#astrobotany — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #astrobotany, aggregated by home.social.
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South Africa is sending rooibos tea seeds to the International Space Station this autumn:
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/south-african-tea-seeds-prepare-for-launch/
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South Africa is sending rooibos tea seeds to the International Space Station this autumn:
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/south-african-tea-seeds-prepare-for-launch/
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An ambitious mission to send a living vernal pool into space morphed into a seedy art project when the container leaked.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/seeds-a-letter-and-a-leak-the-story-behind-project-revive/
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An ambitious mission to send a living vernal pool into space morphed into a seedy art project when the container leaked.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/seeds-a-letter-and-a-leak-the-story-behind-project-revive/
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"Much like terrestrial restaurants, future space-based systems will need to address food’s path from source to table, but with far more stringent requirements. This means meeting nutritional goals, easily producing food-safe ingredients in space, recycling inedible biomass and waste, and offering a culinarily delicious and culturally diverse menu."
https://cen.acs.org/food/food-science/space-exploration-astronaut-food-nutrition/104/web/2026/07
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"Much like terrestrial restaurants, future space-based systems will need to address food’s path from source to table, but with far more stringent requirements. This means meeting nutritional goals, easily producing food-safe ingredients in space, recycling inedible biomass and waste, and offering a culinarily delicious and culturally diverse menu."
https://cen.acs.org/food/food-science/space-exploration-astronaut-food-nutrition/104/web/2026/07
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New on the blog: a University of Turin study asked what will actually stop us growing crops on Mars. 🌽🔴
The answer isn't low gravity or the weak magnetic field – it's the soil.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/martian-soil-not-low-gravity-is-the-real-enemy-of-mars-grown-maize/
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New on the blog: a University of Turin study asked what will actually stop us growing crops on Mars. 🌽🔴
The answer isn't low gravity or the weak magnetic field – it's the soil.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/martian-soil-not-low-gravity-is-the-real-enemy-of-mars-grown-maize/
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🚀🌱 My latest Mission report has a plasma "Beam Saber" fertiliser inspired by Gundam that could grow rice on the Moon, NASA's poop-to-plant-food machine, a hyperspectral camera that spots thirsty lettuce before it wilts, tough desert moss surviving orbit, Hungarian seeds on a sounding rocket – and why astronauts might one day eat asteroid dust.
Read it here: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/mission-report-7-july-2026/
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🚀🌱 My latest Mission report has a plasma "Beam Saber" fertiliser inspired by Gundam that could grow rice on the Moon, NASA's poop-to-plant-food machine, a hyperspectral camera that spots thirsty lettuce before it wilts, tough desert moss surviving orbit, Hungarian seeds on a sounding rocket – and why astronauts might one day eat asteroid dust.
Read it here: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/mission-report-7-july-2026/
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An upcoming mission will send hundreds of grape seeds to the International Space Station.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/a-texas-heritage-grape-is-heading-for-the-space-station/
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An upcoming mission will send hundreds of grape seeds to the International Space Station.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/a-texas-heritage-grape-is-heading-for-the-space-station/
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My latest article for ESA Discovery and Preparation involves a project exploring whether it's possible to turn plant wastes into medical supplies and biocomposites for 3D printing in space:
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My latest article for ESA Discovery and Preparation involves a project exploring whether it's possible to turn plant wastes into medical supplies and biocomposites for 3D printing in space:
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Interstellar Lab has officially unveiled Little Prince - their mission to send a flowering rose to the Moon.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/little-prince-a-rose-among-the-stars/
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Interstellar Lab has officially unveiled Little Prince - their mission to send a flowering rose to the Moon.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/little-prince-a-rose-among-the-stars/
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Chia fed the Aztecs. Now it might feed astronauts. A new study tests chia microgreens against the cosmic radiation of deep space - and they hold up well. 🌱🚀
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/chia-microgreens-show-promising-resilience-to-space-like-radiation/
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Chia fed the Aztecs. Now it might feed astronauts. A new study tests chia microgreens against the cosmic radiation of deep space - and they hold up well. 🌱🚀
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/chia-microgreens-show-promising-resilience-to-space-like-radiation/
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Lupins! In space! Starbase Brewing sent seeds of Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) and other native Texas plants into orbit aboard SpaceX's new Starfall capsule on 23 June, along with dozens of yeast strains from around the world. They'll be analysing how the spaceflight environment affected them all. The brewery's longer-term ambition? Beer on Mars. 🚀🌱🍺
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Lupins! In space! Starbase Brewing sent seeds of Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) and other native Texas plants into orbit aboard SpaceX's new Starfall capsule on 23 June, along with dozens of yeast strains from around the world. They'll be analysing how the spaceflight environment affected them all. The brewery's longer-term ambition? Beer on Mars. 🚀🌱🍺
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Today I have learned about Proyecto Estratósfera, a series of Peruvian balloon missions that send seeds (and other payloads - including tardigrades!) into the stratosphere, where they are exposed to Martian-like conditions.
