Fairchild-NASA Seeks July 31 Applicants for Space Crop Program Reaching 10,000 Students
Updated
Updated · Refresh Miami · Jul 3
Fairchild-NASA Seeks July 31 Applicants for Space Crop Program Reaching 10,000 Students
1 articles · Updated · Refresh Miami · Jul 3
Summary
July 31 is the deadline for schools to apply to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s Growing Beyond Earth program, which will enroll students in NASA-linked research on crops for long-duration space missions.
More than 10,000 students in 500-plus schools across the U.S., Puerto Rico and 13 other countries now use Fairchild-designed growth chambers that mirror NASA’s Veggie system and generate comparable plant-growth data.
Four cultivars identified through the 11-year program have already been grown on the International Space Station, and about 40 of the 275-plus edible varieties tested have been down-selected by NASA for further work at Kennedy Space Center.
Fairchild says the research is now aimed beyond the ISS toward Artemis and eventually Mars, where astronauts will need to grow a meaningful share of their own food.
With NASA's advanced plant lab retired, can student experiments truly define the menu for future Mars missions?
As student-grown crops feed astronauts, is this a new model for crowdsourcing critical space exploration research?
Join the Mission: Growing Beyond Earth Empowers Students to Shape the Future of Space Agriculture (Deadline July 31, 2026)
Overview
The Growing Beyond Earth (GBE) program is a citizen science initiative that invites middle and high school students to join NASA’s research on growing food for future space missions. With a deadline of July 31, 2026, schools are encouraged to participate in this collaborative effort led by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and NASA. Students conduct real experiments on plant growth under space-like conditions, contributing valuable data to help solve challenges for long-duration space travel. This hands-on experience not only supports NASA’s goals but also inspires students to engage in authentic scientific research and discovery.