The Conrad Foundation, in collaboration with NanoRacks, started the DreamUp program in 2012 to provide opportunities for students to send experiments to the International Space Station: NanoRacks Teams with Conrad Foundation on American Express Program to Space – NanoRacks.

Junior high, high school and undergraduate college students from accredited U.S. schools who register for the DreamUp program will have access to NanoRacks’ two standardized research platforms aboard the ISS (also known as NanoLabs) each of which supports 16 payloads, or experiments, housed in small containers. Each NanoLab is plugged into the ISS’ power and communications system by a NASA astronaut, offering students a chance to test scientific theories in a zero gravity environment. Students also get the opportunity to interact with ISS astronauts regarding their experiments.

“Some experiments can’t be done on Earth because we can’t ‘turn off’ gravity,” Conrad said. “DreamUp, powered by our partner NanoRacks, is the ultimate ‘plug and play,’ helping our next great innovators participate in a scientific research opportunity like no other.”

Students can design two different size payloads, starting at $15,500 each. For every 1,000 American Express points redeemed, the DreamUp program will receive $10.00 for the team/school of the donator’s choice.

This article and video describes a couple of such experiments created by two brothers in Texas : Dickinson brothers to launch science experiments into space for astronauts to test – abc13.com

American Express allows its card users to convert reward points into a Donation to Conrad Foundation for DreamUp.