According to a University of Florida report, UF researchers are sending plant seeds to space to learn how to make crops tougher here on Earth.
Four types of Florida-grown seeds will launch Thursday on a SpaceX rocket from Cape Canaveral.
The seeds include strawberries, orchids, and turf grass. They’ll spend a week on the ISS before returning.
Once back, UF scientists will study how space affects the plants’ genes and growth.
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They hope the stress of space travel helps reveal ways to make crops survive drought, heat, and cold.
The project is led by UF professor Wagner Vendrame with help from Brazil’s EMBRAPA and Jaguar Space.
Other countries are also sending seeds as part of this global study.
UF has done similar work before and found genetic changes in plants after spaceflight.
The public can watch Thursday’s launch at 11 a.m. at the Reitz Union atrium.
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