Ladakh Seeds Sent to Space: Seabuckthorn and Himalayan Buckwheat on NASA’s ISS Mission for Future Space Agriculture

1️⃣ Event Overview

Two Ladakh-native superfoods—Seabuckthorn and Himalayan (Tartary) Buckwheat—were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission (July–August 2025).

The experiment studies seed responses to microgravity and space stress before germination.

2️⃣ Mission Timeline

Launch: July 31 – August 1, 2025
Docking: Early August 2025
Return to Earth: Mid-August 2025
Post-flight analysis and planting conducted after splashdown

3️⃣ Mission Objective

🎯 To observe pre-germination molecular and physiological responses of seeds under microgravity and space stress conditions.

The goal is to evaluate their suitability as resilient food sources for long-duration space missions.

4️⃣ Key Organizations

Jaguar Space (World Seeds Initiative)
NASA – ISS Research Platform
Protoplanet (Bengaluru-based Indian collaborator)

5️⃣ Scientific Context

NASA uses controlled plant growth systems like “Seed Pillows” aboard the ISS to study crop growth in microgravity environments.

6️⃣ Quick Revision Table

Feature	Details
Crops Sent	Seabuckthorn & Tartary Buckwheat
Mission	NASA SpaceX Crew-11
Objective	Pre-germination microgravity study
Indian Partner	Protoplanet (Bengaluru)

7️⃣ MCQ Practice Section

Q1. Which Ladakh crops were sent to the ISS?

A) Green gram & fenugreek
B) Seabuckthorn & Himalayan buckwheat
C) Barley & finger millet
D) Amaranth & sorghum

Answer: B

Q2. What was the main objective of the experiment?

A) Vitamin production
B) Radiation shielding test
C) Study pre-germination response under microgravity
D) Test harvesting robots

Answer: C

Q3. Which organization led the seed payload?

A) ISRO
B) Jaguar Space
C) FAO
D) ESA