return from the ISS in almost real time."They were showing us things they have planned for the next 20 or 30 years," he said.<h2>Bringing space home to Ellis</h2>Arthur plans to use ideas he gleaned in Houston to create programs for youth in Ellis as part of his Makey Makey Monday series.The series had to be temporarily suspended&nbsp; in the spring because of the pandemic, but the library is offering programs again.Arthur already had two classes dubbed "Edible Astronomy." Kids learned about the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies, sun spots using sugar cookies and chocolate chips and volcanism and&nbsp;Mares, the ancient lunar “seas” on the moon, using Rice Krispies and chocolate syrup.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604605275079.jpeg" alt="Jade Harmon of Ellis uses Oreo cookies to construct the phases of the moon during a Makey Makey Monday program at the Ellis Public Library. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jade Harmon of Ellis uses Oreo cookies to construct the phases of the moon during a Makey Makey Monday program at the Ellis Public Library. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Now these kids understand the solar winds are responsible for creating the auroras and they understand the Mares. They understand all of that stuff, and they got to eat," Arthur said.The kids can sign up for a program on Nov. 30 titled "Edible Destruction." Kids will build edible structures and measure what level of earthquake their structures will withstand. Arthur has a shake table and app that will convert the forces into equivalent of a real earthquake."If their structure doesn't survive, they get to eat the wreckage," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604605462701.jpeg" alt="A child replicates sunspots using an iced sugar cookie and chocolate chips. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A child replicates sunspots using an iced sugar cookie and chocolate chips. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Educating for the future</h2>Arthur said STEM and STEAM education is about preparing kids for a future filled with technology-centered professions.&nbsp;"The things that I am doing with kindergarteners now are going to be the standard when they graduate and look for careers," Arthur said.&nbsp;The demand for workers in science-based professions is already outpacing the supply, he said."If I reach one kids or two kids in this town, then I have accomplished what I set out to do," he said.Arthur will also be offering a rocket program starting in February. Youth will be building rockets designed to carry payloads. The goal will be able to successfully launch the rockets and retrieve the payloads. More details will announced at a later date.You can see a schedule for the Makey Makey Monday classes below or watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/eplmaker">Ellis Library Makerspace</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellispubliclibrary">Ellis Public Library Facebook&nbsp;</a>pages for more details.<h2>Makey Makey Monday schedule</h2>Drop-in or sign up via email at ellispubliclibrary@eaglecom.net • Nov. 16, Propeller Racers Ages 7 and up • Nov. 30, Edible Destruction Ages 7 and up • Dec. 7, Paper Circuits Holiday Addition! Make a Lighted Christmas Card! Ages 8 and up • Jan. 4, Slimy, Smelly, and Edible Chemistry! Ages 7 and up • Jan. 18, Deep Impact: Discovering and making impact craters on the Earth, Moon and Solar System Ages 7 and up • Feb. 4, Introduction to CAD and 3D printing Ages 9 and Up. Limited availability. Class is filling, now! Due to COVID concerns, classes of over 10 will be broken out into two sessions. The second session will be the following Monday.

Ellis Public Library coordinates local experiment on growing space food