Cotton research heads into space
06/05/2021
Retailer Target is funding the investigation Targeting Improved Cotton Through On-orbit Cultivation (TICTOC), which will look at how root system architecture affects plant resilience to stress, water-use efficiency and carbon sequestration during seedling establishment.
Roots play a central role in plant stress resistance and survival, but their growth patterns depend upon gravity. This investigation will examine how environmental factors and genes control development of roots in the absence of gravity.
Each resupply mission to the station delivers scientific investigations in the fields of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences and Earth and space science.
SpaceX's 22nd Commercial Resupply Services mission is targeted to launch on June 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Image: A preflight photo of the TICTOC growth chamber contains a seedling ready for harvest. Image courtesy of Tom Dreschel
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