Rooibos in Space School Participation

The Rooibos in Space STEM project, made possible by the South African Rooibos Council (SARC) in partnership with MaxIQ Space, is set to take one of South Africa’s most iconic agricultural treasures beyond Earth’s atmosphere. STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

For the SARC, investing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is not just a project – it is a commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists, agri-innovators and problem-solvers who will shape the future of South Africa and the Rooibos industry itself.

MaxIQ Space – a South African space-focused STEM education and technology company – specialises in hands-on, modular electronics and Space STEM programmes that enable learners to build, code and engage with real-world satellite and space experiments. Together, this partnership is opening an extraordinary door for South African schools and learners.

Late 2026, Rooibos seeds will travel to the International Space Station!  For the first time, Rooibos will be exposed to the unique conditions of space, including microgravity and increased cosmic radiation. When the seeds return, participating schools will help answer a remarkable scientific question: How does space influence Rooibos at the very start of its life cycle? This project links Rooibos to the growing global field of space agriculture, which explores how crops might grow in extreme environments, such as future missions to the Moon and even Mars.

Space STEM project in schools -  In the months leading up to launching Rooibos into space, schools are invited to embark on an immersive STEM journey. Educators will receive specialised virtual training, use their innovative Springbot classroom tools, and conduct experiments in preparation for the parallel planting experiments in 2027.
Learners will work with environmental sensors, analyse real data, explore coding and connect agriculture with space science in ways that are practical, exciting and locally meaningful.
In 2027, all participating schools will receive Rooibos seeds that have been to space, as well as those that remained behind on Earth. Guided by specialists, germination and growth experiments will be conducted, supported by the Springbot STEM technology used up to date.

Prerequisites -  As the MaxIQ Space and Springbot technologies are fundamental to this project, it is imperative that the participating schools are already in possession of Springbot class kits, and the educators have completed the onboarding training.