iss071e439623

iss071e439623 (Aug. 7, 2024) -- Rhodium science chambers are pictured prior to storage in an ambient locker location aboard the International Space Station. The Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge 2023 Examining Mushroom Growth in Microgravity, or Rhodium Microgravity Mycelium investigation, tests the growth rates of mycelia, the root structures of mushrooms, in space. Microgravity can alter the growth rates of other organisms and understanding how it affects mycelium growth rate and biomass production could provide insight into growth characteristics of fungi. Mushrooms have recognized nutritional value and results could lead to more efficient mushroom growth and new strains of mushrooms as potential food sources for space travel and for research on Earth.