iss072e404007 (Dec. 27, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit stows plant samples inside a science freezer aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. Also called MELFI, or the Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS, the cold stowage research device preserves experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures in microgravity for later return to Earth and analysis.

Jeffrey Richards, project science coordinator and research scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, demonstrates how Arabidopsis thaliana plant samples are tested in a 2D microgravity simulator in the Microgravity Simulation Support Facility on Dec. 20, 2018.

Dana Chadwick, a scientist in the water and ecosystems group at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, center, advises a field team of researchers from JPL; University of Wisconsin, Madison (UWM); University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); and University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) on vegetation-sampling locations at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve in Santa Barbara County, California, on March 24, 2022. Chadwick and the team are working on the Surface Biology and Geology High-Frequency Time Series (SHIFT) campaign, which is jointly led by JPL, UCSB, and The Nature Conservancy. Chadwick is surrounded by, from left: Natalie Queally, a forest and wildlife ecology graduate student at UWM; Francisco Ochoa, a geography graduate student at UCLA; Petya Campbell, a research associate professor at UMBC and a research associate at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center; Brendan Heberlein, a research intern at UWM; Renato Braghiere, a postdoctoral research scientist at JPL; Cassandra Nickles, a postdoctoral fellow at JPL; and Clare Saiki, a doctoral student at UCSB. Operating between late February and late May 2022, SHIFT combines the ability of airborne science instruments to gather data over widespread areas with the more concentrated observations scientists conduct in the field to study the functional characteristics, health, and resilience of plant communities. The sampling and analysis done by researchers on the ground and in the ocean is intended to validate data taken by AVIRIS-NG (Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation). The instrument, designed at JPL, is collecting spectral data of vegetation it observes during weekly flights in an aircraft over a 640-square-mile (1,656-square-kilometer) study area in Santa Barbara County and coastal Pacific waters. The campaign is a pathfinder for NASA's proposed Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission. SHIFT will help scientists design data collection and processing algorithms for that mission, which would launch no earlier than 2028. The SHIFT data is also intended to support the research and conservation objectives of The Nature Conservancy, which owns the Dangermond Preserve, and UCSB, which operates the Sedgwick Reserve, another nature preserve within the study area. More than 60 scientists from institutions around the U.S. have indicated they intend to use the SHIFT data in their research. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25141

iss064e006479 (November 27, 2020) --- Documentation of radish plants growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat Science Carrier prior to leaf sampling operations (OPS) for the Assessment of Nutritional Value and Growth Parameters of Space-grown Plants (Plant Habitat-02) experiment. Photo was taken in the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM).

iss066e153092 (Fab. 29, 2022) -- Cotton cell samples, held by NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Kayla Barron, are pictured growing on a petri dish inside the Advanced Plant Habitat. The samples were grown and harvested for the Plant Habitat-05 space agriculture study that explores genetic expression in cotton cultures to learn more about the process of plant regeneration possibly improving crop production on Earth.

iss064e004997 (Nov. 20, 2020) --- Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Kate Rubins of NASA shows off radish plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's Advanced Plant Habitat before collecting leaf samples for analysis.

iss066e139750 (Feb. 10, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Kayla Barron harvests cotton cell samples grown for the Plant Habitat-05 space agriculture experiment that is exploring the genetic architecture of plant regeneration.

Research with plants in microgravity offers many exciting opportunities to gain new insights and could improve products on Earth ranging from crop production to fragrances and food flavorings. The ASTROCULTURE facility is a lead commercial facility for plant growth and plant research in microgravity and was developed by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WSCAR), a NASA Commercial Space Center. On STS-95 it will support research that could help improve crop development leading to plants that are more disease resistant or have a higher yield and provide data on the production of plant essential oils---oils that contain the essence of the plant and provide both fragrance and flavoring. On STS-95, a flowering plant will be grown in ASTROCULTURE and samples taken using a method developed by the industry partner for this investigation. On Earth the samples will be analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the data used to evaluate both the production of fragrant oils in microgravity and in the development of one or more products.

