OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 University of Mississippi research into the potential of farming in space continues early Saturday (Sept. 20) with the launch of more seedlings headed to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n
The seedlings are part of the research of John Z. Kiss, dean of the\u00a0University of Mississippi Graduate School<\/a>, who also is the recipient of NASA’s 2014 Outstanding Public Leadership Medal.<\/p>\n The renowned scientist has worked with NASA for nearly three decades, having served as vice chair of the International Committee on Space Research.<\/p>\n As TROPI (an experiment to investigate the growth and development of plant seedlings under various gravity and lighting combinations) spaceflight project director from 2004 to 2010, Kiss supervised 36 scientists and engineers at four NASA centers and two centers of the European Space Agency. These efforts resulted in two successful projects on the International Space Station.<\/p>\n The\u00a0launch will include Seedling Growth-2, a continuation of this research. According to a release from NASA, “Seedling Growth-2\u00a0will germinate and grow seeds of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant, a member of the mustard family, into\u00a0tiny seedlings in space. Investigators will study these seedlings to gain a\u00a0better understanding of the cellular signaling mechanisms involved in plant\u00a0tropisms \u2013 plant movement and growth. The major goals of this project are to\u00a0determine the combined influences of light and gravity on plant development\u00a0through the identification of changes in the mechanisms and regulation of\u00a0essential cellular functions.”<\/p>\n This is the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft’s fourth\u00a0commercial resupply mission to the space station. It is scheduled to lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at\u00a01:14 a.m. Saturday. If the\u00a0launch is postponed, the next launch opportunity is approximately\u00a012:53 a.m.\u00a0Sunday (Sept. 21)<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n NASA will host a post-launch briefing about 90 minutes after launch. If launch occurs Saturday,\u00a0NASA TV will provide live coverage\u00a0Monday (Sept. 22) of the arrival of the\u00a0Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing\u00a0coverage will begin at\u00a04:30 a.m.\u00a0with grapple at approximately\u00a06:30 a.m.\u00a0Berthing coverage begins at\u00a08:30 a.m.<\/p>\n For more information about\u00a0the missions and the Space Biosciences Division at Ames, visit http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/ames\/research\/space-biosciences<\/a><\/p>\n For NASA TV schedule and\u00a0video streaming information, go to\u00a0http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nasatv<\/a><\/p>\n For launch countdown\u00a0coverage, NASA’s launch blog and more information about the mission, visit\u00a0http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/spacex<\/a><\/p>\n For more information about\u00a0the International Space Station, research in low-Earth orbit, NASA’s commercial\u00a0space programs and the future of American spaceflight, visit http:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/exploration<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"