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Today I have learned about Proyecto Estratósfera, a series of Peruvian balloon missions that send seeds (and other payloads - including tardigrades!) into the stratosphere, where they are exposed to Martian-like conditions.
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You have to love a Sunday morning rabbit hole. Whatever happened to the Russian Lada space greenhouse? Good question!
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You have to love a Sunday morning rabbit hole. Whatever happened to the Russian Lada space greenhouse? Good question!
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À bord de l’ISS, Sophie Adenot va mener l'expérience éducative ChlorISS, au cours de laquelle elle va faire pousser des plantes en micropesanteur. Les graines l’ont rejointe à bord ce mardi 14 avril.
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À bord de l’ISS, Sophie Adenot va mener l'expérience éducative ChlorISS, au cours de laquelle elle va faire pousser des plantes en micropesanteur. Les graines l’ont rejointe à bord ce mardi 14 avril.
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In the latest edition of the Gardeners of the Galaxy Mission Report, you can read about the wild strawberries headed for the ISS, plants growing medicines in space, Indian space cowpeas and fungi for Mars farming.
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In the latest edition of the Gardeners of the Galaxy Mission Report, you can read about the wild strawberries headed for the ISS, plants growing medicines in space, Indian space cowpeas and fungi for Mars farming.
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The Shenzhou-23 mission commander says his crew will continue growing tomatoes, wheat and mint during their time on Tiangong, and throw carrots into the mix.
Oh, and he packed some petunia seeds. Just for funsies.
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The Shenzhou-23 mission commander says his crew will continue growing tomatoes, wheat and mint during their time on Tiangong, and throw carrots into the mix.
Oh, and he packed some petunia seeds. Just for funsies.
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An experiment launched on China's Shenzhou-23 mission aims to grow two consecutive generations of rice seeds in orbit.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/chinas-shenzhou-23-mission-to-grow-two-generations-of-rice-in-orbit/
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An experiment launched on China's Shenzhou-23 mission aims to grow two consecutive generations of rice seeds in orbit.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/chinas-shenzhou-23-mission-to-grow-two-generations-of-rice-in-orbit/
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After nearly a decade aboard the ISS, NASA's Advanced Plant Habitat is coming home. The largest and most sophisticated plant growth facility ever flown in space will return to Earth on CRS-34 in June, destined eventually for museum display.
The APH grew everything from Arabidopsis to chile peppers, and transformed what we know about growing plants in space.
Later this year, Ohalo III is scheduled to pick up where it left off.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/end-of-an-era-nasas-advanced-plant-habitat-is-coming-home/
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After nearly a decade aboard the ISS, NASA's Advanced Plant Habitat is coming home. The largest and most sophisticated plant growth facility ever flown in space will return to Earth on CRS-34 in June, destined eventually for museum display.
The APH grew everything from Arabidopsis to chile peppers, and transformed what we know about growing plants in space.
Later this year, Ohalo III is scheduled to pick up where it left off.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/end-of-an-era-nasas-advanced-plant-habitat-is-coming-home/
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Three gradute students have just sent watercress to the International Space Station, to investigate how microgravity affects its germination and growth.
Numerous student experiments involve germinating plants, but the advisor for this one is Sarah Wyatt, who has conducted a number of studies involving plants in space.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/ohio-university-students-send-watercress-experiment-to-the-iss/
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Three gradute students have just sent watercress to the International Space Station, to investigate how microgravity affects its germination and growth.
Numerous student experiments involve germinating plants, but the advisor for this one is Sarah Wyatt, who has conducted a number of studies involving plants in space.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/ohio-university-students-send-watercress-experiment-to-the-iss/
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A new research facility designed to simulate the conditions of space habitats has opened in Dübendorf, Switzerland, operating under the European Space Agency’s Ground-Based Facility programme.