Commander Steve Swanson harvests plants for the VEG-01 investigation. He is harvesting them on the Maintenance Work Area (MWA) in the Node 2/Harmony. The Veg-01 hardware validation test investigation utilizes the Veggie facility on ISS. This investigation will assess on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie,and focus on the growth and development of Outredgeous Lettuce (Lactuca sativa ) seedlings in the spaceflight environment and the effects of the spaceflight environment on composition of microbial flora on the Veggie-grown plants and the Veggie facility. Lettuce plants are harvested on-orbit, frozen at <-80oC and returned to the ground for post-flight evaluation. Microbial sampling swabs will be taken of the Veggie facility and plant material, frozen and returned to the ground for environmental microbiological examination. Rooting pillows and water sample syringes will also be returned for microbial sampling and root analysis.

iss050e000489 (11/2/2016) --- View during VEG-03 plant thinning (lettuce) - Small Plant Pillow. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss050e011238 (11/22/2016) --- Photographic documentation of VEG-03 plants in the Veggie facility. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss050e067347 (4/6/2017) --- A view during wick opening on each plant pillow, in the Columbus Module. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss050e036324 (1/29/2017) --- Photographic documentation of Small Plant Pilllow (Cabbage) - Veggie-03. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

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.

iss053e047057 (Sept. 26, 2017) --- Flight Engineer Joe Acaba installs botany gear for the Veggie facility to demonstrate plant growth in space for the Veg-03 experiment. The botany study uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate cabbage, lettuce and mizuna, which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss066e140558 (Feb. 10, 2022) --- NASA's Expedition 66 Flight Engineers Kayla Barron and Raja Chari harvest cotton cell samples grown for the Plant Habitat-05 space agriculture experiment that is exploring the genetic architecture of plant regeneration.

iss072e035693 (Oct. 11, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Mike Barratt stows research samples in a science freezer, also known as the Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). MELFI can preserve biological samples such as blood, microbes, plants, and more for retrieval and later analysis.

Research with plants in microgravity offers many exciting opportunities to gain new insights and could improve products on Earth ranging from crop production to fragrances and food flavorings. The ASTROCULTURE facility is a lead commercial facility for plant growth and plant research in microgravity and was developed by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WSCAR), a NASA Commercial Space Center. On STS-95 it will support research that could help improve crop development leading to plants that are more disease resistant or have a higher yield and provide data on the production of plant essential oils---oils that contain the essence of the plant and provide both fragrance and flavoring. On STS-95, a flowering plant will be grown in ASTROCULTURE and samples taken using a method developed by the industry partner for this investigation. On Earth, the samples will be analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the data used to evaluate both the production of fragrant oils in microgravity and in the development of one or more products. The ASTROCULTURE payload uses these pourous tubes with precise pressure sensing and control for fluid delivery to the plant root tray.

iss068e041971 (1/26/2023) --- Three-week-old Thale cress plants from the Plant Habitat-03 (PH-03) investigation are seen just before a harvest aboard the International Space Station. One leaf was harvested from each of the 48 plants and then preserved before being sent back to Earth for further analysis. The samples are critical to PH-03 as the preserved leaves allow for the transcriptome (gene expression) and methylome (epigenetic modifications) analyses. PH-03 aims to discover whether genetic changes persist through multiple plant generations, a first step in developing plants better suited for future space exploration.

jsc2025e047405 (5/28/2025) --- Image of the preparative zone of cultured tobacco cells with visualized microtubules (yellow: microtubules [preparative zone], magenta: nuclei). For the Effects of the Space Environment on Cell Division in Plants (Plant Cell Division) investigation, plant samples are collected that are fixed and frozen for analysis of microstructures, microtubules, proteomes, and transcriptome and imaged using the JAXA Confocal Microscope (COSMIC). The Plant Cell Division investigation provides researchers with a better understanding of how gravity affects the body plan of plants could support production of food crops on future spaceflight missions. Image courtesy of University of Toyama.

iss050e050335 (2/17/2017) --- NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson during harvesting and cleaning of VEG-03, in the Node 2. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

S93-E-5006 (23 July 1999) --- Astronaut Michel Tognini, mission specialist representing the French space agency (CNES), opens the gaseous nitorgen (GN2) freezer on Columbia's middeck. The freezer is flown in support of two plant growth experiments--Plant Growth Investigations in Microgravity (PGIM) and Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC). Throughout the mission Tognini periodically freezes samples from the experiments to provide glimpses of the plants in various stages of development. The photo was recorded with an electronic still camera (ESC) on Flight Day 1.

