Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, has urged Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains schools to put their hand up to be part of an exciting project studying the effect space has on seeds.

The One Giant Leap Australia Foundation, based in the Hawkesbury and supported by the Australian Space Agency, has worked with the Japanese Space Agency to send wattle seeds into space for six months so scientists can study what happens to them.

“When the seeds come home, after half a year in space, schools across Australia will grow them to see what effects space has had on them,” Ms Templeman said.

“This is one of the many inspiring space programs One Giant Leap organises, and I’d encourage Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury schools to take part in this real ‘home grown’ experiment.”

One Giant Leap Australia Foundation Founder, Jackie Carpenter, said the seeds would be on board the SpaceX CRS-21 resupply mission bound for the International Space Station later this year.

“We chose the wattle because it’s Australia’s national flower and it’s bush tucker as well,” Ms Carpenter said.

“We are looking to see if germination and growth of the seeds is going to be affected by going into space for six months.

“We’re hoping about 200 schools from around Australia can help in the experiment.

“Those chosen will be given six seeds from space and six from the same seed lot here on Earth, and they will grow them over the next two to three years.

“GPS locations will be gathered for each wattle tree that is grown so we know where the seeds from space will be.

“The data will then be collected and studied by scientists.”

Ms Templeman said local schools should