Tomato seeds on their way to the International Space Station
Source : CSA/NASA
Today, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus cargo ship launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on a resupply mission. The mission, dubbed NG-24, is carrying equipment and experiments to the ISS along with thousands of tomato seeds.
Since , the Tomatosphere program has been asking the question: How does exposure to space affect the germination of tomato seeds? Seeds are sent to the ISS and brought back to Earth. Educators in Canada and the United States can then order seed kits for their classrooms, which contain a batch of seeds sent to space and a batch of control seeds. Students are encouraged to take measurements and record information as the tomatoes grow and then submit their results for scientists to consult.
The seeds will come back to Earth in this summer, just in time for the new school year. Find out more about ordering seeds.