Now Reading: NASA sent a rose to space in 1998 and its scent changed
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NASA sent a rose to space in 1998 and its scent changed
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The story of the space rose is a good reminder that when India talks about its space programme, the focus is usually on rockets and satellites for communication or defence. We rarely hear about experiments with flowers or how microgravity could change a perfume. That is a missed opportunity. India's Gaganyaan mission could carry a marigold or a jasmine and see what happens. The question is: will ISRO ever fund a smell experiment, or is it all about the big bang?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
