Embrapa begins agricultural tests on space mission

Embrapa has begun an unprecedented space farming experiment with sweet potatoes and chickpeas, grown in suborbital conditions through a Blue Origin mission launched on April 14. The research is part of the Space Farming Brazil Network, a partnership between Embrapa and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), focused on food production in environments beyond Earth.

The flight carried Beauregard and Covington sweet potato cultivars and seeds of the Brazilian chickpea cultivar BRS Aleppo. The experiments will be conducted by astronaut and engineer Aisha Bowe, from Winston-Salem State University in the United States.

The two species were chosen for their nutritional qualities and adaptability to extreme environments — essential characteristics for cultivation in places such as the Moon, Mars or space stations. The goal of the research is to develop more resilient plants that can grow efficiently in low gravity, water scarcity and high radiation.

According to the scientists involved, the results can accelerate the genetic improvement of cultivars here on Earth, in addition to generating technological innovations for Brazilian agriculture, especially in the face of the challenges of climate change.

Currently, the Space Farming Brazil Network brings together 56 researchers from 22 national and international institutions. The project also marks Brazil's inclusion in NASA's Artemis program, focused on space exploration in global partnership.