U.S. spacecraft brings Vietnamese lotus seeds into space

In recent hours, global media have turned their attention to the launch of the New Shepard spacecraft from the Van Horn launch pad in Texas, USA. This special flight carried the first all-female crew into space, marking a significant milestone in aerospace history.

The televised mission took the astronauts to a maximum altitude of approximately 105 kilometers, where they experienced weightlessness for several minutes, marveling at the Earth’s curve and the immensity of space.

Notably, on this journey, Vietnamese-American astronaut Amanda Nguyen brought along 169 lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera), provided by the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC).

Selected from the Center for Research and Development of Flowers and Ornamental Plants (Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences), these lotus seeds will return after their mission, paving the way for research into the effects of space travel on plant growth and contributing to plant science.

At 8:30 a.m. local time on April 14, the New Shepard rocket ignited its sole engine at the base, launching the spacecraft from the pad. The rocket swiftly passed through the Max Q phase, when the vehicle endures the greatest aerodynamic stress, marking the moment it travels at high speed through still-dense atmosphere, placing intense pressure on the rocket’s structure.

After clearing Max Q, the rocket engine shut down, and the capsule separated from the booster. The crew continued ascending, entering a brief but thrilling period of zero gravity. During this time, passengers on board could not hide their awe as they glimpsed the moon through the capsule windows.

The booster landed vertically back on Earth and will be reused for future missions. Precisely 10 minutes and 23 seconds after liftoff, the Blue Origin spacecraft landed successfully, concluding a historic flight not only for the aerospace industry but also for international scientific collaboration.