The facility’s research scope spans plant biology, microbial systems, bioregenerative life support, and the testing of technologies intended for future lunar and Martian habitats.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/switzerland-opens-a-new-space-farming-research-facility/
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A new research facility designed to simulate the conditions of space habitats has opened in Dübendorf, Switzerland, operating under the European Space Agency’s Ground-Based Facility programme.
The facility’s research scope spans plant biology, microbial systems, bioregenerative life support, and the testing of technologies intended for future lunar and Martian habitats.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/switzerland-opens-a-new-space-farming-research-facility/
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The Chronicle of Beelzebub - Halfway There
My astrobotany plant managed to get through more than 333 days being alive. We've passed the middle of the journey
https://sava.rocks/blog/the-chronicle-of-beelzebub-halfway-there/
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A quick update for Spudnik-1 fans.
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A quick update for Spudnik-1 fans.
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The latest cargo delivery to the ISS contained several space plant experiments, including one on seed ageing from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/kew-gardens-has-sent-seeds-to-space-to-find-out-how-well-they-age/
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The latest cargo delivery to the ISS contained several space plant experiments, including one on seed ageing from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/kew-gardens-has-sent-seeds-to-space-to-find-out-how-well-they-age/
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In Don Pettit's latest photo of Spudnik-1, the space spud is growing with its bottom in an old drink bag.
(I blogged what I have discovered about Pettit's latest space gardening adventures last month: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/spudnik-1-don-pettit-reveals-his-iss-potato-experiment/)
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In Don Pettit's latest photo of Spudnik-1, the space spud is growing with its bottom in an old drink bag.
(I blogged what I have discovered about Pettit's latest space gardening adventures last month: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/spudnik-1-don-pettit-reveals-his-iss-potato-experiment/)
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The latest on the blog is an update on the mission to send Argentinian quinoa seeds into space - which has more concrete plans now.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/argentine-quinoas-space-mission-gets-real/
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The latest on the blog is an update on the mission to send Argentinian quinoa seeds into space - which has more concrete plans now.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/argentine-quinoas-space-mission-gets-real/
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Details on the Canadian seeds that are on a trip round the Moon with Artemis II:
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/canadian-seeds-join-artemis-ii-for-round-the-moon-mission/
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Details on the Canadian seeds that are on a trip round the Moon with Artemis II:
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/canadian-seeds-join-artemis-ii-for-round-the-moon-mission/
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Don Pettit has shared some photos of his latest (2025) unorthodox space plant experiment - Spudnik-1! It has provoked some unhinged reactions from people who don't know what a sprouting potato looks like!!!
Image credits: Don Pettit/NASA. More details on the blog: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/spudnik-1-don-pettit-reveals-his-iss-potato-experiment/
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Don Pettit has shared some photos of his latest (2025) unorthodox space plant experiment - Spudnik-1! It has provoked some unhinged reactions from people who don't know what a sprouting potato looks like!!!
Image credits: Don Pettit/NASA. More details on the blog: https://spacebotany.uk/blog/spudnik-1-don-pettit-reveals-his-iss-potato-experiment/
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This is an interesting one - a small-scale, student-led series of high-altitude balloon experiments to build a functioning greenhouse system for space plants. The CO2 needed is provided by fungal mycelium.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/can-high-flying-fungi-help-plants-breathe-in-space/
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This is an interesting one - a small-scale, student-led series of high-altitude balloon experiments to build a functioning greenhouse system for space plants. The CO2 needed is provided by fungal mycelium.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/can-high-flying-fungi-help-plants-breathe-in-space/
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Researchers have done some interesting work exploring how well tardigrades can survive in Martian regolith simulants - and found a simple trick can improve its livability.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/what-water-bears-tell-us-about-growing-plants-on-mars/
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Researchers have done some interesting work exploring how well tardigrades can survive in Martian regolith simulants - and found a simple trick can improve its livability.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/what-water-bears-tell-us-about-growing-plants-on-mars/
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An update on the Hungarian VITAPRIC experiment to grow microgreens in space - the plant samples have finally made it back home!
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/hungarys-space-grown-microgreens-return-to-earth/
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An update on the Hungarian VITAPRIC experiment to grow microgreens in space - the plant samples have finally made it back home!
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/hungarys-space-grown-microgreens-return-to-earth/
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Women-led research has just grown chickpeas from seed to seed in simulated lunar regolith. The trick is to think like a gardener, and let composting worms and friendly fungi lend a hand.
https://spacebotany.uk/blog/fungi-worms-and-chickpeas-growing-food-in-lunar-regolith/