Exploring Gravity's Influence on Plant Cells in Space
- Thembelihle Gumede
- Jul 22, 2024
- 2 min read
SporeSat is an autonomous, free-flying spacecraft designed to conduct a groundbreaking scientific experiment in space. Its mission is to investigate how germinating plant cells sense and respond to gravity. This research aims to enhance our understanding of the molecular and biophysical mechanisms underlying gravity sensing in plants.
Experiment Design
The experiment utilizes single-celled spores of the aquatic fern Ceratopteris richardii. These spores exhibit a remarkable ability to sense and respond to gravity within hours of germination. One of the earliest observable gravity-directed events is the movement of calcium ions through the germinating spores. On Earth, this calcium ion current flows opposite to Earth's gravity, distinguishing up from down.
During the SporeSat experiment, the gravitational responses of the fern spores will be monitored by measuring the activity of their calcium ion channels. The spacecraft will expose the spores to varying levels of gravity, allowing researchers to observe how these responses change in different gravitational environments.
Spacecraft and Payload
SporeSat is a 3U nanosatellite weighing approximately 12 pounds. Its science payload consists of three lab-on-a-chip devices known as BioCDs. These disc-shaped devices hold up to 32 spores each. Two of the BioCDs spin to generate artificial gravitational forces, while the third remains stationary as a microgravity control.
Launch and Mission
SporeSat was launched aboard SpaceX-3 on April 18, 2014, and deployed into orbit shortly after. The mission was developed through a partnership between NASA's Ames Research Center and Purdue University.
Project Team
Project Manager: Andres Martinez (NASA Ames Research Center)
Project Scientist/Technologist: Antonio Ricco, Ph.D. (NASA Ames Research Center)
Principal Investigator: Jenna Rickus, Ph.D. (Purdue University)
Principal Investigator: Amani Salim, Ph.D (Purdue University)
Co-Investigator: Stan Roux Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin)
Co-Investigator: Mari L. Salmi Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin)
Significance
The SporeSat mission will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms that plants use to sense and respond to gravity. This knowledge could contribute to advancements in plant biology, agriculture, and space exploration. By understanding how plants adapt to different gravitational environments, we can improve our ability to grow crops in space and develop technologies for long-duration space missions.
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