South Africa launches scientific initiative linking space research and agriculture

South Africa has launched the Rooibos in Space programme, under which rooibos seeds will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to study plant development in space conditions. The experiment also aims to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, as reported by IOL.

The programme was presented in Cape Town, bringing together representatives from education, research, agriculture, government and the space sector. It was developed by South African rooibos industry representatives in cooperation with educational partners, with support from the South African National Space Agency (SANSA).

The seeds are scheduled to travel to the ISS in October, where they will be exposed to microgravity and space radiation for several weeks. After returning to Earth, they will be grown alongside control samples to compare germination, growth, resilience and yield.

Students from seven schools in the Cederberg region, the birthplace of rooibos production, will take part in the research. Working with local farms, they will collect and analyse data, while a parallel study at an educational centre in Cape Town will provide additional comparative results.

The experiment builds on international studies of plant growth in space. Previous ISS research involving crops such as lettuce, peas and soybeans has improved understanding of how plants respond to altered environmental conditions and contributed to the development of future agricultural technologies.

According to the organisers, the project highlights the link between South Africa's agricultural heritage and scientific innovation while helping to strengthen scientific literacy among young people.

Participating students will gain practical experience in data analysis and experimental methods.