Join us in an out-of-this-world experiment as we explore the effect of microgravity on plants. This is your chance to grow seeds in concert with astronauts aboard the International Space Station!

 

SPACE EXPERIMENT UPDATE

The FINAL OBSERVATION video from the International Space Station is now available.

How do your seeds compare?

We will publish our latest announcements here. You can also follow us on Twitter at hashtag #kiwispaceseed

Have you planted your seed yet?

There is still time to request more seed!

Don't forget to take pictures of your experiments and send them here to us!!

Overview

Late Aug/Sep astronauts aboard the International Space Station will be undertaking a plant-growth experiment with Azuki Bean seeds. The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) has sent us some seeds from the exact same batch as those being flown into space, to give you a chance to perform your own experiments here on Earth. 

Grow your own 'space seeds' and compare the differences. 

  • How do seeds grow in space?
  • How does gravity affect seeds grown on Earth?
Follow along as the astronauts tend to the seeds on the ISS - and spot the differences and similarities with your own seeds' growth. 

 

General InformationTimeline

Jul 2013:

  • Seeds available for ordering!

Aug 2013:

  • Seeds arrived safely at the ISS in ATV4
    Launched: 4 Aug 

Late-Aug/Sep 2013:

  • School Experiments
  • In-Space Experiment

 

The primary purpose of this project is to promote the understanding of space biology.

You will learn how the sprouts of Azuki bean, Vigna angularis, grow in microgravity environment.

Your mission is to nurture your own seedlings on the ground and observe their shape, then compare with the downlinked image of space grown bean sprout to find out how plants respond to gravity.

Partners

This program has been made possible thanks to JAXA and Kibo-ABC.

Tweets about "#kiwispaceseed"

Mission Updates

23 August: First experiments at the Ministry for Primary Industries by the Risk Analysis Team are successful! We have one seedling! Look towards the right hand side of the container!

12 August: The transfer vehicle was captured by the astronauts on the ISS

2 August: The transfer vehicle H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 4 with KOUNOTORI4 that will take the seed to ISS is scheduled to launch on 4 August at 4:48:46 a.m., 2013, Japan time. Click here for more details.

July 29: JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata talks about the upcoming Space Seed mission.

 

July 5: Students from the from Osaka City University pretreated and planted the seeds in rockwool blocks, at the Tsukuba Space Center in Japan. JAXA engineers then assembled the components into the final flight configuration. Click here for more details.

The kit will be transferred to Tanegashima Space Center on July 15th
and be turned over to the HTV launch team after final inspection.

 

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3 Comments

  1. Haritina Mogosanu

    Join us and the KiwiSpace Seed programme! This is going to be lots of fun and a great research!

    1. Anonymous

      hey, I have problem with my project . Can y help me?

      I have some a bag of seed which is from space, but, I don't know how I can apply them to scient, so, please give me some idea from you to help me!

  2. Mark Mackay

    Hi Anonymous – I have let Haritina, our lead for this project know about your comment – but she's in the US for another week (was over at 'Mars' in Utah for another project).  Let us know a contact email or something (use the contact form, or message us via FB/etc) and we'll get in touch directly.

     

    /Mark