iss064e005049 (Nov. 20, 2020) --- Radish plants are pictured growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's Advanced Plant Habitat. Leaf samples were collected and stowed afterward for analysis so scientists can understand how microgravity affects the growth of plants. Space botany helps NASA and its international partners learn to sustain healthy crews on long-term missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

jsc2010e080364 (5/10/2010) --- A preflight photo of the Ferulate Samples. The Ferulate Experiment tests the hypothesis that microgravity decreases the mechanical strength of cell walls of rice plants by modifying the levels of abscisic acid.

jsc2010e080361 (5/10/2010) --- A preflight photo of the Ferulate Sample Holders. The Ferulate Experiment tests the hypothesis that microgravity decreases the mechanical strength of cell walls of rice plants by modifying the levels of abscisic acid.

iss057e080417 (Nov. 2, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor works in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module stowing harvested plant samples into MiniCold Bags for later analysis.

jsc2010e080356 (5/10/2010) --- A preflight photo of the Ferulate Samples installed in the Holders. The Ferulate Experiment tests the hypothesis that microgravity decreases the mechanical strength of cell walls of rice plants by modifying the levels of abscisic acid.

A sample of a leaf from one of the radish plant growing in the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit is taken inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Clayton Grosse, a mechanical engineer with Techshot, uses a punch to take a sample of the leaf of a radish plant growing in the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit, inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left, tours a plant research laboratory and samples a microgreen inside the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Aug. 7, 2018. Behind Bridenstine is Bryan Onate, Advanced Plant Habitat project manager. Bridenstine received updates on research and technology accomplishments during his visit to the SSPF.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, far left, tours a plant research laboratory inside the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Aug. 7, 2018. Bridenstine selects a microgreen to sample from Matt Romeyn, project scientist. Behind Bridenstine, from left, are Bryan Onate, Advanced Plant Habitat project manager, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. Bridenstine received updates on research and technology accomplishments during his visit to the SSPF.

iss050e020051 (12/30/2016) --- A view of NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and floating lettuce, in the U.S. Laboratory. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss060e015476 --- (7/29/2019) Photo documentation aboard the International space Station (ISS) of the The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Palm Tree Growth Experiment (Palm Tree Growth). The investigation examines germination of palm tree seeds in order to determine the best conditions for generating tissue samples for research. A process for growing healthy plant tissue in microgravity could be adapted for testing other indigenous plants of scientific, commercial or educational interest in the UAE. The investigation also observes and documents root growth in microgravity for educational purposes.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

iss053e143976 (Nov. 11, 2017) --- Red lettuce is pictured being cultivated inside the Veggie facility for the Veg-03 botany experiment. Future long-duration space missions will look to have crew members grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss053e180041 (Nov. 14, 2017) --- Mizuna is pictured being cultivated inside the Veggie facility for the Veg-03 botany experiment. Future long-duration missions will look to have crew members grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss050e057655 (3/15/2020) --- Photographic documentation during Auxin Transport sample transfer to Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) insertion. Studies on Gravity-Controlled Growth and Development in Plants Using True Microgravity Conditions (Auxin Transport) clarifies the role of auxins in pea and maize (corn) seedlings grown in microgravity, leading to new insight into how gravity, or the lack of gravity, affects plant development.

iss060e081486 (9/28/2019) --- A view of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Palm Tree Growth Experiment (Palm Tree Growth) investigation which examines germination of palm tree seeds in order to determine the best conditions for generating tissue samples for research. A process for growing healthy plant tissue in microgravity could be adapted for testing other indigenous plants of scientific, commercial or educational interest in the UAE. The investigation also observes and documents root growth in microgravity for educational purposes.

iss064e005001 (Nov. 20, 2020) --- SpaceX Crew-1 Mission Specialist and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) shows off radish plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's Advanced Plant Habitat before leaf samples were collected for analysis during his first week aboard the International Space Station.

iss060e015472 --- (7/29/2019) Photo documentation aboard the International space Station (ISS) of the The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Palm Tree Growth Experiment (Palm Tree Growth). The investigation examines germination of palm tree seeds in order to determine the best conditions for generating tissue samples for research. A process for growing healthy plant tissue in microgravity could be adapted for testing other indigenous plants of scientific, commercial or educational interest in the UAE. The investigation also observes and documents root growth in microgravity for educational purposes.

