1
0
NASRDA JOINS HISTORIC NASA MISSION WITH INDIGENOUS CROP SEEDS
The Nigerian space program has reached a historic milestone as the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) participates in a groundbreaking international space mission,its first biological payload to be launched aboard a crewed NASA flight.
A statement by the Director, Media and Corporate Communications of the National Space Research and Development Agency,Dr Felix Ale says the flight which is scheduled for liftoff today from the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with the Crew-11 mission carries the World Seeds Payload, a globally collaborative agricultural experiment spearheaded by U.S. based Jaguar Space.
The initiative brings together research from eleven countries, including Nigeria, in an unprecedented effort to study how seeds behave in space.
Nigeria’s contribution to this mission consists of six indigenous crop seeds namely :okra, cowpea, Guinea corn (sorghum), amaranth, maize, and melon which are carefully selected for their nutritional value, agricultural importance, and cultural relevance.
These seeds will be studied aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to investigate their response to microgravity and other spaceflight conditions.
The primary objective of the World Seeds Payload is to expand knowledge on food production in extreme environments, with implications for both planetary agriculture and global food security.
Nigerian scientists hope that insights from this mission will support the development of climate-resilient crops and sustainable agricultural practices, both on Earth and in space.
Representing NASRDA at the launch is an Assistant Director with the Department of International Cooperation and Linkages, Mrs Olayinka Fagbemiro who is Nigeria’s Project Lead on the mission.
Mrs Fagbemiro has overseen the entire process ranging from seed selection and documentation to logistics and coordination which involves working in close collaboration with Jaguar Space and other international partners.
The seeds’ journey to space was made possible through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between NASRDA and Jaguar Space.
This agreement underscores Nigeria’s growing role in international space collaboration and scientific diplomacy.
For NASRDA, the launch marks a turning point as it is the Agency’s first time of sending a biological payload aboard a crewed NASA mission marking a symbolic and technical achievement that elevates Nigeria’s status in the global space community.
The mission also builds on years of preparatory research by NASRDA’s Department of Physical and Life Sciences, which has conducted gravity simulation studies on similar crops.
Participation in this flight experiment now offers the opportunity to validate those findings in a real space environment.
Beyond the scientific data, the inclusion of culturally significant African crops helps ensure that space exploration reflects diverse perspectives and human experiences making the World Seeds Payload both a scientific experiment and a cultural statement.
Experts say the mission sets a precedent for more inclusive international participation in space-based research, particularly from emerging space nations like Nigeria.
The Crew-11 mission and its biological cargo are expected to reach the ISS within 24 hours of launch, with scientific observations to begin almost immediately upon arrival.
As the space industry becomes more democratized, Nigeria’s participation signals a future in which African innovation plays a visible and meaningful role in shaping humanity’s journey beyond Earth.
With the seeds now headed into orbit, the world will watch closely, not just to see what grows in microgravity, but what this moment means for global cooperation, scientific curiosity, and national pride.
About The Author
