Move over, ‘The Martian’—Earth’s roses just got an intergalactic glow-up! 🌌 On January 23, Chinese commercial aerospace firm CAS Space successfully recovered rose seeds from a suborbital test flight aboard its PH-1 Yao-1 rocket. The seeds spent time beyond the Kármán line—120 km above Earth—where space radiation and microgravity triggered genetic mutations that could revolutionize flower breeding. 💫
Selected for their disease resistance and resilience, these ‘space seeds’ are now headed to the National Rose Germplasm Resource Repository in Henan Province. Scientists aim to cultivate roses that bloom longer, flaunt wild colors 🎨, and shrug off pests like superheroes. 🦸♂️
This isn’t just about pretty petals: the mission showcases a low-cost model for aerospace-assisted breeding of crops and flowers, turbocharging China’s seed security and agricultural tech. 🌾 With 300+ seconds of stable microgravity, the PH-1 rocket is a game-changer for near-space research. Who knew farming could be this lit? 🔥
