We are proud to announce that our experiment has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) and will be heading to the International Space Station (ISS)! 🌌🛰️
This is a huge step not only for our team, but also for the entire Czech Republic. We are part of the historic journey of Czech science into space – and this is just the beginning. Our technology will be tested and monitored in zero gravity and compared with terrestrial conditions.
The core of the PUMR-B project is to study the early development of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in a microgravity environment aboard the ISS. The aim is to gain key insights for the development of Bio-Regenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS), in which plants will supply astronauts with food, oxygen, and recycled water. The experiment will compare the growth of standard and stress-adapted barley varieties. Scientists will focus on molecular and physiological changes in roots, apical meristems, and photosynthetically active organs using advanced “omics” methods. The knowledge gained from this stressful environment will also help on Earth in the cultivation of drought- and heat-resistant varieties.
The Czech Institute for Research and Advanced Technologies at Palacký University (CATRIN) and S.A.B. Aerospace s.r.o. are collaborating on the project. The CATRIN team is represented by Lukáš Spíchal, head of the CATRIN-BIOSCIENCES division, an expert in the chemical biology of plant hormones and sensing technology. Veronique Bergougnoux-Fojtik, a researcher in the Plant Engineering and Biotechnology group, who specializes in plant-environment interactions and root development using methods such as CRISPR/Cas, is also involved. Project management and business development are handled by Anna Glozigová from S.A.B. Aerospace s.r.o., who brings a unique combination of cutting-edge technical education and extensive production experience to the table. In 2024, she obtained an engineering degree in Power and Thermofluid Engineering with a specialization in Fluid Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Brno University of Technology.
The importance of linking academic research and industrial implementation, which is central to the PUMR-B project, was also emphasized during the Space2Business event. Tomáš Moravec, CEO of S.A.B. Aerospace, participated in a panel discussion entitled “Where academia meets industry.” This discussion focused on the topic of “Cooperation between Academia and Industry,” which is the principle on which the entire PUMR-B project is based.
The experiment itself lasts 12 days and takes place in the Experimental Module located in the ICF facility on the ISS. The module contains a special Space Growth and Phenotyping Unit (SGPU) that can hold up to 50 barley grains and is equipped with RGB cameras and TETRIS electrochemical sensors to monitor growth, germination, and substrate parameters. After manual activation by an astronaut, data is continuously sent to Earth; at the end of the mission, biological samples are manually fixed for return and detailed analysis.
We will regularly update complete information and the progress of the project in the Projects section.
