Materials will become available for these experiments on September 15th, 2025!
Novel Crops:
Required for all new teachers, optional for returning teachers
28 day trial
Which selected plant cultivars grow best under our simulated International Space Station conditions?
In this trial, you will grow two of six cultivars new to the GBE program.
Cultivars: Papalo – Butterfly Form, Dwarf Nasturtium – Alaska Mix, Thai Basil – Thai Thai Prospera, Fennel – Hybrid F1 ‘Dragon’, Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea, Amaranth – White Beauty
Fruiting Crops:
Optional for returning teachers
70 day trial
Which selected fruiting plant cultivars grow best under our simulated International Space Station conditions under a longer growth period?
In this trial, you will grow one of three cultivars new to the GBE program. Unlike standard Novel Crops plants, these are grown for their fruits and require a longer growth period for harvest.
Cultivars: Tomato – Micro Tom, Tomato – Heartbreakers™ Dora Red Hybrid, Pepper – Buena Mulata
Neighboring Effect:
Optional for returning teachers
28 day trial
Do select companion plant strategies improve growth outcomes in previously tested cultivars under our simulated International Space Station conditions?
In this trial, you will grow two previously tested cultivars together to determine if they provide any benefit to each other, or if the plants are incompatible. Fennel is notoriously allelopathic, or known to harm other plants’ growth, but our preliminary testing suggests that this amaranth may be compatible.
Cultivars: Fennel – Grosfruchtiger, Amaranth – Garnet Red
Water Stress:
Optional for returning teachers
60 day trial (one growth chamber) – or two 28 day trials concurrently (requires two growth chambers)
Do select cultivars withstand both flood and drought stress under our simulated International Space Station conditions?
In this trial, you will grow a previously tested cultivar under both extreme drought conditions and extreme flood conditions to simulate water stress that may be experienced on the ISS. This experiment is modeled after active Kennedy Space Center research in the Advanced Plant Habitat system.
Cultivars: Round Red Beets – Early Wonder Tall Top
Fertilizer Placement:
Optional for returning teachers
28 day trial
How do select cultivars respond to adjusted fertilizer placement under our simulated International Space Station conditions?
In this trial, you will compare plant growth with fertilizer placed at the bottom of the pot versus uniformly mixed throughout the growing media. This experiment is based on internal testing to determine what may be causing post-germination failure-to-thrive and led to unexpected results.
Cultivars: Red Romaine Lettuce- Outredgeous, Mizuna