A view of radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

iss065e346115 (September 2, 2021) -- NASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Megan McArthur poses with the crop of chile peppers being grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) aboard the International Space Station. This is the first time chile peppers are being grown aboard the orbiting laboratory, and are one of the most complex plant experiments on the station to date because of the long germination and growing times. The pepper seeds were activated on July 12. 2021 and will grow for about four months, during which time they will be harvested twice. Astronauts will sample some of the peppers and return the rest to Earth for scientific analysis.

A view of radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

iss049e046023 (10/25/2016) --- NASA astronauts Shane and Kate Rubins are photographed during VEG-03 initiation in the Node 2 module. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

A view of radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

A researcher prepares to harvest radishes grown in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, which also involves growing two radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

A view of radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, which also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

iss064e007106 (Nov. 30, 2020) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins is pictured during operations with a science freezer that preserves biological samples at ultra-cold temperatures. Known as Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI), it preserves a variety of life science samples such as blood, saliva, microbes and plants for later analysis.

iss066e147338 (Feb. 21, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei harvests plants growing for the Veggie PONDS experiment and collects samples for later analysis. The space agriculture study explores growing crops in space to sustain crews on missions beyond low-Earth orbit.

iss064e027748 (Jan. 28, 2021) --- NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Michael Hopkins collect leaf samples from plants growing inside the European Columbus laboratory. Space agriculture is key to the success and sustainability of future human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

iss050e019642 (12/28/2016) --- NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough during VEG-03 harvest and stow of Red Romaine lettuce, in the Columbus Module. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss050e019639 (12/18/2016) --- A view during VEG-03 harvest and stow of Red Romaine lettuce, in the Columbus Module. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, which is harvested in orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

iss064e027787 (Jan. 28, 2021) --- NASA astronauts (from left) Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins collect leaf samples from plants growing inside the European Columbus laboratory. Space agriculture is key to the success and sustainability of future human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

iss064e027736 (Jan. 28, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Shannon Walker collects leaf samples from plants growing inside the European Columbus laboratory. Space agriculture is key to the success and sustainability of future human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

iss064e027743 (Jan. 28, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins collects leaf samples from plants growing inside the European Columbus laboratory. Space agriculture is key to the success and sustainability of future human missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

S69-53126 (30 Sept. 1969) --- A progress photograph of sample experiments being conducted in the Manned Spacecraft Center?s Lunar Receiving Laboratory with lunar material brought back to Earth by the crew of the Apollo 11 mission. Aseptic cultures of liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) - a species of plant commonly found growing on rocks or in wooded areas - are shown in two rows of sample containers. Seven weeks or some 50 days prior to this photograph 0.22 grams of finely ground lunar material was added to each of the upper samples of cultures. The lower cultures were untreated, and a noted difference can be seen in the upper row and the lower one, both in color and size of the cultures.

iss066e023179 (October 29, 2021) -- NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei samples a red chile pepper grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 experiment aboard the International Space Station. The chile pepper seeds started growing on July 12, 2021, and represent one of the longest and most challenging plant experiments attempted aboard the orbiting laboratory. Vande Hei conducted the first harvest of the pepper crop on October 29, 2021. Crew members sanitized the peppers and completed a scientific survey after their taste test. The Crew-3 astronauts will take over the crop when they arrive at the orbiting laboratory, and will conduct a final harvest of the peppers in late November. They will also sanitize and sample the crop, and complete surveys. Some peppers from the final harvest and their leaves will return to Earth for further analysis. What we learn will inform future crop growth and food supplementation activities for deep space exploration.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, a microbiologist works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. The petri plates are wrapped in black cloth and kept cold (+4 degrees Celsius) to prevent them from germinating prior to the experiment start on station. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiologist Jennifer Gooden works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiology Lead Mary Hummerick works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. The three science kits are weighed prior to flight. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiology Lead Mary Hummerick, left, and Microbiologist Jennifer Gooden work with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. Shawn Stephens, Engineering Services Contract, and Dr. Anna Lisa Paul confirm proper orientation of the plates for launch prior to turnover to cold stowage. Dr. Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiologist Aaron Curry works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, microbiologists work with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

iss066e006170 (October 20, 2021) -- A view of a green chile pepper being grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation aboard the International Space Station. This is the first time chile peppers are being grown aboard the orbiting laboratory, and are one of the most complex plant experiments on the station to date because of the long germination and growing times. The pepper seeds were activated on July 12. 2021 and will grow for about four months, during which time they will be harvested twice. Astronauts will sample some of the peppers and return the rest to Earth for scientific analysis.

