Fifty Pupils at Balmuildy Primary School in East Dunbartonshire are preparing to become space biologists and embark on a voyage of discovery by growing seeds that have been into space.
In September, 2kg of rocket seeds were flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on Soyuz 44S where they have spent the last few months in microgravity before returning to Earth in March 2016. The seeds have been sent as part of Rocket Science, an educational project launched by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and the UK Space Agency. 
Balmuildy Primary will be one of up to 10,000 schools to receive a packet of 100 seeds from space, which they will grow alongside seeds that haven’t been to space and measure the differences over seven weeks. The children won’t know which seed packet contains which seeds until all results have been collected by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and analysed by professional biostatisticians.
The out-of-this-world, nationwide science experiment will enable the children to think more about how we could preserve human life on another planet in the future, what astronauts need to survive long-term missions in space and the difficulties surrounding growing fresh food in challenging climates.
Councillor Maureen Henry, Convener of Education at East Dunbartonshire Council is delighted that the school is taking part in such an exciting experiment. She said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the young people to be involved in something that we can confidently say is a once in a life-time experience. They will all be aware of the ISS and Tim Peake’s adventure and this project is a way of involving them directly with what they are seeing on the news. I look forward to the results and hearing all about what the children have learned along the way.”
Mrs Bhattacharyya from Balmuildy Primary who is running the experiment, says: “We are very excited to be taking part in Rocket Science. This experiment is a fantastic way of teaching our pupils to think more scientifically and share their findings with the whole community. Linking with the Mission x Train Like An Astronaut Programme and following the Principia Mission is immersing the children in science and technology and hooking their interest at an early age.”
Dobbies garden centre in Milngavie have very kindly equipped Balmuildy Primary School with the tools required to complete this task.
Rocket Science is just one educational project from a programme developed by the UK Space Agency to celebrate British ESA astronaut Tim Peake’s Principia mission to the ISS and inspire young people to look into careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, including horticulture.
Applications to take part in Rocket Science are still open and will close in March next year or until all packs have been allocated. Schools and educational groups can apply at rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening.
Follow the project on Twitter: @RHSSchools #RocketScience
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About the RHS Campaign for School Gardening
The RHS Campaign for School Gardening works with over 21,000 schools and groups, representing more than 4.5 million children across the UK, to inspire a love of plants and horticulture. Through its resources, unique competitions and hands-on projects, it supports teachers to enhance children’s skills and development to meet the needs of the future. Its extensive bank of online resources and national programme of school gardening training courses enthuse teachers and give them skills and confidence to create outdoor learning experiences that impact on children’s achievement, health and well-being, whilst supporting the National Curriculum. rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening.
About the UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency is responsible for all strategic decisions on the UK civil space programme and provides a clear, single voice for UK space ambitions. At the heart of UK efforts to explore and benefit from space, it is responsible for ensuring that the UK retains and grows a strategic capability in space-based systems, technologies, science and applications. It leads the UK’s civil space programme in order to win sustainable economic growth, secure new scientific knowledge and provide benefit to all citizens.