THE spectacular destruction of a rocket high above the Atlantic caused major disappointment – including in Scottish primary schools.
The unmanned SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket burst into flames just 139 seconds after lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida several weeks ago.
More than 4,000 pounds of of vital supplies for the International Space Station were lost including components to repair a water filtration system, food and crew provisions.
But also onboarded the doomed rocket it has emerged was a 2kg bag of seeds to be used in experiments in Scottish classrooms.
The seeds – ironically, rocket salad seeds – were meant to stay in outer space for several months before being brought back to earth and planted by school kids.
The experiment would test their growth rate compared to seed that hadn’t been to outer space and if they are safe to eat.
The results would be given to Nasa who said the experiment could one day help crew members on long term missions.
“Please tell us those weren’t our seeds on that rocket,” was the response from the pupils at Hillside School, Aberdour, Fife according to their teacher Rose Ann Carlin.
Kids have been now been reassured the experiment will still go ahead as organisers desperately try to book the seeds a space on another rocket this autumn.
Alana Tapsell, from the Royal Horticultural Society which is behind the experiment, said: “The seed will still come back at the same time, it will just be in space for bit less time than planned.”
