Plant Biology

Offworld Space Botany Hardware

By Keith Cowing
Status Report
NASA
June 21, 2025
Filed under , , , , , , , , ,
Offworld Space Botany Hardware
iss073e0076885 (5/21/2025) larger image — NASA

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers is pictured inside the cupola with space botany hardware that supports the LEO Integrated Flori-culture Experiment (LIFE) 01 (Rhodium Plant LIFE) investigation.

Rhodium Plant LIFE studies how radiation and gravitational forces at different orbital altitudes affect plant growth. Results could provide a better understanding of plant growth in space and reveal how changes in gene expression influence root development, contributing to improved production of plants in space and on Earth.

The LEO Integrated Flori-culture Experiment (LIFE) 01 (Rhodium Plant LIFE) hardware seen aboard the International Space Station. Rhodium Plant LIFE studies how radiation and gravitational forces at different orbital altitudes affect plant growth.

Results could provide a better understanding of plant growth in space and reveal how changes in gene expression influence root development, contributing to improved production of plants in space and on Earth.

Date Created:2025-05-21 — Larger image – NASA

Astrobiology, Space biology,

Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran, (he/him) 🖖🏻