South African rooibos tea seeds will be sent to space as part of an experiment to see how the plant grows beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
The world-famous “red bush” seeds will head to the International Space Station in October, where they will be exposed to microgravity and space radiation, said the South African Rooibos Council, which partnered with MaxIQ Space and the South African National Space Agency for the project. They will remain there for several weeks before heading back to Earth to be planted alongside control seeds, to see how their germination, growth, resilience, and yield compare. Students will be able to observe and conduct experiments on the samples, as part of an education initiative.
The aim is to “find out how these seeds adapt to space conditions and if there is a future for sustainable food production beyond Earth,” SARC director Dawie de Villiers told AFP.