Archive · 12 Jun 2025
Kerala University Sends Crop Seeds to Space on NASA Mission
Scientists are sending seeds to space!
Kerala Agricultural University is working with NASA and others to send seeds to the International Space Station.
They're studying how space affects the seeds to see if they grow differently.
The seeds include rice, horse gram, sesame, brinjal, and tomato.
Indian astronauts will help with the experiment in space.
After the seeds come back to Earth, they will be planted and studied.
The goal is to learn more about how to grow food in space and improve farming here on Earth.
Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) sent crop seeds to the International Space Station (ISS) on NASA's Axiom Mission 4.
The mission is a collaborative project with the European Space Agency, ISRO, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.
Six high-yielding, locally developed crop varieties were selected for the space experiment.
The primary goal is to study the effect of microgravity on seed germination, growth, and viability.
Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla will support the experiment on the ISS.
- Who
- Kerala Agricultural University, NASA, European Space Agency, ISRO, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology.
- What
- Kerala Agri Varsity sent seeds to space on NASA’s Axiom Mission 4.
- When
- The information was published on June 12, 2025.
- Where
- The seeds were sent to the International Space Station (ISS).
- Why
- To examine how space conditions, especially microgravity, affect the germination, growth, and viability of food crop seeds.
- Institution
- Kerala Agricultural University (KAU)
- Mission
- NASA's Axiom Mission 4
- Collaboration
- European Space Agency, ISRO, IIST
- Seeds Included
- Rice, horse gram, sesame, brinjal, and tomato
- Experiment Goal
- Study impact of microgravity on seed growth
- Astronaut Role
- Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla