Plants for Space and magnitude.io/ Partner to Bring Space-Based Plant Experiments to Australian Classrooms
ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space and magnitude.io/ are excited to announce the launch of their Simple Seeds program, a groundbreaking initiative that will allow students across Australia to participate in real space-based plant experiments. This innovative program will be hosted on the Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Challenge platform at AVAchallenge.org/simple-seeds/, offering a unique STEM learning experience that bridges classroom education with cutting-edge space research.
Program Highlights:
● Launch Date: October 30, 2024, coinciding with the SpaceX-31 resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS)
● Duration: 4-week mission comparing Earth-based and microgravity plant growth
● Plant Species: Medicago truncatula (barrel medic), a model organism for legumes
● Free Kits: Includes research-grade seeds, mission stickers, and an image calibration scale for machine learning development
The Simple Seeds program challenges students to create an optimal environment for growing healthy plants from seeds. Participants will design self-contained systems from upcycled materials, controlling variables such as substrate, sunlight exposure, and location. This hands-on experience allows students to compare their results with peers worldwide and with a parallel experiment conducted in microgravity aboard the ISS. Students and teachers will get to meet and interview the astro-botanists, engineers and astronauts growing plants that are literally out of this world.
Ted Tagami, CEO of magnitude.io/, stated, "We're thrilled to partner with Plants for Space and the AVA Challenge to extend this opportunity to Australian students that do not have an ExoLab. Our goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers by connecting classrooms directly to space-based research."
Dr. Frazer Thorpe, Education and Education manager at Plants for Space, added, "The Simple Seeds program offers students a unique chance to contribute to real scientific research. By working with Medicago truncatula, students will gain insights into plant biology, space agriculture, and the challenges of sustaining life beyond Earth as well as sustainable food production on Earth."
The program aligns seamlessly with the Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Challenge, a STEM design sprint that engages students in solving real-world problems facing NASA's Artemis mission and the Australian space industry. The AVA Challenge, hosted at AVAchallenge.org, encourages team-based, design-thinking approaches to space-related challenges.
Key Features of the Combined Initiative:
1. Weekly live webcasts from California featuring mission updates and special guests
2. Access to post-mission data, including RNA sequencing from Purdue University
3. Opportunity for early team development for the 2025 AVA Challenge.
This collaboration between Plants for Space, magnitude.io/, and the AVA Challenge represents a significant step forward in STEM education, offering Australian students an unprecedented opportunity to engage with space science and contribute to ongoing research.
For more information and to register for the Simple Seeds program, visit AVAchallenge.org/simple-seeds/.
About Plants for Space: The ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space is an Australian research initiative focused on developing plant-based life support systems for long-term space missions and habitation. Their work aims to advance our understanding of how plants can be used to sustain human life in space environments.
About magnitude.io/: magnitude.io/ is an educational technology company dedicated to providing students with hands-on, real-world science experiences through space-related projects and experiments. Their ExoLab program connects classrooms to authentic space science experiments, fostering global collaboration and data literacy.
About the Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Challenge: The AVA Challenge is a STEM-focused initiative that challenges students to solve real-world problems facing NASA’s Artemis mission and the Australian space industry. It employs a team-based, design-thinking approach to foster innovation and critical thinking in young learners.
Contact:
Ted Tagami, magnitude.io/ +1 (415) 366-0416 hello@magnitude.io
Dr. Frazer Thorpe , Plants for Space +61 459762299, F.thorpe@latrobe.edu.au