A research scientist collects measurements of radishes harvested from the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, which also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

Dave Reed, Florida operations director for Techshot, Inc., observes radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

A research scientist harvests radishes grown in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

Dave Reed, Florida operations director for Techshot, Inc., observes radishes growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, which also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

A researcher takes measurements of a radish crop harvested from the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, which also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

In view is the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. Part of the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment, a ground control crop of radishes was grown at Kennedy and harvested on Dec. 14. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

A research scientist harvests radishes grown in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 14, 2020. The radishes are a ground control crop for the Plant Habitat-02 (PH-02) experiment. The experiment also involves growing two similar radish crops inside the International Space Station’s APH. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested the first crop on Nov. 30, and the second harvest aboard the orbiting laboratory is planned for Dec. 30. Once samples return to Earth, researchers will compare those grown in space to the radishes grown here on Earth to better understand how microgravity affects plant growth.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, removes an outredgeous red lettuce leaf from a plant pillow inside the Payload Development Laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility, or SSPF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plant pillows were removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the SSPF. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The lettuce leaves will be wrapped and placed in a minus eighty-degree freezer, along with the plant pillows and samples swabbed from the plants, plant pillows and Veggie bellows. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

iss055e001193 (March 8, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Scott Tingle eats a piece of lettuce harvested as part of the ongoing space crop study VEG-03. The botany experiment uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with some samples consumed by astronauts and others returned to Earth for testing.

iss065e074888 (May 28, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei works to relocate the Multi-use Variable-g Platform (MVP) inside the Kibo laboratory module. The MVP is a space biology research platform that can produce up to 2 g of artificial gravity housing samples such as fruit flies, flatworms, plants, fish, cells, protein crystals and many others.

iss060e004259 (July 5, 2019) --- Leafy greens are pictured growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's VEGGIE botany research facility. The VEG-04 botany study is exploring the viability of growing fresh food in space to support astronauts on long-term missions. The salad-type plants are harvested after 28 days of growth, with some samples stowed for analysis and the rest taste-tested by the crew aboard the International Space Station.

iss061e033379 (Nov. 7, 2019) --- Mizuna mustard greens are growing aboard the International Space Station to demonstrate the feasibility of space agriculture to provide fresh food for crews on deep space missions. The plants are grown under red-to-blue lighting and watered in pillows rather than soil in a specialized botany facility called VEGGIE. Crops are grown, harvested and consumed by astronauts with some samples stowed in science freezers for later analysis as part of the VEG-04 study.

iss060e004723 (July 7, 2019) --- Leafy greens are pictured growing inside the Columbus laboratory module's VEGGIE botany research facility. The VEG-04 botany study is exploring the viability of growing fresh food in space to support astronauts on long-term missions. The salad-type plants are harvested after 28 days of growth, with some samples stowed for analysis and the rest taste-tested by the crew aboard the International Space Station.

iss055e001536 (March 8, 2018) --- Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov eats a piece of lettuce harvested as part of the ongoing space crop study VEG-03. The botany experiment uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with some samples consumed by astronauts and others returned to Earth for testing.

iss065e081498 (May 28, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei works to relocate the Multi-use Variable-g Platform (MVP) inside the Kibo laboratory module. The MVP is a space biology research platform that can produce up to 2 g of artificial gravity housing samples such as fruit flies, flatworms, plants, fish, cells, protein crystals and many others.

iss062e112685 (3/25/2020) --- Documentation of the Veggie Ponds Modules while module is in Veggie Bellows. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Research technician Lisa Ruffa works with a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

Research scientist Gary Stutte displays a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

Research technician Lisa Ruffa works with a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

Research scientist Gary Stutte displays a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

Drs. Rob Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility with the petri plates they prepped at the University of Florida for APEX-04. Paul is the principal investigator (PI) and Ferl is co-PI. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

iss061e033363 (Nov. 7, 2019) --- Mizuna mustard greens are growing aboard the International Space Station to demonstrate the feasibility of space agriculture to provide fresh food for crews on deep space missions. The plants are grown under red-to-blue lighting and watered in pillows rather than soil in a specialized botany facility called VEGGIE. Crops are grown, harvested and consumed by astronauts with some samples stowed in science freezers for later analysis as part of the VEG-04 study.

iss060e006113 (July 9, 2019) --- Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Nick Hague of NASA harvests Mizuna mustard greens for the VEG-04 botany study that is exploring the viability of growing fresh food in space to support astronauts on long-term missions. Station crewmembers pick the salad-type plants after 28 days of growth, stow some samples for analysis and taste test the rest.

