iss064e022520 (Jan. 13, 2021) --- Flight Engineer Shannon Walker tends to plants growing inside the Veggie plant growth facility for the Veg-03J space botany study. The investigation is cultivating Extra Dwarf Pak Choi, Amara Mustard and Red Romaine Lettuce which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss064e047070 (March 26, 2021) --- Astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA smells Extra Dwarf Pak Choi plants growing aboard the International Space Station. The plants were grown for the Veggie study which is exploring space agriculture as a way to sustain astronauts on future missions to the Moon or Mars.

iss064e047072 (March 26, 2021) --- Astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins of NASA smells Extra Dwarf Pak Choi plants growing aboard the International Space Station. The plants were grown for the Veggie study which is exploring space agriculture as a way to sustain astronauts on future missions to the Moon or Mars.

iss064e047074 (March 26, 2021) --- Astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency displays Extra Dwarf Pak Choi plants growing aboard the International Space Station. The plants were grown for the Veggie study which is exploring space agriculture as a way to sustain astronauts on future missions to the Moon or Mars.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a researcher prepares red romaine lettuce seeds in seed film – a new seed handling material– on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a research scientist glues red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepares the materials needed for a germination test of red romaine lettuce seeds inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The test will verify that the seeds can successfully grow from seed film – a new seed handling material – here on Earth before it’s sent to the International Space Station for testing in a microgravity environment as part of the VEG-03 series of experiments. The seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. The experiment will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 15, 2020, Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist, prepares seeds for a germination test. The test will verify that the seeds can successfully grow here on Earth before they are sent to the International Space Station for testing in a microgravity environment as part of the VEG-03 series of experiments. The seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. The experiment will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts and stores strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Pseudonaut and Associate Scientist Jess Bunchek, center, and two interns at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, assemble plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows, which are a common method used to grow plants in space, are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, red romaine lettuce seeds are affixed to seed film – a new seed handling material – on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Aaron Curry, a research scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida affixes red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Researchers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida have laid out supplies to prepare plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows are small containers packed with everything needed to grow plants in microgravity aboard the International Space Station. These pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 15, 2020, red romaine lettuce seeds are being prepared for a germination test. The test will verify that the seeds can successfully grow from seed film – a new seed handling material – here on Earth before it’s sent to the International Space Station for testing in a microgravity environment as part of the VEG-03 series of experiments. The seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. The experiment will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, measures the seed wick emerging from a plant pillow in the Florida spaceport’s Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2019. Researchers will then glue seeds for two crops onto the wicks. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment and a new seed handling material. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Researchers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida have laid out supplies to prepare plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility at on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows are small containers used to grow plants in microgravity aboard the International Space Station. These pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, places the seed wick – which plant seeds will be glued into later – in a plant pillow inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens and a new seed handling material in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Joseph Taylor, an intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, observes the calcined clay that will be used to assemble plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. Often used to condition baseball infields, the clay’s size and roughness traps air and absorbs water to provide both to plant roots in microgravity. The pillows are small containers used to grow plants in space aboard the International Space Station. These pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Aaron Curry, a research scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida affixes red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepares the materials needed for a germination test of plant seeds inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The test will verify that the seeds can successfully grow here on Earth before they are sent to the International Space Station for testing in a microgravity environment as part of the VEG-03 series of experiments. The experiments will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, measures the seed wick emerging from a plant pillow in the Florida spaceport’s Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2019. Researchers will then glue seeds onto the wick. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, red romaine lettuce seeds are measured before being placed in seed film – a new seed handling material – on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Researchers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assemble plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows, which are a common method used to grow plants in space, are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens and a new seed handling technology in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a researcher measures out the calcined clay that will be used to assemble plant pillows on Jan. 16, 2019. Often used to condition baseball infields, the clay’s size and roughness traps air and absorbs water to provide both to plant roots in microgravity. The pillows are small containers used to grow plants in space aboard the International Space Station. These pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a research scientist is preparing to glue red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a researcher measures out the calcined clay that will be used to assemble plant pillows on Jan. 16, 2019. Often used to condition baseball infields, the clay’s size and roughness traps air and absorbs water to provide both to plant roots in microgravity. The pillows are small containers used to grow plants in space aboard the International Space Station. These pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a researcher measures out the calcined clay that will be used to assemble plant pillows on Jan. 16, 2019. Often used to condition baseball infields, the clay’s size and roughness traps air and absorbs water to provide both to plant roots in microgravity. The pillows are small containers used to grow plants in space aboard the International Space Station. The pillows are for a series of plant experiments called VEG-03 J/K/L that will monitor the growth of three types of leafy greens and test a new way of handling seeds. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Emily Kennebeck, an intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, assembles plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows, which are a common method used to grow plants in space, are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens and a new seed handling material in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Aaron Curry, a research scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida affixes red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Aaron Curry, left, a research scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) contract, and Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, are preparing a new seed handling material for testing inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The new material, called seed film, and similar in appearance to a breath freshener strip, is a water-soluble, dissolving film that addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment. The seed film experiment, titled VEG-03 J, involves sending seed film containing red romaine lettuce seeds to the International Space Station and monitoring the plant’s growth in space. As part of the experiment, crew onboard the orbiting laboratory will plant the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in the space station – themselves for the first time ever. VEG-03 J will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Emily Kennebeck, an intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, measures the seed wick emerging from a plant pillow in the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2019. Researchers will glue seeds for two crops onto the wicks. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment and a new seed handling material. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cuts strips of seed wick that will be placed in plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows, which are a common method used to grow plants in space, are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens and a new seed handling material in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, measures the seed wick emerging from a plant pillow in the Florida spaceport’s Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2019. Researchers will then glue seeds for two crops onto the wicks. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment and a new seed handling material. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Aaron Curry, a research scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida affixes red romaine lettuce seeds to a sheet of seed film – a new seed handling material – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

An intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida measures the seed wick – which plant seeds will be glued into later – emerging from a plant pillow in the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2019. A common method used to grow plants in space, the pillows are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – are photographed inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Aaron Curry, a LASSO research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, measures out strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020, in preparation for the VEG-03 J experiment. The seed film experiment involves crew aboard the International Space Station planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. This water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. The experiment will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, red romaine lettuce seeds are affixed to seed film – a new seed handling material – on Jan. 15, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

A research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida cuts strips of seed film – a new seed handling material containing red romaine lettuce seeds – inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The seed film is being prepared for the VEG-03 J experiment that will fly to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 13th resupply services (NG-13) mission. This seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. NG-13 is scheduled to launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST.

Jess Bunchek, a pseudonaut and associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepares red romaine lettuce seeds for a germination test inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 15, 2020. The test will verify that the seeds can successfully grow from seed film – a new seed handling material – here on Earth before it’s sent to the International Space Station for testing in a microgravity environment as part of the VEG-03 series of experiments. The seed film experiment involves crew aboard the orbiting laboratory planting the seeds into plant pillows – a common method used to grow plants in space – themselves for the first time ever. The water-soluble, dissolving film addresses the challenge of handling seeds in a microgravity environment and also can be used to deliver fertilizers and other beneficial substances that help plants grow. The experiment will launch aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

An intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assembles plant pillows inside the Space Station Processing Facility on Jan. 16, 2020. The pillows, which are a common method used to grow plants in space, are being sent to the International Space Station for a series of VEG-03 experiments that will study the growth of three types of leafy greens and a new seed handling material in a microgravity environment. The experiments will be launched to the orbiting laboratory aboard a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft on the company’s 13th resupply services mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. EST from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.