Oakhill College Year 7 science students have embarked on the Astrosprout Project, a rare and exciting opportunity in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology.
Led by Mr Ryan Hamilton, students will grow plants from seeds that have experienced microgravity, having recently returned from the International Space Station aboard the Cygnus NG-19 spacecraft. This ground-breaking initiative forms part of NASA’s Student Payload Opportunity with Citizen Science (SPOCS) program, which explores how plants can grow in space environments – a crucial step toward sustaining long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Alexander, John, Daniel, Liam, and Hamish were thrilled to be among the first to handle the seeds, knowing they had travelled into space and back – a once-in-a-lifetime experience few ever encounter.
Through this project, students have the chance to contribute meaningfully to the future of space exploration while deepening their understanding of science here on Earth. The Astrosprout Project highlights the power of student learning beyond the classroom and connects directly to the possibilities of human spaceflight.
As our students nurture these extraordinary seeds, they are also nurturing a vision of the future – one where astronauts may one day eat vegetables grown from the work of students like ours.