South African rooibos seeds set for historic space mission

CAPE TOWN, July 17 — South Africa’s iconic rooibos tea will make history in October when its seeds become the country’s first indigenous plant species — and the first seeds from the African continent — to travel to space, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) announced on Friday.

The scientific initiative dubbed “Rooibos in Space” was officially launched on Thursday in Cape Town. Rooibos, meaning “red bush” in Afrikaans, is a native South African plant used to produce a naturally caffeine-free, antioxidant-rich tea enjoyed worldwide.

The initiative was conceptualized by the South African Rooibos Council (SARC) and is being delivered in collaboration with space education company MaxIQ Space, with support from SANSA. According to SANSA, the rooibos seeds will be launched aboard a commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station in October.