A Leap to the Stars: Palm Seeds to Be Sent into Space

RSPO member Grupo Danec of Ecuador, through its company Murrin Corporation, together with Leviathan Space and AEGIS Aerospace, is leading a visionary project that will send Ecuadorian oil palm seeds to the International Space Station (ISS). For six months, the seeds will remain in orbit to analyze their behavior under extreme conditions beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

The initiative aims to study the physiological and structural resilience of palm seeds, as well as identify potential biological or genetic changes resulting from exposure to the space environment. Such variations could become a key tool to accelerate genetic improvement processes, shortening the long development cycles required by perennial species such as oil palm, whose evolution often takes up to 15 years per generation.

The selected seeds include two types: Elaeis guineensis and interspecific hybrids (Elaeis oleifera x Elaeis guineensis), both ready for germination. “If we achieve significant results, we could open the door to new palm varieties adapted to extreme conditions, capable of facing climate change and boosting the country’s agricultural competitiveness,” explained Carlos Andrés Madrigal, Agricultural Operations Manager at Grupo Danec.

Similar initiatives have been carried out in other countries. In 2022, the FAO and the IAEA sent seeds into space, demonstrating how space science can directly contribute to global food security.

On this point, Robert Aillon, founder of Leviathan Space, emphasized: “This project will position Ecuador as a benchmark in the development of high-value export seeds.”

The launch, led by AEGIS Aerospace, Inc., is scheduled for April 2026 via the MISSE platform of the ISS, marking an unprecedented milestone in the region’s agriculture.