# NASA sent a rose to space in 1998 and its scent changed 2026-08-12T23:12:23+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet In 1998, NASA sent a small rose plant called 'Overnight Scentsation' on Space Shuttle Discovery for a nine-day mission. The experiment, a collaboration with fragrance company IFF, aimed to see if microgravity altered the flower's scent. Astronauts collected samples using a silicone fibre. Lab analysis later showed that the rose produced fewer volatile oils in space, and its fragrance profile shifted from a fresh, green character to a different floral aroma. The change was subtle but distinctive. The altered scent was not just a scientific curiosity. IFF turned it into a commercial fragrance ingredient known as the 'space rose' note. The company later used it in Shiseido's Zen perfume. The mission also carried astronaut John Glenn. The experiment was housed in an ASTROCULTURE chamber developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: fragrance, microgravity, NASA, perfume, rose, space research Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/nasa-sent-a-rose-to-space-in-1998-and-its-scent-changed/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/nasa-sent-a-rose-to-space-in-1998-and-its-scent-changed/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.