Research technician Lisa Ruffa works with a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

iss059e035838 (4/28/2019) --- Documentation taken during removal of Germination Cap from each Veggie Ponds Module while module is in Veggie Bellows. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Research technician Lisa Ruffa works with a wheat sample that is part of ground testing for the first International Space Station plant experiment, scheduled to fly in October 2001. The payload process testing is one of many studies being performed at the Biological Sciences Branch in the Spaceport Engineering and Technology Directorate at Kennedy Space Center. The branch's operations and research areas include life sciences Space Shuttle payloads, bioregenerative life-support for long-duration spaceflight and environmental/ecological stewardship

iss066e023184 (October 29, 2021) -- An astronaut cuts slices of red chile pepper during a taste test of chile peppers grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation aboard the International Space Station. The chile peppers started growing on July 12, 2021, and represent one of the longest and most challenging plant experiments attempted aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei conducted the first harvest of the pepper crop on October 29, 2021. Crew members sanitized the peppers and completed a scientific survey after their taste test. The Crew-3 astronauts will take over the crop when they arrive at the orbiting laboratory, and will conduct a final harvest of the peppers in late November. They will also sanitize and sample the crop, and complete surveys. Some peppers from the final harvest and their leaves will return to Earth for further analysis. What we learn will inform future crop growth and food supplementation activities for deep space exploration.

iss066e023185 (October 29, 2021) -- An astronaut cuts slices of red chile pepper during a taste test of chile peppers grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation aboard the International Space Station. The chile peppers started growing on July 12, 2021, and represent one of the longest and most challenging plant experiments attempted aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei conducted the first harvest of the pepper crop on October 29, 2021. Crew members sanitized the peppers and completed a scientific survey after their taste test. The Crew-3 astronauts will take over the crop when they arrive at the orbiting laboratory, and will conduct a final harvest of the peppers in late November. They will also sanitize and sample the crop, and complete surveys. Some peppers from the final harvest and their leaves will return to Earth for further analysis. What we learn will inform future crop growth and food supplementation activities for deep space exploration.

iss066e023187 (October 29, 2021) -- An astronaut cuts slices of red chile pepper during a taste test of chile peppers grown as part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation aboard the International Space Station. The chile peppers started growing on July 12, 2021, and represent one of the longest and most challenging plant experiments attempted aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei conducted the first harvest of the pepper crop on October 29, 2021. Crew members sanitized the peppers and completed a scientific survey after their taste test. The Crew-3 astronauts will take over the crop when they arrive at the orbiting laboratory, and will conduct a final harvest of the peppers in late November. They will also sanitize and sample the crop, and complete surveys. Some peppers from the final harvest and their leaves will return to Earth for further analysis. What we learn will inform future crop growth and food supplementation activities for deep space exploration.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. The 30 petri plates are bundled into groups of 10 and placed into one of three science kits. The science kits allow easy handling when the crew removes the plates from cold stowage on station. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. The 30 petri plates are bundled into groups of 10 and placed into one of three science kits. The science kits allow easy handling when the crew removes the plates from cold stowage on station. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. Eric Morris from the cold stowage group fits items into the Double Cold Bag (DCB) which is a non-powered container that keeps the APEX petri plates at +4 degrees Celsius during launch and ascent.. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.

APEX-04, or Advanced Plant EXperiments-04, is being prepared in a cold room in the Kennedy Space Center Processing Facility for SpaceX-10. Eric Morris from the cold stowage group places the APEX-04 science kits into the Double Cold Bag (DCB), which is a non-powered container that keeps the APEX petri plates at +4 degrees Celsius during launch and ascent. The cold bricks in the lower right of the photo are placed in the DCB prior to closure. Dr. Anna Lisa Paul of the University of Florida is the principal investigator for APEX-04. Apex-04 is an experiment involving Arabidopsis in petri plates inside the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Since Arabidopsis is the genetic model of the plant world, it is a perfect sample organism for performing genetic studies in spaceflight. The experiment is the result of a grant from NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences division.